The "Ada" sports hall has ceased operations as of today after its electricity was cut off due to non-payment of the rescheduled schedule. Employees have been placed on forced leave, while the fate of one of the most important sports facilities in Pljevlja is once again in question.
According to available data, the electricity debt exceeded 48.000 euros. The Montenegrin Electric Power Company also charged the hall 351 euros in interest, although interest was not previously charged during the period when obligations under the tax debt rescheduling were regularly settled, the monthly installment of which amounted to 450 euros.
The financial problems are further complicated by the fact that the account of the Sports Hall "Ada" has been blocked again due to a debt to the company "Čistoća" Pljevlja. The block amounts to 42.000 euros, and the account was blocked on the same grounds last year, from May to October. At that time, the Municipality of Pljevlja paid 30.000 euros to enable the hall to continue operating.
The President of the Municipality of Pljevlja, Dario Vraneš, said that the local government has been trying to find a solution for a long time, but that it is a complex legal issue.
"It's a complicated legal matter and we've tried every way to resolve it. We've had promises from many ministers, but the hall belongs to the government. We could have some investments, but we can't invest municipal money in something that's not ours. Even under these conditions, we invest around 50.000 euros a year in Ada so that it doesn't go to waste there, but the fairest and best way is for it to be transferred to the ownership of the Municipality and for us to act as responsible hosts there," said Vraneš.
He points out that the current situation is unsustainable.
"The Čardak hall is a piece of cake neither in heaven nor on earth. Everyone is promising, but there is no concrete solution. A way must be found at the state level, by the prime minister and ministers, to transfer the hall to the ownership of the Municipality. The land is owned by the Municipality, but the building is not. It is necessary to transfer the hall to the ownership of the Municipality and attach it to the Sports and Recreation Center that manages the City Stadium," said Vraneš.
The sports center was founded on February 2, 2004. The government, that is, the Ministry of Finance owns 57,88 percent of the hall, the Directorate of Public Works 25,96 percent, the Municipality of Pljevlja 12,89 percent and others 3,27 percent.
Debts from the previous period have reached over 300.000 euros, most of which is owed to the Tax Administration for taxes and contributions. The seven employees at the gym were the last to receive their March salary.
The crisis in the functioning of "Ada" has been going on for years. Debts are The Board of Directors has not been functioning since the end of 2024, which instead of three has only one member, who has in the meantime filed a lawsuit due to unpaid fees, which, if successful in the dispute, will further complicate the already difficult situation in the Hall. The term of office of the executive director expired early, and due to the non-functioning Board of Directors, it is impossible to elect a new one, so the institution practically operates without a management structure.
Although the majority owner of the hall is the Government of Montenegro, the local administration and employees have repeatedly warned that concrete steps have not been taken by the competent institutions. An additional complication is the unresolved property and legal status of the facility. According to data from the cadastre, the facility is registered as the property of the Municipality of Pljevlja, while in the business books of the Sports Center it is recorded as founding capital.
In March this year, the Protector of Property and Legal Interests of Montenegro pointed out that recording property in business books does not constitute a legal basis for acquiring property rights, and that without an appropriate decision or contract, there are no conditions for changing the ownership registration.
At the end of last year, the Pljevlja Municipal Assembly unanimously adopted conclusions requesting the Government of Montenegro and the relevant ministries to urgently transfer ownership of the hall to the Municipality, with or without compensation.
While state institutions continue to exchange letters, the "Ada" Sports Hall has lost power and ceased operations, and Pljevlja athletes and clubs are facing uncertainty about where they will train and play matches in the coming period. GM
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