It is not yet known when the opening of the first section of the highway will be, June is a more realistic date than May

The Director General of the Directorate for State Roads in the Ministry of Capital Investments, Miroslav Mašić, said that it is not yet known when the priority section of the Bar - Boljara highway could be opened to traffic.

The goal, he said, is to do it as soon as possible.

Mašić and representative of Ingerop Geodata supervision, Jovan Ivanović, agreed, during a guest appearance on the show "Reflektor" on TV Vijesti, that June is a more realistic date than May.

"We will make sure that during May we get as many security systems as possible and then we will make a cross-section, to see when the exact date of the opening of the highway will be," said the executive director of Monteput Milan Ljiljanić.

When asked if it could be June, he said that they are going "towards making it in that period".

"We are all working to make it open to traffic before the season, and before that we have to fulfill the conditions regarding the safe operation of traffic," said Mašić.

He clarified that traffic can be carried out during the trial regime, but that the competent authorities must say that the road is safe.

He said that everything from November 17, 2020 is considered a delay.

Ljiljanić also said that he will aim for the opening before the season, but he could not specify when.

"Two things need to coincide - to finish all the works on the route and for us as Monteput to be ready to manage the highway," he added.

Ljiljanić said that the non-opening cannot be linked to an exact date, but "we can promise that we will drive on the highway during the season", he said.

Ivanovic said that there are objections that have not yet been removed.

"We have deficiencies that we classify in several categories. Let's say, deficiencies related to the works that need to be completed and deficiencies that imply the provision of the required documentation during the procedure of technical acceptance and certification by us engineers," he explained.

Ivanovic said that the construction works on the main route have been completed, and that work is currently being carried out to repair minor defects.

Security paid five euros each for passes

Ljiljanić reminded that the company CRBC is in charge of controlling traffic on the priority section of the highway.

When asked how it is possible for "half of Montenegro" to drive through an unopened section, he said that illegal entries were prevented with the help of the Police Administration.

So far, no one has been sanctioned. "CRBC has introduced new passes and patrolling along the highway has been introduced," added Ljiljanić.

He pointed out that the most abuses were during the ski season.

"In addition to fake passes, security workers were also paid for passes, the unofficial price was five euros," said the director of Monteput.

The police also helped in preventing thefts, of which, as he said, there were a large number, which also slowed down the works.

"Maximum speed according to European standards"

Mašić said that the maximum speed on the priority section will be 100 kilometers per hour.

"With this configuration of the terrain and according to European standards, this is the permitted speed on such terrains," he explained.

He also reminded that the proposal is that the toll price be 3,5 euros on the route Podgorica - Kolašin.

The director of Monteputo said that they have initiated changes to the law in the part of toll collection for emergency services, "in the sense that they are exempted, but when they intervene on the highway". "Use of the highway must be treated separately," he added.

They expect problems in contracting the next shares due to the jump in prices

Ljiljanić, when asked about the profitability of the highway, said that the profitability of the road cannot be linked only to toll collection, but that there are also safety benefits, because the Morača canyon will be avoided.

He said that they expect problems with the contracting of the next shares due to the jump in prices.

Ljiljanić reminded that more than two-thirds of the highway between Belgrade and Podgorica is either contracted or under construction.

"There are 30 kilometers left on the Serbian side and 72 kilometers on the Montenegrin side. We will have full benefits when it is connected and when we travel from Podgorica to Belgrade in three and a half hours."

Mašić said that it is rarely financially profitable, but that one must look at the broader picture and the need for Montenegro to be connected to European corridors.