(Podgorica, 27 May 2011) – Investors who respect the laws and regulations of countries in which they do business don’t have a single reason to fear the media or NGOs in these countries. However, those who earn profits thanks to their violations of the law have many reasons to try and hide information about themselves and their dealings.
Therefore, I understand the current frustrations of Mr. Žarko Radulović, the minority owner of Hotel Splendid, with the media and NGOs. This is especially understandable given that MANS has submitted a series of complaints to the relevant monitoring agencies on account of the hotel’s violations of the law. This is why I’m not surprised at all by Radulović’s subsequent use of language, nor his refusal to reveal the names of Hotel Splendid’s real owners. Nor am I really interested in his offer to ‘personally’ meet the real owners.
I believe that the question of who Hotel Splendid’s real owners are, is a question of public interest. Especially if we consider the fact that these individuals have for years been illegally building their resort without suffering any legal consequences for their on-going violations. It is for this reason that the question poses itself as to who these individuals, with such an evident influence on key decision makers in Montenegro, could be?
To recap, in late-2004 we learned for the first time that Splendid was being built illegally. In January 2005, the local inspectorate banned further work on the site. Nevertheless, the building continued. Two months later, the object’s demolition was ordered and two-weeks later the construction site was sealed. The investor nevertheless continued building. Then, in late-August 2005, the Ministry issued a construction permit for the reconstruction of the old Splendid Hotel within its original dimensions.
However, the new owners also violated this permit by over-stepping the boundaries of the hotel’s given dimensions (which was confirmed by the local inspectorate only 15 days after the permit was issued). At the end of September 2005, the object was once again sealed and a portion of it demolished.
Nevertheless the investor continued building, preventing inspectors from entering the site in October 2005. In the same month, a legal complaint was filed against the owners for violating the administrative seal. Again, construction continued. The same thing occurred in December 2005, when another decision barring further building was issued. Two days later, building resumed.
Then, in April 2006, Hotel Splendid was once again sealed, which of course did not prevent the investor from continuing with the project. A month later, in May 2006, Minister Boro Vučinić issued a new building permit. The hotel was opened in July, without all the requisite permits and licenses.
A foreign investor who violates the laws of this country and in these ways should bear some responsibility, instead of publicly refusing to release the names of the real owners who evidently enjoy ‘special treatment’ from Montenegro’s institutions. Of course, the Government of Montenegro should have this information at hand and should be in a position to release it to the public, since these facts are in the general interest.
On the other hand, how Mr. Radulović’s business partners have ‘earned’ this ‘special treatment,’ and who the individuals were in the executive that enabled them to secure such influence (thus abusing their position), should be of interest to the judicial system.
Vanja Ćalović
MANSExecutive Director
