The city of Belgrade must pay nearly 13 million dinars to a company due to a dispute over the tender for construction works on Patriarch Pavle Boulevard. The Republican Commission for the Protection of Rights in Public Procurement Procedures issued a decision partially annulling the procurement process and accepting the claim of a group of bidders led by the company Puteve Kragujevac. The road works have been ongoing for over five years, with delays caused by legal disputes and claims for protection of bidders’ rights. Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić announced that the reconstruction will relieve traffic in Topčider Park and include a bicycle path connecting New Belgrade, the Adi Bridge, and Rakovica. The estimated value of the works was 2.4 billion dinars.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning outlets emphasize the issues of transparency and fairness in public procurement, highlighting the legal disputes as a symptom of systemic problems in public tenders. They may critique the delays and increased costs as consequences of mismanagement and lack of accountability in city administration.
Center: Center-leaning sources report the facts of the case, focusing on the procedural aspects of the tender dispute and the official decisions by the commission. They present statements from city officials and the impact on traffic and infrastructure development, maintaining a neutral tone.
Right: Right-leaning media might stress the importance of efficient public spending and criticize the delays and legal challenges as bureaucratic obstacles hindering development. They may highlight the mayor’s efforts to improve infrastructure and frame the payment as a necessary step to resolve disputes and move forward.
