The Municipality of Budva has prepared a Draft Program of Temporary Locations for the period until 2028, which will be submitted to the competent institutions for approval, and which guarantees the tidying up of the city and the removal of those temporary facilities that spoil the appearance of the tourism metropolis. In order to protect and stimulate the economy of Budva to the greatest extent possible, the possibility of extending or annexing the lease agreement for temporary locations for the upcoming season is being considered, until the completion of the legally prescribed procedures for new leases under the newly adopted program.
This was stated by the Mayor of Budva Municipality in an interview with "Vijesti". Nikola Jovanovic.
The five-year program for temporary facilities expired on December 31, 2023, but by that deadline, the Municipality had not adopted a new five-year plan valid until 2028. Last year, due to the lack of that planning document, the city treasury was deprived of at least 600 thousand euros, and the main promenades did not look at all representative due to illegal temporary facilities.
According to Jovanović, the Municipality of Budva, as the most important tourist center on the Montenegrin coast, is facing a great need for adequate public space development in order to preserve the attractiveness and functionality of the urban area.
"In this context, the development of a temporary facilities program is a key step towards establishing order and sustainability in the use of space. Temporary facilities, such as kiosks, prefabricated facilities, stands and other mobile or prefabricated structures, play a significant role in the economic and social life of the municipality. The temporary facilities program enables seasonal entrepreneurs and local producers to offer their products and services, thereby contributing to the dynamics of the local economy and enriching the tourist offer of Budva. Unplanned and inadequate placement of temporary facilities disrupts the environment, and especially the safety of citizens and visitors. In terms of the procedure for regulation in this area, we can point out that the final Draft of the Temporary Facilities Program for the territory of the municipality of Budva has been established, which is adopted in accordance with the law for a period of four years," Jovanović emphasized.
He stated that the Draft was determined by the competent Commission, which is composed of representatives of the competent secretariats and local government services, and is the result of systematic work, preservation and improvement of the space, as well as economic and cultural valorization.
“Over 800 requests were processed. The work required a detailed review and positioning of the locations permitted by the previous program, with a focus on resolving catering terraces in the zone and contact zone of the Old Town, with special emphasis on the fact that there are several cultural assets at that location. We particularly aimed at preserving, accessing and presenting the cultural values of our city. The previous program did not sufficiently recognize locations of public interest, the positions of children's playgrounds, parking lots, prefabricated garages, sports fields, which required a detailed analysis of all available data, including an analysis of the current planning documentation.
For the first time, the approach of putting public interest ahead of private interest has been applied, so archaeological sites, such as "Mirište" in Petrovac, will receive a planning basis for replacing the dilapidated structure, which will provide the conditions for the ancient mosaic of great value to be preserved and presented in the form of an archaeological park," emphasizes Jovanović.
As he claims, the promenade area has been preserved from individual stall locations that previously significantly disrupted this most attractive part of Budva.
"The municipality has thus further demonstrated its commitment to the development of this important pedestrian route. Along the promenade, locations will be provided for the presentation of domestic agricultural producers, which has shown that we care about the local economy with minimal impact on the urban and aesthetic appearance of the city. Positions that will greatly improve the tourist offer of Budva have been identified and the construction of lookouts and new tourist information points, as well as new stages for the needs of the Public Institution "City of Theatres". In the rural hinterland, along with the identified locations of future cultural microcenters, temporary parking lots have been planned, thus enabling better organization of cultural and artistic events in the villages of Budva," said Jovanović.
According to the guidelines of the Spatial Plan of Montenegro, he added, the program enables the valorization of hiking trails in the hinterland, which will be supplemented with educational children's equipment.
"In the coming period, an amendment to the Regulation on detailed conditions for the installation or construction of temporary facilities, devices and equipment is expected, which should be adopted by the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, and amendments to the program are expected very soon, which will enable the planning of temporary facilities in an even more detailed manner, as well as open areas serving as temporary facilities, regulate space, preserve aesthetics and contribute to the establishment of urban order, and ensure the safety and efficiency of the use of public areas of our city," emphasized the first man of Budva.
Before the upcoming holidays, as Jovanović pointed out, the Draft Program will be officially submitted to the competent institutions for their opinion, with whom they have previously made numerous contacts regarding locations and guidelines for the design and materialization of temporary facilities envisaged by this program.
"After the opinions have been submitted, the Municipality of Budva will conduct a fifteen-day public debate, after which the Draft will be submitted to the local assembly for adoption. The program of temporary facilities is not being adopted only for seasonal locations, but rather treats facilities and spaces that will contribute to the quality of space and the resolution of the basic needs of our citizens on a year-round basis," concluded Jovanović.
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