Amendments to the Spatial and Urban Plan (SUP) for Podgorica and Zeta provide space for the construction of 22 new religious buildings, some of which were planned in earlier planning documents but were not built, while more than half are buildings that have not been mentioned in planning documents so far.
A public hearing was held for this plan at the end of the year, which received 468 comments. The Ministry of Spatial Planning has not yet finalized the draft plan or the report from the public hearing.
Opposition councilors say that this shows what the government prioritizes when the city lacks space for schools, kindergartens, sports and recreation, parking lots, green spaces, etc., while the government says that there will be space for everyone, and that the plan also foresees the construction of new schools and kindergartens.
Monastery in Tološi
On the slope of Velji Brdo in Tološi, in the continuation of Kotorska Street on the hill that is now called the churchyard, on a municipal plot of 26 thousand square meters, the construction of a church-monastery complex with buildings covering an area of five thousand square meters is planned.
The plan guidelines on this location provide for the possibility of constructing "buildings for religious purposes, as well as monastery dormitories, convents, administrative buildings, cemeteries, religious schools and boarding schools, production and other supporting facilities for the needs of religious buildings."
In Sadine, on the current site of "Plantaža", a future residential settlement is planned, including a religious building that has not been included in the planning documents so far.
In Zagorič, on Piperska Street, a new religious building is planned on a 5.469 square meter plot of land owned by the Government, which, according to the current DUP, is planned for central activities, i.e. for administrative buildings, administration, business, services, healthcare, local community office... Another religious building is planned in the same settlement near the "Branko Božović" elementary school, on land owned by two families for which the transfer to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral is in progress.
Religious building also on the FSCG plot
On Zlatica, next to the existing archaeological site of the old monastery, space is planned for the construction of a new religious building.
In the same settlement, between the FK Kom stadium and HD Laković, on a plot of 9.273 square meters, there is a possibility of building a religious building with an area of about a thousand square meters. According to existing plans, this location is intended for green areas and sports and recreation, and is part of the area given for use by the Football Association of Montenegro (floor plot 1213 KO PG lI).
In Zabjelo, in the immediate vicinity of the “Vuk Karadžić” elementary school, a religious building is planned to be built on a 2.230 square meter plot owned by the Capital City. According to the current plan, a residential and commercial building is planned to be built here.
A religious building measuring 1.527 square meters is planned on Velje Brdo, within the new settlement, on state-owned land measuring 15.270 square meters. The building is planned on a prominent point on the northeastern side of the hill and was not included in the presentation of this settlement.
The construction of a religious building - a 150-square-meter church chapel - is planned at the new city cemetery on Ćemovsko polje.
A new religious building is planned near the Public Institution "Kakaricka gora", on land owned by the Government of Montenegro, on a nearby hilltop, near a sports field.
The construction of a church, a parish house with accompanying facilities is planned at the Cerovice site in Piperi. This site is currently agricultural land. In the Old Town, on Spasa Nikolića Street, the construction of a religious building is planned.
At the Church of St. George, near Gorica, the plan defines the construction of a memorial park with a memorial ossuary and a crypt (chapel) in which religious ceremonies dedicated to the victims of the bombing of Podgorica in World War II would be held and their cemetery would be arranged. The plan states that “the religious building shall be built and arranged in accordance with the plan, and according to the relevant regulations of the church and religious community”.
In Konik, at the location near the Health Center, the proposed plan confirms the earlier solution for the construction of a religious building, which was envisaged in the existing DUP “Konik - Sanitation Plan”.
Between Donja and Gornja Gorica, near the existing church, the new plan provides for the possibility of building a parish house, with a ground floor and one floor. The construction of the parish house is planned near the cemetery in Donji Kokoti, as well as near the existing church in Momišići.
Legalization of construction in Medun and Fundina
In Medun, in Kuči, the construction of a monastery complex with accompanying facilities, facilities for performing religious rituals, and the construction of an access road are planned. This complex, as specified, is divided into several functional units, a guest house, a monastic, an economic part, a church, a cemetery,..., along with areas for agricultural activities. One part of this complex has already been illegally built, and is planned on land that is now owned by the Metropolitanate, the state, and the Capital City.
The plan for Fundina envisages the construction of a Catholic church, the construction of which has already begun without a valid plan.
On the way out of Podgorica towards Tuzi, an Islamic center with accompanying facilities is planned. This is the location across from the Dekar gas station. The Government previously ceded this 30 square meter plot to the Islamic Community.
The proposed plan provides for the possibility of building a new mosque in Konik on Braće Ribar Street. The existing DUP envisages a building of 750 square meters, while the new one envisages 2.500 square meters.
Across the street from the Čepurci cemetery (towards Morača), there are plans to build a 707-square-meter building for the Evangelical Church Riječ Božija, a religious organization that has existed in Podgorica since 2001. The current plan envisages residential buildings at this location.
Mićović: There will also be room for schools, health centers, kindergartens...
Councillor of the ruling coalition from the Europe Now Movement (PES) Anđela Mićović, when asked by "Vijesti" whether there is a need for such a large number of new religious buildings in Podgorica, she said that the Urban Development Plan envisages the construction of central activity buildings.
"Central activities include a wide range of activities. This means that commercial facilities and central institutions of economy, administration and culture can be built on the aforementioned plots, i.e. catering facilities, craft shops, cultural facilities, religious facilities, health and sports facilities, etc. The above means that the PUP does not provide direct guidelines for the construction of a facility from a specific activity, but rather requires the creation of a detailed development plan, depending on the needs of citizens in certain parts of the city," said Mićović.
However, for some of these locations, detailed descriptions are provided of religious buildings, even their size.
She emphasized that the Urban Development Plan also foresees significant areas for the construction of new schools, kindergartens, and health facilities. She said that the Ministry of Education was issued with urban planning and technical conditions for the construction of the Vlado Milić Elementary School (OS).
"A second high school is planned at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, the reconstruction of the 'Sutjeska' elementary school, the construction and reconstruction of a children's resort in Veruša, then the construction of a primary school in the Zabjelo 8 DUP, the reconstruction of the 'Pčelica' kindergarten, and the construction of a kindergarten in Zlatica is also planned, which will greatly improve the quality of educational infrastructure. I would like to point out that the construction of a health center in the City Quarter will begin this year, so that citizens will receive adequate health care in their vicinity after an unjustifiably long period of time," she said.
Councilor of the ruling coalition from the alliance "For the Future of Podgorica" Mitar Susic He asked the journalist, in a verbal conversation, to send him questions via Viber. After the journalist did so, Šušić told him in a Viber message that he had "now remembered not to communicate with 'Vijesti'".
Mugoša: We miss schools, not religious buildings
Budimir Mugoša, a councilor for the European Union in the Capital City Assembly, told "Vijesti" on this topic that Podgorica is developing uncontrollably, and that this is not good for the residents, nor for those who want to become our fellow citizens.
"The lack of basic development projects for Podgorica, the transformation of the city into a collection of buildings and catering facilities will lead to Podgorica not being what we all want it to be - the best place to live in Montenegro. The division of Podgorica into parishes instead of local communities is an anti-European and anti-civilizational solution that often shows the politics of the parties that propose this solution," said Mugoša, adding that many spatial planners believe that the PUP is bad.
He reminds that Podgorica lacks a second gymnasium, several secondary and primary schools, as well as kindergartens.
"But also health centers and the City Hospital. Almost no citizen today would say that they miss a religious facility, but everyone will say that they miss educational facilities and that their children have several shifts in almost all city schools," said Mugoša.
He emphasized that Montenegro is a secular state, adding that the priorities of every government at the state and local levels should be solving problems that concern all citizens.
"Issues concerning religious communities and religious buildings - they were not the focus of any political entity in the election campaign. Every religious community should be allowed to freely express its faith and customs, to build buildings and finance its religious community from its own resources," Mugoša said.
According to him, "the PES-ZBCG-Democrats coalition aims to clericalize the capital."
"... And not solving huge problems for which they are responsible. Podgorica has traffic chaos, garbage is piling up in the suburbs, the lack of parking is huge, 'Vodovod' is on the verge of bankruptcy, city companies are in trouble, our cultural policy is run by obscure nationalist writers, but for the illegitimate city majority, the biggest task is building religious buildings," Mugoša assessed.
Perić: There is no dilemma as to what the government prioritizes
Preokret councilor Srđan Perić said that the current government has "no dilemmas about what to prioritize."
"What is worrying is that the government's priorities do not include resolving chronic dysfunction and shaping the city to suit all categories of the population, with special sensitivity towards the most vulnerable. Likewise, when you look at this plan, you do not see any idea of how to properly solve the problem of traffic congestion, even if the plan is overly ambitious, but then you know that every government, regardless of which political scene it comes from, will have a concept that it will implement because it reflects the needs of citizens, and it would be designed by professionals. Again, we had, for example, a story in the GUR 'Veljo brdo' which includes the construction of facilities necessary for a quality life, and it is forgotten that they are mapped out and, a step further, built in suburban settlements, where there is an increasingly pronounced need for new kindergartens, schools, health centers, children's playgrounds, facilities intended for culture and art... ", said Perić, adding that "this is not a matter of interest for the government."
He said that the impression is being gained and built upon that "the plan is still being adjusted to the wishes of investors."
"When you add all of that up, you have a proposal for changes to the spatial plan as it is - which does not stem from the idea of long-term development of the city, but from the priorities of the authorities and the wishes of investors," said Perić.
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