Despite the fact that the Government suspended the Temporary Facilities Program for the territory of the Budva Municipality for the period until 2028 at the beginning of May, the chief city architect Jelena Lazic gave its approval to the conceptual design of the future temporary facility - the city chapel, which was submitted by the Secretariat for Investments, referring to the disputed planning document.
The decision on consent, which "Vijesti" had access to, was signed by Lazić on July 3. On May 7, the government suspended the Temporary Facilities Program because, as announced, it had been adopted illegally.
"During the administrative procedure, the Chief City Architect took into account the Government's decision. At the time of issuing this decision, the Office of the Chief City Architect of the Municipality of Budva did not have an official act or notification from the competent authority that would indicate that the urban planning and technical conditions issued by the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Sustainable Development on March 11, 2026 had ceased to be valid or that there was a legal prohibition on acting on the submitted request. Therefore, the request was resolved based on the factual and legal situation established at the time of the decision, all in accordance with Article 184 of the Law on Local Self-Government," explained Lazić.
In the temporary facilities program for the period from 2028, the Municipality has planned to erect a temporary chapel of 500 square meters and a flower shop of 85 square meters on cadastral plots near the new cemetery.
"Consent is given to the Municipality of Budva - Secretariat for Investments, to the conceptual design of the architecture project of the temporary facility for which the main design is being prepared, prepared by "ARHINGinženjering" doo Podgorica, verified by the electronic signature of the designer, Dr. Rifat Alihodžić", June 16, 2026, for the installation of a temporary facility intended for the needs of "Funeral Services" - a chapel, at location 4.10 - Budva, municipal land from the Program of Temporary Facilities in the Territory of the Municipality of Budva for the Period 2024-2028," reads the decision signed by Lazić.
As stated, the building has a ground floor and a total usable gross developed construction area of 494,30 square meters (the Program specifies 500 m2 + 85 m2 (flower shop)).
"The facility has respected the relationship with the given method of installation, in accordance with the designed purpose. It has secured vehicle access, is being installed on municipal land, and there is no requirement for a mandatory temporary parking lot. Accordingly, and upon review of the conceptual design, it is concluded that the facility is in compliance with the given urban planning parameters (gross developed construction area, number of floors, method of installation). Upon review of the conceptual design, it is concluded that the technical description states that the structure of the facility consists of a skeletal system of reinforced concrete columns and platbands in combination with steel columns that support the first of three reinforced concrete shells. The glass surfaces under the shells create the effect of them floating in space, and at the same time serve the purpose of ventilation of the facility," the decision states.
The municipality must build a new chapel, because the Serbian Orthodox Church plans to build a large cathedral dedicated to Saint Mark on the site of the existing one.
At the beginning of March, the Secretariat for Urban Planning issued the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral with urban planning and technical requirements (UTU) for the development of technical documentation for the construction of an Orthodox cathedral on the property of the Church of St. Petka on the city bypass in Budva.
On February 11, the Metropolitanate submitted a request for the issuance of a UTU, to which the municipal secretariat immediately responded.
As stated in the UT conditions, the area of the urban plot is 6.059 square meters, the total gross construction area of the temple, with underground and above-ground floors, is a maximum of 2.000 square meters, the area under the building is a maximum of 800 square meters, and the maximum height of the future temple can be 25 meters.
The preparation of documentation for the construction of the temple will be financed from the city treasury, and during that time the Municipality will have to relocate the chapel.
The planning document envisages the relocation of the existing city chapel, located on the property of the Church of St. Petka on the city bypass from block 18 to the neighboring block 29.
In block 18, a temple with an accompanying building, a bell tower and a plateau are planned. A parking area with about 170 spaces is also planned, as well as the conservation of the Main Cemetery and the preservation of the St. Petka Church complex in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Protection Study. In block 29, the construction of a new city chapel with a plateau in accordance with the design of the existing city chapel, an access service road, and the expansion and arrangement of the existing cemetery are planned.
Popović doubts legality
On June 3, former Secretary for Investments Joko Popović asked the chief city architect Jelena Lazić to provide him with information about the construction of the city chapel, all in light of the statement by the Mayor, Nikola Jovanović, who announced that the project was practically complete.
During two election cycles, Popović was one of the key people in Jovanović's political group "Budva naš grad" and even found himself on the electoral list with Lazić. After the elections, disagreements arose, so Popović found himself in disgrace and, in addition to losing his position, in practically every competition he later applied for for several director positions in municipal companies, his candidacy was rejected.
"At the 13th session of the Municipal Assembly, the Mayor, responding to questions from councilors, announced that the project documentation for the chapel at the city cemetery has been prepared and that the approval of the Chief City Architect is currently awaited. Bearing in mind that the investor of the facility is the Municipality, that it is financed from the local government budget, and that this is a facility being built within the city cemetery, I would like to ask you to provide me with information and clarifications regarding the legality of the procedure for preparing the project documentation, and especially in relation to the application of Article 54 of the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Facilities," Popović's request reads.
He requested that Lazić provide him with information on whether a public architectural competition was conducted for the development of the conceptual architectural design for the chapel in question, in accordance with that article of the law.
"If the competition was not conducted, on what legal basis was it concluded that there was no obligation to announce a public architectural competition for the object in question? Has the Municipality, the Secretariat for Investments or the Office of the Chief City Architect drawn up a legal opinion, interpretation or other act establishing that the object in question is not subject to the obligation to conduct a public architectural competition? Has the complete project documentation been submitted to the Chief City Architect for approval and what stage is the current process of its consideration at?" the request states.
Lazić responded on July 3 that the requested information related to a publicly announced request that was publicly available on the Municipality's website.
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