January 8, 2019 - The Municipality of Tivat will publish a public call at least once a year for funding projects for the valorization of cultural heritage in the area of the city. These projects will be financed from part of the money collected from the tourists on the basis of the sojourn tax.
According to the law, 10% of the means of collecting the sojourn tax is dedicated to "projects of valorization of cultural heritage, relating to archaeological research, conservation and restoration works, reconstruction and promotion of cultural goods."
Therefore, starting this year, the Municipality of Tivat will publish a public call for funding projects for the valorization of cultural heritage in the area of Tivat after the adoption of the regular annual Financial Report of the Tourism Organization.
"Cultural tourism represents an important component of the tourist offer, and in this regard, it is necessary to pay special attention to the valorization of cultural heritage. The Act on the Protection of Cultural Property regulates the types and categories of cultural goods, the ways of defining the protection, the regime and the protection measures, the rights, and obligations of the owners and holders of cultural goods as well as other issues of importance and preservation of cultural goods. The promotion of the cultural heritage of Montenegro, according to the national development program, is carried out in the context of sustainable development and, among other things, its promotion for investments is necessary to revitalize and preserve it," stated the Municipality, adding that the Law on Residence Taxing offers the possibility of establishing a special fund for the valorization of cultural heritage, in the amount of 10 percent of the collected funds and fees.
Tivat’s local authority also appointed a special commission for the selection of cultural heritage valorization projects, made by Secretary of the Municipal Secretariat for Cultural and Social Affairs, Mr. Dubravka Nikčevič, Director of TO Tivat Gabrijela Glavocic and Director of the Museum and Gallery Tivat Jelena Bujišić.
A record of allocation and spending of resources for cultural heritage valorization projects will be conducted by the Tourist Organization Tivat and reported to the National Tourist Organization quarterly, and the Tivat Municipal Assembly once a year.
TO Tivat received over EUR 300,000 in revenue from the tourist tax-paying fee in 2017, which means that some 30,000 euros would be allocated annually for projects of valorization of cultural heritage.
