They took millions and invested nothing: The local government is not fulfilling its obligations to the residents of Ulcinjsko Polje

While work continues on the implementation of the largest municipal infrastructure projects in the recent history of Ulcinj, the residents of Ulcinjsko Polje continue to struggle with wastewater and stormwater drainage, dug-up and unpaved roads, and a lack of sidewalks and public lighting.

Most owners of commercial and residential buildings, apartments and high-class hotels in that part of the city are facing the fifth season in a row, and some even longer, without a sewage system, quality roads, sidewalks and lighting, even though they have paid the fees for all of this to the Municipality properly and on time.

Ulcinj architect Valjon Buzuku He said that the municipal and infrastructural equipment of Ulcinjsko Polje is a true example of the irresponsible behavior of the Municipality.

"I can even say that the authorities' attitude is arrogant. According to some rough estimates, around 12 to 14 million euros flowed into the city coffers from the fee for communal equipment and development, which was paid by investors in Polje before the start of construction of their facilities. Of that money for communal equipment in that area, I don't know if two percent was returned. Even today, it is a zone without a sewage system, without an adequate electricity and water supply network, without a single new road within it, without public lighting, without sidewalks," Buzuk told "Vijesti".

He pointed out that for 15 years, no municipal authority had the guts to deduct part of the amount for utilities from investors through the expropriation of land, especially plots along the boulevard, and thus secure a stretch in front of the boulevard for the construction of a secondary road.

"They could even present it as an investment by transferring the entire strip of road along the boulevard to municipal ownership. No, they just asked for the entire amount for utilities, offer nothing in return, and spend the money on operating expenses," said Buzuku.

Executive Director of the company that manages the hotel and beach “Olea” Jovica Franeta He said that despite announcements of a successful tourist season, Ulcinj has not even created the basic conditions for quality urban life and adequate reception of tourists.

"The city still does not have a clear development strategy. The issue of infrastructure in Ulcinjsko Polje is not even on the agenda of the competent authorities, although, according to the information we have, utilities in excess of 15 million euros have been collected from this zone, and the Municipality has so far invested almost nothing in what is its obligation," he said.

He added that they support the demands and protests of locals and property owners in the settlement where the Olea hotel is located, emphasizing that private investors have invested significant funds in the development of tourist facilities in previous years.

"In what was once a neglected area, there are now dozens of hotel and tourist facilities, most of which operate at the four-star level. However, almost all of our guests' complaints relate to the poor infrastructure and untidy conditions of the settlement," he said.

He appealed to local authorities to urgently pay attention to that part of the city, which represents potentially the only true urban settlement of Ulcinj and gravitates towards the Port Milena canal, Solana and Velika plaza.

"It is high time to change the local government's attitude towards these problems, which have been postponed and transferred from one to another for decades," said Franeta.

Buzuku assessed that the Municipality has no ear for development projects.

"And that is very bad and I think that this relationship will soon come back to us like a boomerang. What can we say when, in the era of the free market and private initiative, the Municipality has become the largest employer and where young people dream of getting a job in one of the municipal institutions. There are even examples of people leaving well-paid jobs and their own businesses to come to the Municipality to (not) work," said Buzuku.

He emphasized that such a system is completely unsustainable because, in addition to stifling creativity and private initiative among young people, it also creates long-term functional problems, "because we all know that the budget is filled by the economy."

"And instead of promoting and forcing the economy, they are "stealing" labor from the economy. It wasn't like this even under socialism, when the system was based on social property. Back then, people avoided working in the Municipality and looked for jobs in the hotel industry, saltworks, industry, trade.... What is happening today is nonsense, created by bad politics, with its usual short-term goal - staying in power for as long as possible," Buzuku assessed.