They paid for parking in Stari Bar on their own: Municipal police fined three people 500 euros each

Some tourists were victims of an unusual scam in Stari Bar, where several people illegally and "on their own" charged them for parking in a public area. The municipal police and the inspection fined three people 500 euros each for this, and the authorities assessed that there were no elements of a criminal offense for official prosecution.

Locals, as well as several tourists, drew the attention of “Vijesti” to this problem, explaining that upon arrival in Stari Bar, they were greeted by two unknown men, and that before entering the regulated municipal parking lot, they asked them for five euros for parking. After they paid, they “found” a spot for them along the street, or in a public area near the market and the “House of Olives”.

They also said that the whole situation seemed suspicious to them, especially since they did not receive any invoice or confirmation of payment, so they informed the authorities about it, and they also shared their concerns on social media, where they were warned that it was a scam.

An interviewee from that part of the city said that there have even been situations in which people charge guests for parking and they park their cars illegally, after which the Municipal Police write them a ticket for violating the regulations.

The visitors' claims also indicate that these individuals charged entrance fees to the Old Town, far from the entrance to the fortress itself where tickets are purchased.

"Just to let you know that in Stari Bar, a man who has printed on his T-shirt that he is an official is stopping cars with foreign license plates on the street below, directing them to park on the side of the road and allegedly charging for parking and taking one euro per person for visiting as well. I reacted and he told me that I was ruining his job," wrote one citizen.

The competent institutions confirmed that persons who were charging for parking without authorization were identified, fines were imposed, and the case was processed before the competent authorities.

From the Municipality of Bar, which is managed by Dušan Raičević, told "Vijesti" that the Municipal Police and Inspection Service is aware of the allegations related to unauthorized parking fees in the Old Town area, as three reports related to this were received.

Acting on the reports, as they stated, the competent inspector determined the identity of the individuals who were charging for parking, and that they did not have the appropriate authorization for such an activity, so the Municipal Police and Inspection Service issued three misdemeanor orders, each in the amount of 500 euros, in accordance with the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Facilities.

They state that the Municipality of Bar has informed the Police Directorate about each reported case. They add that on August 5, the Municipal Police and Inspection Service filed a report with the Police Directorate regarding unauthorized charging for parking services for passenger motor vehicles.

"Acting on the report, the aforementioned persons were detained and processed before the competent authority," the Bar local government announced to the newspaper.

They urged citizens and visitors not to accept parking fees from unauthorized individuals and to report any such case to the Municipal Police and Inspection Service or the Police Directorate without delay.

The Police Directorate also reacted to the footage and posts that appeared on social media. On July 22, the Bar Security Department confirmed that a person had been identified who, according to the published allegations, was charging for parking without authorization.

"Officers of the Bar Security Department have identified and located a person who was reported on social media to be illegally charging for parking in Stari Bar," the Police Directorate announced.

However, the police point out that in this specific case there were no grounds for initiating criminal proceedings ex officio.

"The state prosecutor was informed about everything, who stated that the actions of this person do not contain elements of a criminal offense for which prosecution is being undertaken ex officio. The collected information and case files will be forwarded to the competent inspection services for further action."

This should mean that responsibility will be determined through misdemeanor and inspection procedures, not through criminal proceedings.

The chronology of events that the locals of that part of Bar reported to "Vijesti" shows that parking was being illegally charged even after the police action, as well as the fact that the Bar Municipal Police filed a new report about ten days ago.

One citizen who spoke to the editorial staff said that situations like this not only represent illegal charging, but also create a sense of insecurity among visitors who are often unaware of who has the right to charge for parking and who does not.

"At the same time, they damage the image of a tourist destination that has been investing significant efforts in recent years to improve its tourist offer and promote its cultural and historical heritage," he said, claiming that unauthorized parking charges in Stari Bar are not a new phenomenon.

Citizens and visitors have been warning for years that individuals during the tourist season are appropriating public areas and demanding money from drivers for parking, the interlocutor claims, even though they have no legal authority to do so.

The problem is especially pronounced during the summer months, when Stari Bar is visited by a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.