Foreign investor builds on Sveti Nikola despite ban: Locals say they will defend their ancestral home

Despite the ban on construction work, which was imposed yesterday by the Municipal Inspectorate of the Municipality of Budva at the initiative of the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management, work on the island of Sveti Nikola continued today.

This can be seen in the photographs that the owners of the land on Budva Island, whose property was usurped by illegal works, submitted to "Vijesti".

Their legal representative Danilo Radošević has sent an urgent request to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, the Construction Inspection, and the Public Enterprise "Morsko dobro" to respond immediately.

"I am reporting illegal construction and requesting an immediate response from your ministry and the relevant construction inspection. Namely, representatives of a foreign investor are illegally constructing on this island and, in doing so, have usurped part of the plots owned by my wife and her relatives based on their inheritance," Radošević stated in a letter to the relevant ministry.

He points out that there is a danger that the locals, who have owned the land for centuries, will organize themselves and stop "this vandalistic and illegal act, which is simply incomprehensible because it shows extreme impudence and disrespect for other people's property rights as well as all other civilizational and other norms and standards."

"I ask you to urgently process this report, which is documented and clear, and to go to the site and stop further construction, and to demand the removal of existing structures if they were built without proper permits and by usurping property that is the inherited property of my wife and her relatives. All of this carries a dose of danger that the situation may slip into an incident. Very easily, the protection of one's rights in one's own country if that usurper is a foreign citizen (regardless of whether he is a natural or legal person) can become and be presented as an expression of inhospitality and xenophobia, and all other dimensions of such vandalism fall into the background. I expect that after the inspection arrives at the site, it will, ex officio, submit a criminal report to the competent Ministry of the Interior against the persons found and responsible for illegal construction," the urgent message reads.

"Vijesti" announced yesterday that the Marine Control Service, in cooperation with the Municipal Inspection of the Municipality of Budva, conducted a tour of the marine zone in the Budva area, at the location of Ostrvo Sveti Nikola, more precisely the bathing area marked as 5C, and on that occasion it was determined that the works were being carried out without consent.

"The user of the bathing area, the company 'NET MONTENEGRO' doo Podgorica, has begun construction works on the above-mentioned bathing area over a length of approximately 30 meters, which include concreting the structure with reinforced iron elements over a length of approximately 15 meters, as well as preparatory activities for the continuation of works for another 15 meters. Also, the installation of reinforcement and the presence of construction materials and equipment have been recorded on the catering terrace, which indicates the continuity and intention to continue the works. The aforementioned works are being carried out without the consent and approval of the Public Company for the Management of the Maritime Zone of Montenegro," the Maritime Zone stated.

After the inspection, as announced, the Municipal Inspection drew up a report on the inspection, which ordered the suspension of further work and the return of the area in question to its original condition.

"If the aforementioned order is not followed, or if the area is not returned to its original condition, the contract will be terminated in accordance with applicable legal procedures. The Coastal Zone Control Service will continue with regular and intensified field inspections in order to take all measures to protect the coastal zone," the Coastal Zone concluded.