Savo Manojlović, leader of the Kreni-Promeni movement, criticized the government on Wednesday for refusing to implement a reference price system in public procurement, arguing that such a system would prevent overpricing and corruption.
A reference price is a pre-determined or market-based price used to assess the fairness of bids in public procurement, helping to prevent inflated costs, rigged tenders, and other corrupt practices, Manojlović explained.
On the social media platform X, he highlighted the discrepancies between public procurement prices in Serbia and those in the European Union.
He cited the recent installation of public clocks in Belgrade, noting that four Bode clocks cost €7,155 in the EU, while in Serbia, including ruling party commissions, one clock cost €42,000.
Manojlović called on Belgrade City Architect Marko Stojičić to explain the price differences and questioned the source of his personal wealth, noting that Stojičić acquired six apartments under his company during his previous mandate in the city center.
Due to such cases, Kreni-Promeni proposes implementing a reference price system, which would ensure that public procurement costs cannot exceed pre-determined reference prices. Manojlović emphasized that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) refuses to adopt this system, leaving the door open for continued overpricing and corruption.
