The announced sports capital project - an indoor swimming pool and multifunctional sports hall in Pljevlja - is still on paper, but 100.000 euros have already been spent from the state treasury. This amount was paid from the competition fund intended for the authors of the awarded solutions, jury members and expert reporters, although construction has not yet begun, and the public still has no information about when the works might start.
The people of Pljevlja have been waiting for a response for months, with the impression that projects are promised faster than they are built and that capital investments remain trapped in administrative phases and promises without a precise date. Although it was previously announced as a strategically important part of the Pljevlja Recovery Plan and the future sports and tourism complex that would include accommodation for athletes, a hall, fields and a city stadium, official information about the start of construction, deadlines and implementation dynamics is still missing.
In the 2026 budget of Montenegro, only 10.000 euros are planned for the construction of a swimming pool and a multifunctional hall in Pljevlja, which is several times less than the already paid out competition fund. This amount is recorded under the item "consulting services, projects and studies", which means that next year the money is formally intended for preparatory documentation and analyses, and not for the start of construction works.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property announced a competition on July 28 for the conceptual architectural design of an indoor swimming pool and multifunctional sports hall in Pljevlja. The competition, which was open until November 4, received 10 entries. The jury awarded the first, two second and third prizes, as well as two buyouts.
Author Veljko Vulanovic, Magdalena Raicevic i Djordje Scepanovic They won first prize and 30.000 euros. The jury assessed their solution as a compact and functional architectural complex, divided into three clear functional zones, with a thoughtful relationship to the context of northern Montenegro and the activation of the existing urban square through two entrance regimes, sports and recreational.
Two second prizes of 8.500 euros each were awarded. The first second-place design was signed by the firm “ANDU architects”, whose authors are Goran Andrejin i Sonja Dubak, with collaborators from the “Latelje” studio. The second prize went to the “A12 Project” studio, which is backed by a team of authors Slobodan Petrovic, Board Wound, Teodora Bjelic, Djordje Radovic, Lazar Betic, Luka Petricic, Drago Popovic i Maja MarvučićThe third prize of 8.500 euros went to the company “OOUR” and the authors Marko Stjepčević, Nemanja Milićević, To Danilo Drobnjak i Ksenia Rakočević.
Works by the studio “NRA Atelier”, the authors, were also purchased. Ivan Rabrenović, Kristine i Nikola Radovic i Lazar Jakovljević.
In the first quarter of 2024, the government issued urban planning and technical requirements for the development of technical documentation for the construction of an indoor swimming pool and sports hall in Pljevlja.
The construction of the swimming pool in Pljevlja is part of the previously presented Pljevlja recovery plan, which should be implemented jointly by the Government, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Coal Mine.
"We have started the procedures we need for the implementation of the projects, including the project to build a swimming pool in Pljevlja. We expect that next year, if there are no unplanned problems, the implementation of the project will be able to begin. We have support from the Government and the Prime Minister for the implementation of this and other projects that are part of the Pljevlja Recovery Plan," the Pljevlja municipality manager's office told "Vijesti" at the time.
At the presentation of the Pljevlja Recovery Plan, it was announced that the construction of a swimming pool and a multifunctional hall is planned next to the "Ada" Sports Hall, across from Milet Bašta.
The pool to be built would be an indoor, semi-Olympic pool measuring 25 by 12 meters. In addition to this pool, another smaller one, measuring 12 by 12 meters, would be built for non-swimmers.
The ground floor of the building will house supporting facilities, including changing rooms, sanitary and technical rooms, as well as rooms for employees. On the first floor, in addition to stands with 264 seats, there will also be a commercial area for supporting facilities. In a smaller, ground-floor building, a martial arts hall with supporting facilities is planned.
The ground floor design envisages an ambient, Zen garden between the two buildings, as well as maximum preservation of green areas and park space along the river. On the south side of the pool building, an opening is planned as part of the glass facade, and an exit to the area where an open beach has been formed, which will be used in the summer period.
The main entrance to the swimming pool facility is planned from the north side, from Pečačka street next to the sports hall.
Pljevlja is one of the few cities in Montenegro that does not have a swimming pool or a swimming pool.
The story of building a swimming pool in Pljevlja is more than twenty years old, but no government was willing to invest in the realization of that project.
It is estimated that the construction of the pool would cost around 9,7 million euros and is one of the projects that the local government had nominated for funding from the state's capital budget for this year.
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