FRAMEWORK OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF KOTOR TO THE CONFERENCE FOR MEDIA

Starting from the fact that almost four months have elapsed since my election for the President of the Municipality of Kotor and not three months since the election of the Vice-President, in accordance with the publicly proclaimed principles of all the constituents of the new administration on the need to regularly and accurately inform the public about the activities of the administration, this is the first press conference with a report on work and we will organize such press conferences once a month.Even though the topics of UNESCO, Port of Kotor and Kotor-Art have been something of public interest and what you are being informed on a daily basis, I have to look at them as soon as possible. As you know, the Montenegrin Government has first adopted an action plan and then a decision to ban construction. Again, once again, we consider these decisions to be political pressure because they are made without consultation with local self-government.The decision to ban the construction was not introduced for six months, as we could hear it in the media, but until the adoption of a spatial-urban plan, which depends a lot on a number of factors that cannot be influenced. In order not to be misunderstood, Kotor's administration is of the utmost interest that Kotor remains on the UNESCO list, so we do not escape any obligation. With that in mind, we had several meetings with a professional team working on HIA studies and we put all our professional and material resources at their disposal. The only remaining obligation from the Government's action plan, the appointment of new members to the Kotor Chamber of Management will be completed at the first session of the Assembly.

The issue of concession for Kotor AD is one of Kotor's most important issues. In April, I had talks with representatives of the CLIA (World Cruising Association), the representatives of the Carnival Corporation and the MSC Group, on behalf of all of us Secretary General CLIA sent a letter to the Government of Montenegro with a summons to discuss the concession status of Port of Kotor. In the talks we came to the view that Port of Kotor AD, a majority municipal property, is a credible and desirable partner as a concessionaire. Until today we have not received an answer to this call.
The Government of Montenegro, more precisely the Ministry of Finance, in the previous period has taken a stand on the organization and financing of Kotor-Art. In order not to repeat the jointly expressed views of this kind of ministry several times, we will look back at what is expected of us. This year's Children's Festival for Kids, Don Branko's Days of Music and the Festival of Klapa (singing groups), events that are part of Kotor-Art, along with other accompanying programs, will be held in the announced terms under the patronage of the Kotor Municipality. Kotor is the capital of Montenegrin culture through history and will remain, regardless of the behavior of the competent ministry.

In the previous period, Vice Presidents of the Municipality, Assembly Chairperson, Director of the Directorate and I had intense communication with the citizens. In this sense, within the municipality we had more than 400 meetings with representatives of citizens and other stakeholders. Also, we visited almost all local communities and those who remained are in the plan of visiting for the next period. In any case, even with those we have not met on the spot, we are in regular communication. As we promised, a special department for communication with local communities is in progress so that we can know each other's problems from face to face and to react to their removal.
As in this case, as in all other secretariats and services, new systematizations are being prepared or have already been completed, on the basis of which we plan to reform the administration. Severance funds have been set aside, and a rulebook on payment is in progress. All civil servants and employees, regardless of any kind of affiliation, who are prepared to work within the law and who have not been liable to the law, are in a new city administration, I'm sure, found on a credible partner.
On April 18 this year, the General Administrator of Kotor Municipality received 306 cases for which it was not timely decided. To date, a total of 162 cases have been resolved. We expect that in the next two months we will be able to say that there are no backlogs within the service.
In the part of the Directorate of Planning and Construction of Kotor were made investment decisions for the supplement of the project on the repair of counterforce, as well as for the works on rehabilitation of the landscaping in Kavac, the section of the road Gorovići-Bratešić, on the installation of semaphore signaling on the line as well as on the construction of public lighting Contact Zone and Building in Old Town. Also, the first phase of mowing of public surfaces has been completed and re-mowing is under way. What is of particular interest to you is certainly the issue of traffic, and here I must say that in addition to all the problems related to tendering and security procedures, a corridor will be arranged whereby tourists will be directed, and it is matter of time when the corridor for tourist buses will be formalized, which will dismantle the main road and the traffic situation will be better. Of course, we have to make special adjustments after the installation of semaphore signaling, but until the tendering procedure is completed, in cooperation with "OB Kotor" (Department of Security) the traffic police will regulate pedestrian traffic.
The issue of communal order in the city will be solved systemically in the coming period. This year, we started talks with all interested parties, mostly caterers, so that they agreed with us to withdraw their terraces within our limits and to regulate the issue of noise. The shifts are visible from entering the city further, as the noise can still progress.
As part of our budgeting capabilities we have helped some activities on the promotion of Kotor, such as the action of the old traditional navy and other similar individuals and institutions. We have committed funds of EUR 15,000 to renovate the sanitary node at the General Hospital of Kotor. Also, with just over two and a thousand euros we have helped the work of the archive in Kotor. The irresponsible state relationship is perhaps best seen in these examples. I use the opportunity to inform the parents of all the pupils that this year go to the first grade of elementary school that Kotor municipality will purchase textbooks for all attendants.
In the budget, on the revenue side, on June 15 Budget realization is in the amount of 45% or 9,250,366.00 euros, which is 1,573,390.00 euros more than on the same day last year. Please note that the revenue from the ticket bill payment for April to May, ending June 15 this year, is € 135,812.00, which is € 79,000 more than in the same period last year. The plan is to purchase electronic billing systems for the fortress entrance and we expect to realize it in the next 45 days. Also, revenues from the collection of taxes for the economic exploitation of cultural goods are 105,000 euros, which is 35,000 euros more than in the same period last year.
Budget expenditures are on June 15, 4 305,000, which is 23% or EUR 1,319,000 less than in the same period last year. For fuel this year was spent three times less than last year, so a total of 19,725.88 euros was spent, while last year the amount was 51,761.00 euros. On official travel expenses, EUR 9,681.83 was spent, which is three times less than the same period last year, when the cost was EUR 27,964.41. The cost of the team this year was spent five times less than in the comparative period last year, or 4,822.41 euros, almost 19,000 euros less than last year.