"The ABA League is one of the strongest European leagues, we did not expect Vojinović's resignation, and Monaco will not be in the league this season"

From a special reporter for "Vijesti" from Ljubljana

A ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the ABA League is being held in Ljubljana tonight, and before the celebration, where awards will be presented, a press conference was held, at which the president of the regional competition, Ostoja Mijailović, and director Dubravko Kmetović spoke.

The ABA League Assembly was scheduled for today in the Slovenian capital, but has been postponed until tomorrow. The Assembly will elect the league's sports director, after Milija Vojinović resigned and took over as director in Vojvodina, and will also elect the referee management.

At the press conference, Mijailović spoke about the status of the ABA League, commented on the announcements from Red Star Belgrade regarding the election of the competition's sports director, and also spoke about Monaco's desire to join the regional competition.

"Many have wondered why this celebration is not in Belgrade, but there is a reason why we are all in Ljubljana today. 25 years ago, the first game was played in this city, in the Tivoli Hall. At the initiative of four clubs - Budućnost, Bosna, Cibona and Olimpija - the league was launched. Today, the ABA League is no longer just a regional league, it has become one of the strongest European basketball leagues. It has outgrown the framework of the former Yugoslavia and reached a different European framework. Many clubs are applying and want to play in this league. We have accepted some clubs, we are considering some, some are in the process of development, because I think they are not developed enough to join the league at this moment," said Mijailović at a conference in Ljubljana.

The president of the ABA League said that the competition's profit for last year was around 2,5 million euros.

"We increased our revenues by 18 percent, our revenues are around 6,4 million euros. What is very important for you to know, which has not been made public until now, is the news that the ABA League has certain shares in the Euroleague, which the ABA League acquired several decades ago. Those shares are worth several tens of millions of euros today. Those several tens of millions of euros today belong to the owners of the ABA League," explained Mijailović.

Mijailović spoke about the NBA Europe project.

"We currently have cooperation with the Euroleague. We have a plan to develop further in that partnership with the Euroleague. A system can develop if it has great competition around it. The Euroleague is a very competitive competition, it has good politics, our best and highest quality league is the Euroleague," said Mijailović.

He also commented on the reactions from Red Star regarding the election of the sports director.

"We did not expect Milija Vojinović's resignation, his mandate was extended at the Assembly. There are 12 of us clubs and each club has the same value of its vote. As much as Crvena zvezda is worth, so is Partizan, and Zadar and all other clubs are worth the same. I would really not comment in public on what Crvena zvezda is dissatisfied with. We did not communicate through a press release, but we did directly as the league and club representatives, and I would leave that to be discussed at the Assembly. Crvena zvezda is a truly great club and a very important project within the ABA League. Each of us has the right to be dissatisfied, and what is important is that tomorrow we elect the highest quality people so that the ABA League can develop. Crvena zvezda is a truly great club, we respect all their comments, we respect everything they want and we will discuss that tomorrow."

Mijailović also commented on Monaco's desire to join the ABA League

"Monaco has expressed its desire to play in the ABA League. We have already created the competition format and it is not possible for Monaco to join the ABA1 League at this time. We will consider their request at the Assembly. What I will propose to my colleagues from the Assembly is that Monaco possibly go through a cycle through the ABA 2 League, so that we can possibly consider joining them next year for the ABA1 League. That is of course if it is acceptable to them. We think the best of them, I know the people in the management. They did a good thing for European basketball. I am sorry that they went through something like that. Partizan also went through a similar cycle and I know how difficult and tiring it is and I wish them well," concluded Mijailović.