The process to relocate the bus station to reduce traffic congestion is underway in Belgrade. A similar move to relocate the bus station out of the city center has been announced in Niš. Novi Sad initiated such project 18 years ago based on contracts and urban planning documents.
The Comparison of Belgrade and Novi Sad Bus Stations.

ATP "Vojvodina" fulfilled its part of the contract, and the City began implementing its obligations. Suburban traffic was transferred to the old bus station, where intercity and international lines were also supposed to move to a new location a bit later. However, the process was inexplicably halted, and city authorities began violating the contract, preventing the transfer of services. The old, illegal bus station was unable to handle all bus traffic, so suburban terminals were moved to a location near the railway station known as "Potkovica" (“Horseshoe”) even though this decision was unsupported by any legal documents or regulations in line with the Law on Road Transport. As a result, suburban traffic currently operates from the railway station's address (Jaše Tomića 4), while the bus station is officially located at Jaše Tomića 6. However, the bus station lacks ownership of the land and proper platforms, both of which are required by Law on Road Transport to ensure safety and legality.

This illegal practice has persisted since 2007, with no intervention from state authorities to enforce the law. For 17 years, Novi Sad’s authorities have maintained unlawful practices detrimental to citizens and businesses. Their arrogance and negligence ultimately led to tragedy. Mayors Maja Gojković, Igor Pavličić, and Miloš Vučević consistently enabled the plundering of my assets. They bear responsibility for the tragedy, which stemmed from their refusal to honor the contract with ATP "Vojvodina." To date, the City has already paid €4 million in damages for breaching the agreement.

Mayor Maja Gojković: As mayor, she signed the contract but obstructed its execution when her brother became the legal representative of drug and tobacco cartels aiming to seize my investment. They had support from both city and national authorities.

Mayor Igor Pavličić: He inherited the problem but did nothing to resolve it. Letter of Anti-Curruption Agency to the Mayor of the city of Novi Sad, Response of the Mayor to the Anti-Corruption Agency , At the time, the issue reached the European Commission, where it remains under scrutiny. He reserved city budget funds for legal disputes and compensation.

Mayor Miloš Vučević: Upon assuming office in 2012, he encountered the European Commission’s stance that ATP "Vojvodina" was one of the five most contentious privatization cases, being the only one where the investor, not the state, suffered losses. He also faced a court ruling awarding damages of €17 million for the first four years of non-operation, as determined by a court-appointed expert. Despite having budget reserves for compensation, the money mysteriously disappeared.

PThe changes in 2012 introduced new "businessmen," with a group close to the current authorities replacing a faction of tycoons from criminal circles. This previous group had been interested in seizing my investment and had orchestrated actions to prevent the contract from being performed, leading the company into bankruptcy. This raises important questions: Who stood to benefit from halting what was, at the time, the largest domestic private investment? Who appointed Vučević to exert pressure on the judiciary, and to whom does he report?

His influence was noted immediately, since he had "his own judges” in the Supreme Court of Cassation. Judge Stojan Jokić removed the 1,000-page case file from the court, "mastered" it in 24 days at Miloš Vučević's law office, where the judgment was also written. The compensation amount was arbitrarily halved, without expert evaluation, although it was still acknowledged that the City caused damage and, under the Law on Contracts and Torts, must pay for it. Both the Council and the Anti-Corruption Agency reacted to the manner in which the compensation was "determined" and the judgment written. Chronology of the Ruling Issued by the Supreme Court of Cassation. Judge Jokić retired immediately afterward. However, the ruling confirmed the right to compensation and became part of judicial precedent. Next in line is the resolution of new claims related to the remaining period up to 2021, the year until which the contract with the City was valid. These claims have also been increased to include damages incurred by other activities of ATP "Vojvodina" due to the bankruptcy.

Upon taking office, Vučević orchestrated my political persecution through public appearances in the media and the City Assembly. At the same time, members of the European Commission and the European Parliament invited me to Brussels and visited Serbia, asserting that the success of judicial reform and the independence of the judiciary would be measured by this case.

With the aim of driving the company into bankruptcy and seizing its assets, unprecedented pressure was exerted on me starting in mid-2019. However, by the end of August that same year, they began fulfilling their obligations under Article 1 of the contract. Radio 021. This raises the question: If the City began fulfilling its contractual obligations, does this indicate that, as the defendant, it abandoned all objections denying those obligations?

Upon taking office, Vučević orchestrated my political persecution through public appearances in the media and the City Assembly. At the same time, members of the European Commission and the European Parliament invited me to Brussels and visited Serbia, asserting that the success of judicial reform and the independence of the judiciary would be measured by this case.

With the aim of driving the company into bankruptcy and seizing its assets, unprecedented pressure was exerted on me starting in mid-2019. However, by the end of August that same year, they began fulfilling their obligations under Article 1 of the contract. Radio 021 . This raises the question: If the City began fulfilling its contractual obligations, does this indicate that, as the defendant, it abandoned all objections denying those obligations?

In the meantime, the bankruptcy of ATP "Vojvodina" led to its liquidation, with assets sold off for a pittance to a known buyer, significantly below the value of the construction materials, leaving creditors with only a meager recovery. The bankruptcy was closed, along with the bankruptcy estate, even though two active revision claims for compensation had not yet been resolved by the Supreme Court of Cassation (VKS). This was not possible because, instead of being sent to the VKS, these claims remained for two and a half years in the archives of the Commercial Court in Novi Sad, which should have forwarded them for resolution immediately. In this, as well as in decisions made during the bankruptcy proceedings, Vučević was assisted by now-retired judge Slobodanka Komšić, the sister of National Bank Governor Jorgovanka Tabaković.

I had to intervene, and by force of law, the bankruptcy estate was re-registered, ensuring that the Supreme Court of Cassation (VKS) will ultimately rule on the compensation claims. These claims are substantial, so it would be logical to find a settlement model through negotiations to mitigate the damage caused by the unfulfilled contract. This is especially relevant given that a case concerning a claim for personal damages is also pending before the Constitutional Court.

Over the course of 17 years, the bankruptcy administration and bankruptcy bodies, instead of ensuring creditor repayment, were tasked with obstructing compensation claims and devaluing assets so that their "business" partners could seize the investment at a low cost. I note that, just before the bankruptcy, the appraised value of the bus station with permits was €40 million, the same amount as the appraised value of the authorized service center "EvoBus" for Setra and Mercedes, while the remaining assets and activities raised the total value to approximately €100 million.

During the 12 years of bankruptcy, the appraised value of the company melted down to €5.3 million. How could such drastic devaluation of the company occur through a bankruptcy process, whose primary function is to preserve assets and repay creditors?

I would like to remind you of a few important points:

It is a fact that the Public City Transport Company of Novi Sad and the old bus station did not meet the legal requirements for the lawful operation of intercity bus transport, neither at that time nor now.

The contract with the City of Novi Sad was signed after it was adopted by the Novi Sad City Assembly, following a prior analysis of its justification. The Mayor of Novi Sad is not a sovereign body or an individual, and the contract was not signed in their own name or for their own account, but after obtaining analyses from the city's public enterprises, primarily the Public Urban Planning Enterprise, in consultation with the professional services of the City Assembly, and after obtaining the opinion of the city's public attorney who oversees the City's property interests.

Also, according to Article 14 of the Road Transport Law, municipalities and cities determine the location of bus stations and locations used for passenger transport, which means that the City had the authority to conclude the contract and fulfill its obligation. Especially since it had no financial obligations in this regard, it only needed to align with its General Urban Plan.

As a conclusion, the ATP "Vojvodina" case is the product and highlights the arrogance of city authorities and the subservience of judges, which have now backfired on them. The tragedy caused by the collapse of the canopy at an unauthorized bus stop which should not have been there, would have claimed fewer lives, and the majority of victims would not have been suburban transport passengers, as they are now. While we may not expect anything from politicians, who may evade accountability, the judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation should pay attention to the consequences caused by unlawful decisions.

Sincerely,
Ilija Dević, Investor of ATP "Vojvodina"