Podgorica Zabjelo centre design contest

On 25 July 2026, Podgorica announced the winners of an open, international competition to create a concept for a new community centre in the rapidly expanding Zabjelo neighbourhood. The first‑place prize of €35,000 went to the Bosnian team of Arnel Smajlović and Enna Hadžić Smajlović; the second prize of €20,000 was awarded to an Argentine team, and the third prize of €12,000 to a Uruguayan team. Additional honorable‑mention awards were given to Serbian, Indonesian and other participants.

Three days later, on 28 July 2026, city officials highlighted the same competition results while also drawing attention to a deepening political and administrative crisis in Podgorica. Officials cited long‑standing complaints about unresolved street work, the absence of a city manager for two years, and repeated short‑term appointments to key posts, warning that budget figures for 2025 were inaccurate and urging reforms before upcoming elections. The announcement of the design‑contest winners thus unfolded amid broader concerns about municipal governance.

Together, the snapshots trace the release of the Zabjelo centre design competition outcomes and their overlap with mounting political dysfunction within the Podgorica municipal administration.