A transformer station that was supposed to be built in the Dobra Voda settlement in Bar has led to a legal dispute between the Montenegrin Electricity Distribution System (CEDIS) and Baranin. Ahmet HrapovićCEDIS claims that Hrapović is obstructing the project and usurping their land, while he warns that the state-owned company is threatening his property and existence.
CEDIS unsuccessfully tried to start the project from November last year to February this year, in a part of the Dubrava settlement.
As CEDIS told "Vijesti", they have obtained all the conditions for the project, but the contractors have been prevented from starting work several times. Hrapović says that he found out about the construction of the substation in front of his house when CEDIS officials came to put up signs.
He does not hide that he objected to it then, as he did the next four times when officials or engineers came. That is why he went to CEDIS and, as he said, asked for explanations, but was referred to the local administration.
When, after several unsuccessful attempts, he held a meeting with an official of the Municipality of Bar, he said, he was informed that the first man of Bar Dušan Raičević informed about their meeting, but that there was no further feedback.
"This is my primary residential property, it's not for rent. When they build it, what will our quality of life be like? Does that substation radiate radiation," asks Hrapović, adding that this is a great injustice to him and his family.
He also questions whether he will be able to enter his house, and how he will build or carry out work on it, if he cannot approach it.
"They're closing my gate," he claims, pointing to the few centimeters of distance between his plot and the spot marked for the substation.
Rubble was deposited on the plot in front of his house, which CEDIS officials, he claims, accompanied by the Municipal Police, ordered him to remove, which he did. According to him, since the beginning of this process, he has been suffering from numerous pressures from local and state authorities.
After several attempts to start the works, which Hrapović opposed, CEDIS initiated legal proceedings against him before the Basic Court in Bar. According to the two parties to the dispute, two hearings have been held and the main trial and epilogue are still pending.
Hrapović said that he has confidence in the judicial institutions, so he hopes they will make a fair decision. If that is not the case, he told "Vijesti", they will have to build the substation, and he "knows what to do then."
He also raises concerns that the substation is planned right next to the main road, next to the regional water supply network, suggesting that it is being built for the needs of new hotels and apartment buildings for sale and rent, endangering his property and life, even though he permanently resides there.
CEDIS claims that this is an obstruction of a completely legal project that benefits the citizens of Dobra Voda, that they bought the land from the state, and that the users are suffering the consequences.
CEDIS told "Vijesti" that they have the necessary construction site documentation for the substation and signed contracts with the contractor and professional supervision. In the period from November 2024 to February 2025, they tried several times to get the contractor to start work in accordance with the contractual obligations, but were prevented from doing so each time, they said.
Therefore, they submitted a motion for an interim measure requesting that Hrapović be ordered to immediately, without delay, remove the waste/gravel he had stored from the cadastral plot and to allow CEDIS employees and employees of the contractor access, as well as to refrain from such and similar interference with the applicant's right to access the plot in question for the purpose of carrying out the aforementioned works.
The Basic Court in Bar adopted this proposal, CEDIS said, and since Hrapović, they claim, did not act on the decision, at the end of February this year they filed a proposal for enforcement based on the aforementioned decision, as well as three urgent requests since the court did not decide on their proposal.
In the meantime, upon Hrapović's objection, the Bar Basic Court Council revoked the decision and returned the case to the executive judge for a new decision.
CEDIS filed a lawsuit with the competent court for trespassing.
"During the proceedings, the cadastral plot was parceled out, which was originally registered with the State of Montenegro, but at the request of CEDIS and in accordance with the valid DUP, a parcel was parceled out of part of the plot intended for the installation of a transformer station, on which CEDIS is registered as the owner, of which the court was informed in a submission," the state-owned company told the newspaper.
CEDIS has also resolved the property-legal relations on the route of the connecting cable line for powering the future transformer station, they pointed out, and the conditions prescribed by the Law on Construction of Structures have been met so that, as an investor, they can begin carrying out works immediately after the cessation of actions that cause interference with the possession and legal property of CEDIS.
"Due to all of the above, the construction of the substation in question is delayed by more than half a year and the inability to realize this investment is causing consequences that are affecting existing users in terms of poor quality of electricity delivery, as well as future users who cannot connect to our network," the company said.
In addition to the users, the contractor also suffers, they claim, as he is unable to install and invoice previously purchased equipment in order to fulfill the obligations prescribed by the contract. Also, due to the inability to introduce the contractor into the work, CEDIS is potentially put in a situation where it could be involved in unwanted legal proceedings due to non-compliance with contractual obligations, they emphasized.
"We very often do not even have support from the competent institutions for the public service we provide," CEDIS emphasized.
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