Visit-Montenegro.com: No workers on Zavala this morning

Budva- More than 200 employees of Belgrade-based company “Montera”, hired by the Russian company “Mirax Group” on construction works of housing project “Astra Montenegro” on the Cape Zavala, went home since they have not been paid few salaries-several sources confirmed this to Daily Press”Vijesti” yesterday.
The construction site on the Cape Zavala, which was teeming with workers, who were performing the final works on villas, was ghostly desolated this morning. Namely, months-long delay in payments reached the climax on the eve of weekend, when the representatives of “Montera” in Montenegro ordered their workers to go home. Traveling expenses of EUR 30 to EUR 50 were paid but the workers didn’t get information when five due payments were going to be paid.
On several occasions the company “Montera” suspended construction but since “Mirax Group” paid some debts, the workers returned to construction site and the works were continued.
Yesterday, Slavko Miljkovic, the Project Manager of “Mirax Group”, claimed for “Vijesti” that the construction works weren’t suspended because of unpaid debts to “Montera”.
“Construction ban is in force, and I believe it is widely known, and that is why workers are not at the construction site. So far, only façade works and interior decoration works have been done, what we should do now is to construct roads in the settlement, which requires heavy machinery-explained Maljevic.
He denied the information given by the Associated Press that „Mirax Group“went bankrupt , stating that the whole interview with the owner of „Mirax Group“, Sergei Polonsky, was misquoted.
„We intend to continue construction by the 15th September“-he pointed out.
The works on the construction site Zavala were in full swing during the whole season, which was reason of serious complaints of hoteliers and tourism employees. Namely, this company with the tacit agreement of the local authorities of Budva, despite the construction ban which is in force for this zone from 15th May to 1st October, got permission to perform works without being disturbed even during the peak season.
The local government allowed them carrying out facade and interior decoration works on villas while „Mirax Group“ used heavy machinery, on several occasions. This embittered the neighborhood hoteliers in Becici since the group of foreign tourists left their hotels because of noise and dust from the construction site.
The sudden suspension of works on Zavala happened at a time of announcement that the owner of „Mirax Group“, former Russian billionaire Sergei Polonsky, disclosed that his company collapsed. This was denied in Budva, stating that they had money for final works on ambitious project „Astra Montenegro“ which includes 40 closely built villas, with four or five floors.
On few occasions, the management of „Mirax Group“announced that they had money to complete works on villas, or to finish the first phase of „Astra Montenegro“. Allegedly, the Russians managed to sell 60% of villas which provided enough funds for further works. However, they still owe money to contractors.
The price of one square meter of villa on Zavala is EUR 8000. Every month „Mirax Group“ organizes tours on construction site for buyers so as to convince them that construction is in progress.

By V.L.