Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic spoke with representatives of the Qatari Diar Company in London, which in 2010 purchased 285,000 m² of land in the area of the former hotel Blue Horizons in Przno Bay, Tivat Municipality, in order to build a tourist complex.

Satisfaction with the fact that the challenges that slowed down the work on the project have been overcome was expressed at the meeting as well as mutual readiness to proceed as soon as possible to continue construction of a complex that includes a luxury hotel, more than 140 residential villas and a tourist resort with all the amenities. The total value exceeds €250 million.

Bay Przno

Qatari Diar representatives, led by Tarik al Abdula, Qatari Diar development director for Europe and America, expressed satisfaction with the implementation of development projects in Montenegro and the progress of our tourism and informed the Prime Minister that they have prepared a plan for further activities and that they will continue soon with the construction of this resort.

The Prime Minister informed the interlocutors with the development plans in the area of Lustica as well as details of the forthcoming modernization of Tivat Airport and transport infrastructure, which will increase the value of the Qatari Diara project.

Text by Boka News, on November 14th, 2019, read more at Boka News

November 14, 2019 - Co-owner of Montenegro stars hotel group, Mr Žarko Radulovic, says that optimization of job posts in that company is underway. The optimization envisages the reduction of those who work during winter. According to Mr Radulovic, that means that between 130 and 170 employees will be dismissed. However, he claims that the salaries of those who remain will be increased by 20%.

“We’ve started the optimization process. Since 2014, we’ve had a surplus of 130-170 employees. We need optimization now, in order to increase salaries for those who remain in the company. Fewer employees, higher salaries. We have to do that. The goal of the optimization of workforce and costs is to spill them over into a personal income”, says Mr Radulovic for CdM.

Salaries will be by 15-20% higher.

“The company is doing a great job, revenues are on the rise. Every year we generate a profit of €70.000 to up to €1 million. Our fund is stable and is going to get bigger”, said Mr Radulovic.

He points out that 35% of the gross turnover accounts for operational costs.

“Salary fund increases between €300.000 and €450.000 every year. It’s one of the sources of the increase in pays. The second source is optimization. Those with the lowest salaries will be given priority. So far, we’ve had around 590 employees in the winter period. We are going to bring that number down to 430-440”, says Mr Radulovic.

He adds that the company has great people, willing to work.

“We didn’t want to fire employees and, therefore, we’ve had a surplus of them in the past 4-5 years. In order to “save” them during the winter season, we’ve introduced a system of unpaid leave. They had their employment relationship, pension and social insurance for the whole month. We paid their apartments and an employee could eat three meals a day even when he/she wasn’t working”, says Mr Radulovic.

However, they realized it wasn’t a very good solution and that everybody was dissatisfied.

“The analysis showed that this solution hadn’t brought many benefits. That’s why we decided to carry out the optimization process”, concluded Mr Radulovic.

Text by CDM on November 14, 2019, read more here.

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November 6, 2019 - From the beginning of the year to the end of September, over 1,13 million of cargo has been handled in the Port of Bar, 18% more than in the same period last year, said the company's CEO, Mr Vladan Vučelić for Dnevne novine. 

“I’m very satisfied with the results and the activities we have undertaken in the past nine months. I’d like to single out certain activities: the establishment of the legislative framework for smooth work and development of the company by signing the Annex and the Agreement on the Use of Coastal Zone. This agreement allows the Port to use the port area and infrastructure, as well as to undertake specific activities aimed at optimal use of the existing potentials and development of new capacities, in accordance with the law and strategic commitments of the Government. The second important fact is the assessment of the property value. It was carried out for the first time since 2008," said Mr Vučelić.

He adds that signing Collective agreement was another important thing, as it provided the widest range of employees’ rights.

“We’ve negotiated a dispute settlement with the Port of Adria and managed to bring to an end two issues that bothered us. We also have a considerable number of new clients and agreed on business projects. One of them is the conclusion of the contract with HBIS Ironworks Smederevo company on the transshipment of the iron ore. We’ve established contact and agreed on the cooperation conditions. The signing of the contract with ZIJiN RTB Bor on the import of copper concentrate is coming next," pointed out Mr Vučelić.

The results the Port achieved exceeded the ambitious plan it had drawn up.

“Total revenues for nine months amount to €6.946.312. On the grounds of the unloaded cargo in October (167.000 tonnes), it can be expected that it will exceed 1.650.000 projection for 2019 and hit the record high annual cargo handling after the port underwent restructuring in 2009”, adds Mr Vučelić.

He said that he wasn't very satisfied with the existing level of technical equipment.

“In my opinion, it’s the Port’s limiting factor, as it sabotages the volume of cargo handling. There hasn’t been any great investment in the development of technical systems in the port for a long time. We’ve earmarked around €600.000 for that purposes and we’ve focused on valuing and using the property in the domain of tertiary activities. We’ll use the funds to invest in the provision of port mechanics in the first place," explained the CEO of the Port.

He stressed that the Port was dominantly state-owned. Unfortunately, he said, the Port “has no investment potential for the fulfillment of strategic development goals defined in the spatial documentation for the port area”.

“In my opinion, the focus should be put on finding a strategic partner that would contribute to the development of the Port”, said Mr Vučelić.

Mr Vučelić firmly believes that capital projects would improve the Port’s market position.

Text by CDM on November 5, 2019, read more here. 

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The biggest benefits of non-working Sunday for shops are obtained by gas station owners, who have expanded their product range over the past two weeks since the new trade law came into effect. Now, you can find oil, milk, salt, and sugar on their shelves.

The ban for shops to be opened started from Sunday 20^th October, with the provisions of the new trade law, with a few exceptions such as gas stations, bus and train stations, and airports, kiosks, pharmacies. Prices at these privileged stores are much higher than in markets that may not operate on Sundays.

The Chamber of Commerce Board, on whose initiative the prohibition provisions were adopted for non-working Sunday, will have a session on November 8 and will discuss the implementation of the new law.

"We have received information that gas stations have expanded their range to such an extent that groceries from all product groups are on offer. Bearing in mind that we, for whom the trade is our primary activity, do not work on Sundays according to the Act, we consider this an obvious abuse of the non-working Sunday. A meeting of the Commerce Committee is scheduled for November 8th, where we will point out the non-compliance with the Law. In agreement with the Chamber of Commerce, we will call on the Minister of Economy. We expect the authorities to react because the law must apply equally to everyone, ” it was said to “Vjesti” from the company “Voli”, who was one of the proponents of introducing a non-working Sunday for all shops.

The Association of Petroleum Companies of Montenegro (UNK) told “Vijesti” that petrol stations with their facilities, however, cannot significantly endanger the consumption in supermarkets, because the level of trade with them is much lower and they say that there are no baskets or carts for groceries located at gas stations., which indicates that this is a short trade of the basic items”.

Asked if the amendment to the law was really fair to all traders, because the owners of gas stations used the non-working Sunday, whose shops, along with the increase in turnover on Sundays, sell products at significantly higher prices, from the cabinet of the Minister of Economy Dragica Sekulic, it was answered that in Montenegro the principle of free pricing is applied and that it is up to citizens when and where they will shop.

In shops inside gas stations, goods can be sold if, for the same, the facility meets the prescribed conditions.

As for the sale of food, as explained by the Ministry, following the Law on Food Safety, the Food Safety Directorate registers retail shops.

“Such certified facilities may also be gas stations if they own facilities where they place food on the market and if they have a decision on entry in the register of food establishments by the Administration. The register of the Food Safety Administration contains a large number of gas stations, which also have facilities for retail food sales, ”the Ministry added.

The Association of Petroleum Companies of Montenegro (UNK) admits "a clear increase in sales on Sundays for individual items", which they explain "says that citizens and tourists, while refueling, recognized the opportunity to buy some basic articles on Sundays, while the supermarkets are closed”.

“The increase in sales varies and depends on the location of the gas station itself, so traffic is higher in populated areas. Most often, gas stations, in addition to car cosmetics, oils and lubricants, sell cigarettes, drinks, juices, confectionery and other packaged food products, which are more or less standard and approximately similar in range at all gas stations across Montenegro,” the UNK said.

The association adds that "this increase for only one day is not so significant financially as sales at gas station stores aim primarily to serve customers of oil and petroleum products further, and margins and prices at gas stations are higher than those of standard supermarkets, so buyers only trade basic items, mostly to carry and use while driving.”

Asked by "Vijesti" whether it is true that the owners of gas stations expanded their product range, UNK responded, "that it is an individual decision of each individual gas station to sell goods at the facilities and that the decisions are sometimes seasonal."

“Some gas stations sell heating pellets during the winter, beach mobile during the summer season, car chargers, souvenirs, etc. It’s all a matter of management decision. Outside Montenegro, especially in the EU, it is evident that various goods can be bought at the gas stations. In terms of sales capacity and assortment, petrol stations cannot significantly threaten the turnover in supermarkets. There is no need for the public to favor, to this extent, the advantage of gas stations over supermarkets when working on Sundays. In our opinion, this does not contradict the law, it can only be an advantage for citizens or tourists, who, when traveling, expect to buy certain items to carry, drink or eat in cars at gas stations. Anyone who buys the groceries for their home will probably continue to do so in supermarkets as usual or where they think is best for them," UNK concluded.

Food can only be sold at gas stations with approval

The Ministry of Economy notes that every retailer who sells food products is required to comply with the Food Safety Act, to have equipment in place to store it, and to comply with the principles of good hygiene practice.

When asked if food can be sold at gas stations, UNK replied that "any gas station that duly registered its trade and received a decision from the Food Safety Authority can sell food, factory-packed products."

"We do not have information that has been defined which product can and should not be sold on Sundays, so we asked the Market Inspectorate to answer the same question. Owners of gas stations have the same interest, which is to generate profits solely following the law, which they do now. Some gas stations that have coffee shops or restaurants within their facilities can also sell and serve customers, sell pastry by permits from those in charge, ”UNK said.

The Inspection Directorate told “Vijesti” that their market inspection continuously controls the stores inside the gas stations.

Text by Milorad Milosevic and Goran Kapor, on November 4th, 2019, read more at Vijesti