In September 2023, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and on the eve of this year's April elections, the Municipality of Nikšić and the Electric Power Company (EPCG) translated that understanding into big promises - that the Sunny City would soon dawn under Trebjes.
"Up to 1.000 new apartments will be built in Nikšić in the next three years. So you guys who are planning to get married can plan freely, there will be space," promised the mayor of Nikšić Municipality Marko Kovačević at the time.
"This will bring a smile to the faces of citizens, an optimistic way of thinking," said Milutin Đukanović, President of the Board of Directors of EPCG, at the time.
Optimism seems to have waned after the elections. Seven months after the elections, the Municipality and EPCG have not responded to the progress of the large project, which was supposed to be built on 400 thousand square meters of land that Elektroprivreda acquired by purchasing the Steel Plant, and plots of land belonging to the Municipality of Nikšić in the immediate vicinity. Milutin Đukanović promised during the election campaign that the first excavators would appear in that area in May or June. But they will still have to wait.
"The Electric Power Company of Montenegro did not request a construction permit for the 'Sunny City' project," the Ministry of Spatial Planning told Vijesti.
And according to the announcements, some of the employees of the Electric Power Company, local administration, and state institutions will be able to get a roof over their heads in it. Allegedly, urban planning and technical conditions have already been given for four buildings, or 130 apartments. The opposition claims that this is not true.
"EPCG claims that they received the UT conditions, while we as councilors officially requested confirmation from the Municipality and the Ministry of Spatial Planning, and they replied that EPCG did not receive those conditions. There is no request for a building permit. This means that the Sunny City exists only in the minds and imagination of local authorities in Nikšić," said Kristina Šćepanović, a DPS councilor in Nikšić.
She also claims that the conceptual solutions that won the competition are not in line with the spatial plan of Nikšić.
"To make matters worse, the PUP was adopted after the aforementioned competitions. So, in Nikšić we have classic political manipulation of citizens' feelings and an attempt to create a kind of Ćaciland, or a symbol of loyalty and ruling by fog, instead of responsible policies," said Šćepanović.
And those who shape politics in Nikšić have until 2028 to fulfill their promises. Since all local elections are scheduled for June 2027, perhaps the Sunny City will find itself in the campaign again, so that Kovačević, like in this year's election, can encourage both single and married party comrades.
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