Regular maintenance of the Memorial House, which commenced in August 2023, is set to be finalized next month.

In response to a query from the councilors ahead of the upcoming local parliament session, Petko Bakić, the Municipality President, indicated that the total expenditure for the works is nearly 648,000 euros. He noted that the replacement of the window fittings and the completion of the concrete surface work are still pending.

The Municipality had previously informed “Vijesti” that the progress was hindered last year due to the necessity of devising a conservation project, which needed to be sanctioned by the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

“The works are being executed in accordance with the Study for Regular Maintenance of the Memorial House. The remaining glass will be replaced next year, as well as the installation of new concrete slabs on the flat roof section, since the old ones were removed at the project’s start. Additionally, the new budget allocates funds not only for the completion of the works but also for illuminating the building,” Bakić’s office elucidated at year-end.

At that time, the Municipality did not specify whether there was satisfaction with the quality of the work completed thus far, which has attracted numerous informal complaints from local officials whose offices reside in the Memorial House, alongside opposition members. Documentation provided to “Vijesti” via a request for access to information shows that the cultural property inspector, Dragana Bošković Drobnjak, reviewed the construction works in January 2024. The Memorial House has been recognized as an immovable cultural asset of local significance for a decade.

It is claimed that the work commenced following approval from the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, permitting facade work to proceed without a conservation project, specifically waterproofing that does not impact the building’s appearance and stability. Regular maintenance was planned to include the replacement of broken glass; however, the municipality previously indicated that the contractor and supervisor discovered the window frames were in extremely poor condition and recommended the replacement of certain sections.

The regular maintenance of the Memorial House initially had an estimated cost of 540,000 euros, but the budget was eventually raised by an additional 100,000 euros. Local authorities cited “the exceedingly poor condition of certain building elements revealed during the work” as the reason for this increase.

Among the factors contributing to the rise in costs, the Municipality noted that during the dismantling phase, it became evident that the steel structure supporting the window frames was in very bad shape. It was also previously announced that renovations of the building’s interior would occur, focusing particularly on the large congress hall, which has remained unused for several years.

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