The Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, met with families from the Boka Kotorska region to discuss ongoing challenges in their quest to reclaim confiscated property. During the meeting, representatives from the families highlighted specific issues they have encountered for years as they strive to recover their seized and expropriated assets.
Among the most pressing cases is that of the Tripković family, which experienced substantial property loss following World War II. According to their account, the family had a significant portion of their holdings nationalized, and the most severe impact occurred between 1991 and 2000, when over 90 percent of their land—more than 500,000 square meters—was unlawfully transferred to third parties. In Kavac, the family previously owned six plots with buildings and an additional sixty plots of land. By the year 2000, they were left with just one plot. Despite numerous requests and legal actions, their efforts to regain their property have been unsuccessful.
Another family, the Dabinović-Kokot family, also raised concerns regarding their historic property in Dobrota, where they built the Kokot Tower over three centuries ago, which has been protected as a cultural monument since 1949. They reported that the tower suffered damage from an earthquake in 1979, and since then, particularly after 1991, their rights to the tower and surrounding properties have been significantly restricted or outright revoked.
The integrity of the Kokot Tower as a cultural landmark has been compromised due to inadequate spatial documentation and legal ambiguities. The family noted that the physical condition of the tower has deteriorated due to unauthorized construction in the vicinity, theft of stone elements, and vandalism. Surrounding works have not only damaged the structure but have also contributed to a loss of its visual integrity, exacerbated by environmental factors and graffiti.
During the meeting, family representatives, including Bogdan Dabinović, Toni Dabinović, Mirjana Tripković with her husband Mladen Pantar, and Ivo Tripković, expressed gratitude to Minister Grlić Radman and the Croatian government for their ongoing support. They conveyed a hope that relevant authorities in Montenegro and other institutions will finally take action to address these long-standing issues in a systematic manner.
The meeting underscores the challenges that families in Dobrota face in navigating the complexities of property law and recovery efforts. As the dialogue continues, there is an emphasis on the need for prompt and effective intervention from both Croatian and Montenegrin authorities to resolve these disputes that have persisted for decades.
