"I would like to thank the Ministry of Finance for its understanding, for all the requests within all parliamentary majority clubs, because we have found a way to help local governments in northern Montenegro as much as possible," said Vaso Obradović, a member of parliament from New Serbian Democracy.
For Bijelo Polje, the help of the ruling majority MPs opened a conflict between some of the residents of the Vraneška Valley and the Municipality. The conflict arose after the MPs accepted the amendments of Nova and the Europe Now Movement on asphalting two road routes in the Vraneška Valley, Tomaševo-Sokolac and Kovren-Gorice, with a total length of 12 km.
Since the Municipality does not respect this decision of the state parliament, the people of Vranje are announcing a protest for Saturday, but not only that...
"I have information that a decision will be made at that meeting to block the Bijelo Polje-Pljevlja road in the town of Kovren. And that the citizens will launch an initiative to call a referendum for the separation of the village of Gorica from the municipality of Bijelo Polje and its annexation to the municipality of Pljevlja," said Miladin Joksimović, a representative of the residents of the village of Gorica.
The Mayor of the Municipality stated at one of the recent local assembly sessions that this is about stealing money from the citizens of Bijelo Polje for the needs of those who do not live in these villages.
"Because you agree that up to two weekend houses in Bijelo Polje, Podgorica residents will use 9 km of asphalt each. I will not sign it, but here you go, I will return it to the minister and you can implement it with the minister, good luck to you. But the citizens will know that their asphalt was used in this way," said Petar Smolović, President of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje.
The residents of Vraneška dolina are criticizing Smolović for only bothering him with these amendments, while he did not problematize those that BS gave for the roads in Bijelo Polje. Last Friday, a meeting in the Municipality ended without an agreement because some from the surrounding villages supported Smolović's idea of dividing the asphalt.
"You have two people who need asphalt to be laid 20 meters past their house, and they are asking that the road not be built and that the funds be divided. And because the mayor is blackmailing them because they are in the van transport business and because of the concessions they receive from there, the people are asking that asphalt not be laid next to their houses," said Joksović.
Majda Adžović's department told us that the minister told the mayor of Bijelo Polje at a meeting that they are obliged to implement the 2025 budget in accordance with the law. She hopes that the text of the contract between the ministry and the municipality will soon be agreed upon, which is the practice with other municipalities.
If this practice does not happen, the people of Vranje say they will not give up their intention to annex Pljevlja.
Bonus video:
