Leader of Democratic Front (DF), Mr Andrija Mandić, has close ties to businessmen of Serbian president, Mr Aleksandar Vučić. Therefore, the possibility that his company will be engaged in the construction of Belgrade Waterfront, the greatest construction site in the Balkan region, is not ruled out.
Serbian political circles are already talking about the powerful Aleksandar Karlovčlan, functionary of the Serbian People’s Party, a man of trust of the president of SPP and Mr Vučić, who is also coordinator of works on the project of the century. This powerful man is business partner of Mr Andrija Mandić, that is his wife, Ms Sanja, who is co-owner and CEO of Merlin Da-kar company.
This company is registered in Podgorica, Kruševac business center on Cetinje road. The company has also been registered in Belgrade, under the same name, in Tabanovačka Street number 5. The company has been registered as company for production and turnover of paints and varnishes, family business for years.
Needless to say how important the contractor of Belgrade Waterfront is, especially having regard to the fact that the business is worth €8 billion.
This business, according to many critics of the government, sustains Mr Vučić’s part and entire government. It’s so important that tasks are appointed only to reliable people, like Mr Mandić, in this case.
And while leader of Serba in Montenegro, as he likes to call himself, deceives Montenegrins with stories about equal chances for everyone, he seems to be taking his chances in Serbia by dealing jobs with currently the most powerful businessmen in this country. There’s still no data available corroborating that Mr Mandić engaged his company in “painting” this grandiose construction site but there’s much speculation.
Mr Aleksandar Vučić was surprised when journalists asked him why the tender for the contractor hasn’t been submitted.
“I am not against it, but I would like the representative of the association of architects who requested the tender to find the money for that. Serbs are never satisfied. Whatever we do, there will always be someone to find some shortcoming”, Mr Vučić said.
Such statements raise suspicion even more and increase interest of those who think that many companies are being engaged as contractors.
Even Mr Nebojša Bakarec, functionary of Mr Vučić’s party, has doubts. He says is his text that Belgrade Waterfront is a big scam.
He mentions two men: Srđan Rupar and Aleksandar Karlovčan. Mr Bakarec reminds that Mr Ruper is a construction engineer and owner of “Hidroplaning” company from Rakovica. He thinks that this company with a profit of €16,9 million and net loss of €6,5 million, has no important references or Internet presentation.
“Alekandar Karlovčan is (or was) owner of “Sens marketing”, “Merlin LLC”, and “Merlin da-car” companies, all three companies registered at the same address – Tabanovačka St.5. Therefore, capital state project of crucial importance are led by two unauthorized and incompetent persons”, Mr Bakarec writes.
That didn’t bother Mr Mandić who has been in co-owner relationship with Mr Karlovčan for years.
