During this year’s election campaign, it was difficult to find Ivan Vuković, the mayor of Podgrica, in his office. Opening of streets, bridges, parks, and announcing of future projects were an integral part of what the civil sector calls an “official’s campaign.” MANS Investigative Centre points to examples that confirm that the desire to promote DPS was often more important than compliance with regulations.
Ivan Vuković (in the middle)
New bike paths in Podgorica, recently built in streets Ivana Milutinovića and Ilije Plamenca, were not foreseen by the Spatial and Urban Plan (SUP) of the Capital City Podgorica and lower plans, and their construction is illegal, NGO MANS’ Investigative Centre reveals.
New bike paths in Zabjelo
Namely, General Urban Plan (GUP), which is an integral part of the SUP for the territory of the Capital City, recognizes Ivana Milutinovića Street in the part of the town Preko Morače, and Ilija Plamenac Street in Zabjelo as “main city streets” and defines the so-called boulevard profiles with two traffic lanes in both directions.
Excerpt from the Spatial and Urban Plan of the Capital City
According to the GUP, both streets had to have four lanes, 3.5 meters wide. Recently, the Capital City Podgorica, led by the mayor Ivan Vuković, reconstructed the mentioned streets, so now, instead of the previous regime, one lane has been turned into a two-way bike path. This significantly reduced the traffic flow and disrupted the planned functioning of the traffic network. This year, the Capital City plans to spend € 220,000 on the construction of bike paths.
In response to a question from the MANS Investigative Centre on who allowed such interventions that are not foreseen in the planning documents, the Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development replied: “Spatial and Urban Plan of the Capital City Podgorica provides the possibility of minor deviations from the routes of roads determined by the graphic part of the plan as a consequence of further detailed elaboration (through planning and project documentation) and achieving better traffic and technical solutions.”
However, detailed urban plans “Čepurci”, “Zabjelo 9” and “Novi grad 1 and 2”, which include the disputed streets, also envisage four lanes for car traffic, which is contrary to the statement of the city secretariat on “minor deviations”.
Excerpt from Detailed Urban Plan Zabjelo 9
When asked to comment on illegal interventions in the space, the Capital City Podgorica did not respond, as well as the office of Mayor Vuković, who were the ones to convert the space contrary to the plans.
On the other hand, current reconstruction of the Boulevard Sveti Petar Cetinjski was not foreseen by the Capital Podgorica in its Spatial Planning Programme for this year, and it is not foreseen in the Public Procurement Plan for 2020 either. Public procurement plans of the city company “Putevi” LLC and the Agency for Construction and Development of Podgorica also do not contain works on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the main city boulevard.
Works on the main city boulevard, August 2020
However, works worth more than half a million Euros – according to Vuković, are largely underway. So far, two phases have been completed, from the bridge on Ribnica to the intersection of the boulevard with Svetozara Markovića and Ivana Vujoševića streets. Phase III of the reconstruction refers to the works on the boulevard to the intersection with George Washington Boulevard.
Lazar Grdinić
Who issued urban and technical requirements?
According to the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Structures, urban and technical requirements can be issued only in accordance with the planning document. Since Podgorica’s SUP and lower detailed urban plans did not envisage the construction of bike paths for these streets, it remains unclear who issued such conditions, given that they are not available on the website of the Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development.
In addition, it is not clear who audited the project for the construction of bike paths, since the law stipulates that it must be harmonized with the urban and technical requirements.
Official’s campaign does not stop
Despite ODIHR’s recommendations in the context of abuse of office during the election campaign and following in the footsteps of other party colleagues from the executive power, Mayor Ivan Vuković is running a campaign that undermines the legitimacy of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The fact that the city administration spends more than half a million Euros on the rehabilitation of the boulevard, which did not need it, and it was not planned, speaks in favour of not choosing means in order to gain an advantage on the field and persuade voters to choose the ruling party. In addition, urban plans that have a legal force and oblige the Capital City to comply with the guidelines contained them are brutally violated. The job of Mayor Vuković is to know what the city plans and programmes envisage. However, this time as well, the interests of the citizens are subordinated to the party’s interests, while the city budget is used as a cash machine of DPS.
