Construction of the Tivat–Jaz boulevard in Montenegro is facing significant delays, with key sections still pending full land expropriation, particularly between Lastva Grbaljska and Jaz. Despite the project’s official completion deadline in January 2026, the investor, the Directorate for Transport, has not yet received a formal extension request from the main contractor, the Chinese company Shandong, with Bemax serving as the principal subcontractor.
The project includes reconstructing a 16 km section of the Adriatic Highway across Tivat, Kotor, and Budva into a boulevard with four lanes, sidewalks, a median, and a new regional water pipeline to improve supply for the three municipalities. Work has been further complicated by the need to maintain traffic flow on this heavily trafficked corridor, which sees over 30,000 vehicles daily in peak season.
Multiple instances of damaged underground infrastructure—water, telecom, and electricity—have occurred due to inaccurate or incomplete utility maps. The Regional Waterworks reported nine such incidents, causing water supply interruptions in Tivat and Kotor. Bemax noted that only one incident was directly their fault, while the others resulted from inaccurate cadastral records.
The project is financed with EBRD funds, with the contract valued at approximately €53.9 million (excluding VAT). Delays, ongoing expropriation issues, and infrastructure damage suggest that completing the boulevard within the original timeline will be challenging.
