News

05 Mar 2019, 21:24 PM

February 5, 2019 -  The municipality of Tivat Manager, Marko Petricevic confirmed that investors are interested in investing in the tourist complex Sveti Marko, which the company "Metropol" of the Russian oligarch Mihail Slipenčuk brought ten years ago.

"It is natural for each investor to come first with the representatives of the local self-government in which he intends to realize the investment. It is not the construction of a small house in the part of the city, but the biggest investment project in Tivat. It is logical that the investor will negotiate both with the majority owner and with the representatives of the local government. These were preliminary talks, I instructed them to write a letter of interest and address the president of the municipality," said Petricevic adding the interest comes from "a serious group," whose identity he does not want to speak.
 
He could not confirm whether those unnamed investors entered into negotiations with "Metropol" on the purchase of the largest Bokelian island, for which this company paid a debt of over EUR 1 million to the municipality of Tivat last year.
 
The Russian investment has been a decade for a "stand by" arrangement after the financial crisis and the introduction of European sanctions against the Russian Federation. In the meantime, the Metropol project for the construction of the tourist complex Sveti Marko, according to Radio Tivat, left it to its shareholders who control about 70% of shares in this company.
 
"Metropol" has invested significant funds in the past years in the purchase of a part of the land on the island from private owners. There are about 10,000 square meters left in private ownership, which makes up 2% of the total area, while the rest of the island is owned by "Metropol."
 
The master plan of the once-famous summer resort of Belgrade "Putnik" and French "Club Med" was done, and in February 2010 the Government of Montenegro approved the state study of the location for the project Sveti Marko Island, which is valid until 2020.
 
"According to the concept of construction of the island, whose total area is 349,250 square meters, the main attention will be focused on the maximum preservation of a unique nature. The construction index will amount to only 14 percent. The total area of the space intended for construction will be 79,790 square meters. The use of only environmentally safe technologies will ensure the preservation of sandy beaches, 4 km long. Electricity will be the only source of energy for all, including transportation means on the island, "reads the Metropol website.
I
n Metropol, they emphasize that the state study of the site is the primary planning document and that "the preparation of approvals for construction on the island of Sveti Marko comes to an end." However, according to Radio Tivat, Metropol is still waiting for urban technical conditions as a precondition for the necessary building permits.
 
Around the construction of a tourist complex, Tivat once boomed, because the locals raised their voice against the development of Tunja shallows, where the investor planned to build a marina for yachts. In the meantime, this plan has been dropped, and in Metropol proudly emphasizes the fact that the conceptual solution in 2009 was awarded at the world real estate fair in Cannes and that the construction will be only 14 percent. In their words, this speaks for itself about the ecological design of the project. The Russian consortium has chosen the renowned Banyan Tree for the hotel operator, which plans to raise six stars on the island, which will represent the most luxurious tourist offer in Montenegro.
 
"Poverty and isolation, the rarity of luxury, will come together on St. Mark. Luxurious villas and spectacular residences by the sea will create the perfect island resort, and Banyan Tree will bring to a small number of selected 6-star hotels and spa. The feeling of exclusivity is accentuated by beaches in a length of 4 km and a private marina. Sveti Marko will certainly connect the untouched nature with pure decadence and create a fantastic isolation world," said Metropol.
 
The hotel-tourism content on this island, according to their plan, will be built in the area of 80,000 square meters, and the project will be invested around 300 million euros.
 
"For the construction of tourist capacities on the island of Sveti Marko near Tivat, 450 to 900 workers will be hired, and after its opening, 300 to 470 will be employed," Metropol said.
 
 
Text by Zeljko Komnenovic,  Radio Tivat
05 Mar 2019, 13:00 PM

In Pljevlja, Rozaje and Podgorica, construction of kindergartens in the value of more than four million euros will take place this year, said the Minister of Education Damir Sehovic. The Ministry of Education announced that today Sehovic visited the reconstructed kindergartens in Masline and Pobrezje. He said that 1.5 thousand new places in kindergartens have been opened in the last two years and that this year they will start the construction of several kindergartens of multi-million value.

Sehovic said that a new project was planned with the Council of Europe Development Bank, through which seven more kindergartens will be built.

He pointed out that the kindergarten in Tuzi worth over 1.6 million euros is under construction and that this year they will start building kindergartens in Pljevlja, Rozaje and Podgorica (Block 6) with a total value of more than four million.

Sehovic said that for the kindergarten in Herceg Novi worth about two million in the next month or two, a selection of the contractor is expected and that in Ulcinj everything was prepared for the issuance of the tender for architectural design.

He explained that carpentry and facades were adapted in the kindergarten in Masline and that the problem of water drainage worth about 40 thousand euros was solved.

"About 100 thousand EUR was invested in the kindergarten in Pobrezje, and it is almost completely reconstructed - facade, locksmith, roof," Sehovic said.

He also added that Poletarac on Zabjelo was recently reconstructed with about 15 thousand euros and that it now has five new rooms for children daily sojourn.

Sehovic said that only in the past two years, 1.5 thousand new places were opened, which significantly relieved the overcrowded municipalities, in the first place the Capital:

Director of the preschool institution "Djina Vrbica" in Podgorica Vuk Stanišić said that the institution is investing enormous efforts in finding and adapting the existing facilities, in addition to building new ones. He also announced new projects in Podgorica, saying that the reconstruction of the unit "Leptiric" is planned and that it is possible that the facility "Djina Vrbica" will get yet another building that will be adapted for accommodating a number of children.

For more information please follow TMN’s dedicated page

Text by MINA News, on March 4th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

05 Mar 2019, 12:52 PM

With a big carnival parade which took place on the main road, the trial and burning of the carnival last night in Kotor ended the Winter Carnival parade.

To his last walk, Montanjaro was accompanied by the city music from Djenovici and Kotor, the majorettes "Festa", "Alisa" and "Lili" from Herceg Novi, "Infinity dance studio", Carnival group “Karampana”, “Za despet” and “Kosmopolitanke”, Lastva carnival, children from kindergarten "Radost" and "Osmijeh", "University of Art" from Belgrade, “Retirement home” from Risan, “Theater 303”, masks from Kotor Gymnasium, Maritime faculty and Kotor primary schools.

The famous court sentenced Djudic Ultimo Montanjaro at Trg oruzja, a culprit for all the troubles that Kotor faced in the last year. He was burnt at Mace after the court decision with fireworks.

Carnival

(Photo: Krsto Vulovic)

The festivity then moved to the main city square with Terrarosse and Goran Karan.

The trophy for the best mask was given to the Carnival group “Karampana” for the mask “The Dragons from Pestingrad”, “Rocher Ferrero” and “Residents of the Old Town”.

The trophy for the second place was won by the Carnival group “Za Despet” for the mask “See Venice and die, see Kotor and live”.

“Cosmopolitan women” with a mask “Exotic trip” won the trophy for third place.

Transitional Cup this year was handed over from the carnival Group “Za despet” to “Karampana”.

The cup for the largest mask with 660 participants was given to the children of JPU "Radost", and the organizer JU Cultural Center "Nikola Đurković" decided to award them also with a special prize of 500 euros.

Prizes for the contribution to this this year's carnival were given to: private kindergarten "Osmijeh", Elementary schools: "Njegoš", "Veljko Drobnjaković" from Risan, "Nikola Đurković" from Radanovici, "Ivo Vizin" from Prcanj, University of Arts from Belgrade, The Retirement home “Grabovac” from Risan, the City Music from Djenovici and Kotor, Kotor Gymnasium, the Faculty of Maritime Studies and the Theater 303. Special prizes from the organizers in the form of excursions were received by the students from the Kotor Gymnasium and Primary Elementary Schools, and the guests of the Retirement home from Risan will receive a concert as their present. The best masks in the category of individual masks were awarded to the “Lord of Darkness”, with the trophy during the carnival. The organizer of the Traditional Winter Carnival is JU Cultural Center "Nikola Đurković" Kotor, co-organizer is the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Kotor, partner is NGO "Festa" Kotor, and is sponsored by the Municipality of Kotor.

For more information please follow TMN’s dedicated page

Text by Vijesti online, on March 4th 2019, read more at Vijesti

05 Mar 2019, 12:43 PM

You want a new home in a spectacular location in the heart of the Adriatic? You have 15 days to book at old prices!

We present Lustica Bay, a new coastal town in Montenegro

The fascinating fact about the Bay of Kotor is that you are at the center of the most subtle embrace of the mountains and the sea.

In this epicenter of colors and fantastic views resides a new city on the Adriatic - Lustica Bay. A sophisticated Mediterranean settlement was incorporated with the care and builder's passion into a natural environment, to the extent that it is now difficult to even think that it was recently built. Lustica Bay, a small world, has residents from 36 countries, and the interest in escaping into unspoiled nature, in life as it should be on the Mediterranean, is growing significantly.

Thanks to the increase in sales, in the upcoming season, the cost of residential units will also increase, and all interested buyers are given the opportunity to book a property to ensure that the existing price is maintained until March 15th, 2019!

Lustica Bay

(Photo: Lustica Bay)

The development project of the new seaside town of Lustica Bay in Montenegro, which is proudly financed by the Swiss-Egyptian consortium Orascom Development Holding, in the bay Traste near Tivat, has achieved remarkable results over the past year by opening its door for visitors and guests as a completely new, operational destination.

At a place where the sea splashed over the steep and rocky shore until recently, a marine resort with modern berths to accommodate ships of up to 45 meters has been revived, the ultraluxe 5-star hotel of the international chain “The Chedi”, and the first catering, service and retail facilities along the promenade along the sea.

By anchoring the first ships in the marina, with the arrival of an increasing number of guests, and the increase in the number of permanent residents, with an extraordinary gastronomic and shopping offer, a significant emphasis on an enviable cultural and artistic program has been placed, so staying in Lustica Bay is more often on the list of domestic and international visitors. An attractive coastal ambience that reflects the luxury of the relaxed style of the Riviera and the exquisite architectural harmony attracted great public interest from Montenegro and the region. To the sailors is of particular importance a new marina, located on the entrance to the Boka Bay, and a special paradise for leisure travelers is surely the hotel “The Chedi”, a luxury resort on the coast itself, located next to the tucked hotel beach.

Lustica Bay

(Photo: Lustica Bay)


Last year, Lustica Bay was the epicenter of attention to the local, regional and international media - due to the results and numerous innovations, as well as the top entertainment program crowned with a spectacular opening ceremony, with the performance of the world's largest disco bands.

Lustica Bay


Apart from luxurious residences, including the apartments, villas, and family houses that are offered, even more important is the fact that by purchasing a residential building, the new inhabitant of Lustica Bay becomes part of a unique, luxurious, coastal community in the unspoiled nature. For more information about the Lustica Bay project, visit www.lusticabay.com or call +382 77 200 100.

For more information please follow TMN’s dedicated page

Text by Promo, on March 2nd, 2019, read more at Vijesti

05 Mar 2019, 00:36 AM

04 March 2019 - Turkish company Erka, which recently started building a luxury Condo Hotel LeGrand in Podgorica, Montenegro, will soon begin construction of a tourist resort on Sveti Stefan!

As reported by News Agency Investitor, the most recent project by Erka, named "Sveti Stefan Hills Condo Hotels & Villas", will cover 17,000 square meters and will have 22 villas and 104 apartments.

New Luxury Tourist Resort in Montenegro Sveti Stefan Hills Condo Hotels Villas 3

Tens of millions of euros will be invested in the complex in order to reach the five-star level and meet the highest demands of high-paying tourists.

The construction of the resort will officially begin on March 31 and project completion is planned for December 31, 2020, just around the completion date for the construction of the LeGrand hotel in Podgorica.

New Luxury Tourist Resort in Montenegro Sveti Stefan Hills Condo Hotels Villas 2

So far, Erka Group has implemented 65 projects in five countries, totalling 188 million USD.

Turkish investors have serious project plans in Montenegro, which has been confirmed by the former Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Montenegro Serhat Galip. He said that there is an interest of Turkish companies in the construction of Aqua Park, shopping centre and sports complex in Podgorica.

New Luxury Tourist Resort in Montenegro Sveti Stefan Hills Condo Hotels Villas 5

"The conditions for investing are very favourable and investors have confidence in investing their money here," Galip explained. He pointed out that until September 2018, investments coming from Turkey to Montenegro reached an amount of over 44 million EUR, and as one of the most important," the Ambassador singled out the construction of the five-star hotel in Podgorica.

New Luxury Tourist Resort in Montenegro Sveti Stefan Hills Condo Hotels Villas 4

The company Erka Construction was established in 1990 as a partnership of M. Veysi Erdoğan / Murat Erdoğan in Adana. Erka Construction, with over 20 years of experience, aims to create a different value in the construction sector with its long-term relationships and completed high-quality projects. ERKA is a global player in construction, maintenance & upgrades, mechanical & electrical installations, leasing heavy machinery, procurement, transportation, and sub-contracting.

05 Mar 2019, 00:03 AM

04 March 2019 - The first International Film Festival “Uhvati Film Montenegro” (English: “Seize the Film” Montenegro) will be held on March 5 and 6 in Kotor. The opening ceremony of the Festival, film screenings and the discussions are planned for Tuesday, March 5 at 4 pm (at Cinema Boka) and March 6 at 12 pm (at the Solidarity Gallery in the Old Town of Kotor).

As the director of the festival Aleksandra Božović explained for TVCG, film festival Seize the Film is part of the regional network Film festival Seize This Day With Me/Seize the film, which has been held for the past 16 years in Novi Sad, Rijeka and Banja Luka, and this year it comes to Montenegro.

First International Film Festival Seize the Film Montenegro in Kotor 3

According to its organisers, the Film Festival Seize this Day with Me - Seize the Film includes screenings of foreign and domestic films on the topic of the lives, activities and achievements of people with disabilities and the following programs: film workshops, forums/discussions with the filmmakers and actors who appear the films, a seminar for journalists and students of journalism, exhibitions, performances, etc… in which people with disabilities participate.

16 films from 13 countries (among which are Japan, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Serbia) will be screened at the Festival in Kotor and they are selected from the program of the Novi Sad Festival 2018.

The festival features 16 films about people with different types of disabilities, different age, social, national, gender structures. It is this diversity that gives a broader picture of the situation of persons with disabilities, so it is possible to notice differences in approach and position, but also similarities.

The first International Film Festival Seize the Film Montenegro will be opened with the Japanese short film "Wheelchair dancer".

First International Film Festival Seize the Film Montenegro in Kotor 2

"The film projections are preceded by a panel discussion on the participation of persons with disabilities in culture, on institutions’ accessibility in regards to people with disabilities, but also on content, as well as how people with disabilities are displayed in movies and in the media," Božovic explained. The panel discussion will be organized in Kotor on March 5, starting at 12 pm in the Solidarity Gallery in the Old Town of Kotor.

"Guests of the festival and panelists will be representatives of the public sector, media houses, artists, representatives of non-governmental associations both from the country and from abroad," said Božovic.

As explained by the festival organisers, the goals of the Festival are: “informing the public about the lives, activities, positions, and accomplishments of people with disabilities, recognizing one’s own identity and potential, facilitating a better understanding and acceptance of differences, and influencing the media to more adequately follow activities and events in which people with disabilities participate”.

The Film Festival has, is in its 16 years of existence, attracted the attention of numerous media outlets, and, as a topic, it has had an everyday presence in both printed and electronic media.

The festival is organized by the non-governmental Art Association 365 in partnership with Association of Youth with Disabilities of Montenegro and supported by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro and the Municipality of Kotor. The festival is supported by the Cultural Centre Nikola Đurković Kotor, the Cultural Centre Novi Sad, as well as the partner organizations from the region AS Parnas Novi Sad, Spirit Rijeka Association and HO Partner Banja Luka.

04 Mar 2019, 16:52 PM

04 March 2019 - The executive manager of the Directorate for Development and Engineering, Ivan Mrvaljević, stated that Electric Power Company of Montenegro invested last year 12 million EUR in investment projects and this year and that this company plans to invest even more.

He said that some very significant projects were ahead. One of such projects is the new 33 million EUR credit arrangement intended for the reconstruction and modernization of the Perućica hydropower plant.

“The main development projects of Electric Power Company of Montenegro are diversification of the electricity production and construction of new production facilities,” said Marvaljević.

As he says, the Electric Power Company of Montenegro has the potential that enables it to access to valuing renewable resources of hydro energy, energy generated from the sun or wind, our greatest development potential.

More than 15 million EUR will be invested in Piva hydropower plant in the next three years.

As far as the construction of the Komarnica hydropower plant is concerned, the design team suggested an optimal variant. The suggested power of the plant will be 155 megawatts, with a total annual production of 213-gigawatt hours. This is definitely an ecologically acceptable solution.

By the end of 2018, there has been a sharp rise in the number of investors ready to purchase stocks of the Electric Power Company of Montenegro, which tells a lot about Montenegrin potentials, economy minister Dragica Sekulić said in an interview with Pobjeda.

“I am pleased to reveal that it is about big companies from the EU member states, the United States, and China. This, of course, means we would have even greater responsibility in selecting our new strategic partner. What I can tell you right now is that we are going to look for a partner capable of making the Electric Power Company of Montenegro a greater company with larger profits,” concluded Sekulić on this occasion.

04 Mar 2019, 16:46 PM

04 March 2019 - "The Montenegrin economy has grown at a rate of above 4.5% in two previous years. We do not have the final data yet because we are still waiting for information for the 4th quarter of 2018, but in 2017, the growth rate was 4.7%. in the first nine months of 2019, the economy grew by 4.9%, with the third quarter's growth of 5%, which was the third growth rate in Europe. Therefore, Montenegro, a small economy with so many challenges, achieved economic growth which is among the largest ones in Europe in these two years," the Prime Minister stressed answering questions at a meeting with business people sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro.

The Prime Minister said that public finances were significantly improved. This is illustrated by the fact that in the first two months of this year, the revenue side was higher by 6% or 12.9 million EUR. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister said, he is most pleased with the growth of employment because almost 11,000 new jobs have been created over the past two years.

"I am looking forward to this information. On 20 February 2017, we had 52 thousand unemployed. On 26 February 2018, we had 47,593 unemployed, according to the Employment Bureau of Montenegro. And on 25 February 2019, we have 38,535 unemployed people," he underscored at American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro meeting.

He added that in February 2017, the unemployment rate was 22.46%, and on 20 February 2019, it was 16.61%.

Prime Minister Marković concluded his presentation of Montenegro's economic activity with data on growth in tourism -  30% more tourists than in the same period last year, while financial revenues increased by 43%.

"The goal is to maintain this pace of development, attract new investments, create new jobs, reduce the unemployment rate and, of course, achieve a higher standard of living," the Prime Minister underscored.

04 Mar 2019, 13:42 PM

Within the Days of German Culture organized within the Mimosa Festival, a street performance was held at the main square in Herceg Novi, where a music band and dancers from the cultural-artistic society from Inzell in Bavaria performed. The gastro offer of this part of Germany was also presented.

Last night in Igalo an evening of German cuisine was held, where guests enjoyed in gastronomic specialities, drinks and traditional folk music and dance from Bavaria, and a unique contribution was given by the Tourist Organization of Inzell with its members.

Gastro-evenings were attended by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Montenegro Robert Heinrich Weber and the President of Herceg Novi Municipality Stevan Katic. The German ambassador explained that Inzell is known as a popular winter center, but also as a place of good gastronomy and good people, which is why he is glad that this city represents Germany in Igalo.

The small Bavarian festival is only the first result of cooperation between Herceg Novi and the city of Inzell.

"Bearing in mind that Inzell is a famous winter center not far from Munich, we see the area of tourism as a key link for connecting. We hope that thanks to this cooperation, even more German tourists will hear about Herceg Novi and be our guests. An important goal for us is the cultural exchange among the cities that share European values, said the President of the Municipality, Stevan Katic.

"We come from a place that, like Herceg Novi, is engaged in tourism. I think that this is just the beginning of the cooperation, which will result in a greater exchange of tourists," said Steinbacher, after which a symbolic present was handed over to the delegation of the Municipality of Herceg Novi, the "milestone" for the future cooperation - a flag with a message "you own the first square meter of Inzell tonight," said the director of the Tourist Organization Inzell, Gerhard Steinbacher.

Text by Slavica Kosic, on March 2nd 2019, read more at Vijesti

04 Mar 2019, 13:38 PM

More than thirty producers presented themselves at the traditional Flower Exhibition, held within the Mimosa Festival.

"It is wonderful that the citizens of Herceg Novi, and myself, nourish the flowers. We welcome our guests with love; you are welcome whenever. Those of you who cultivate the flowers, are like the flowers, and help make this city a city of flowers," said the actress Tanja Boskovic at the opening of the event and said that "it is wonderful when the flower is a symbol of the city".

"The visitors of the exhibition can see a large number of different types of flowers, ornamental plants, fruit plants, even plant carnivores, miniature flower peaches, new types of orchids and other varieties that are very interesting," says the organizer Jovanka Matkovic.

Florists were less than initially planned, as some had problems with crossing the border, and the others had issues with the scheduled timing, explained Matkovic.

In addition to florists, some of the participants of the recent Fair of Souvenirs and Eco Food were also present at the exhibition.

The organization of the Flower Exhibitions was supported by Herceg Novi Municipality, Herceg Novi Tourist Organization, JUK "Herceg Fest", Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, and KUD "Sloga" from Djenovici has given their costumes to the participants in the opening ceremony.

The exhibition of flowers was open until Sunday till 7 p.m.

Text by Slavica Kosic, on March 1st 2019, read more at Vijesti

 

04 Mar 2019, 13:32 PM

The Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs is trying to resolve the property issues related to the land of Tivat Airport by administrative methods and without compensation to the owners.

The department led by the Minister Osman Nurkovic is carrying out this quickly, trying to eliminate one of the remarks of the government's intention to give the airports to concession - unresolved ownership issues about the real estate.

Also, according to the unofficial information, the Ministry received such an order from Prime Minister Dusko Markovic - to resolve the controversial property issues before the Government even considers the concession act.

The data of the cadaster show that in the previous two months, all burden registered in the property list of Tivat Airport were erased, resulted by numerous court proceedings initiated by private owners against the state, demanding legal compensation for assets that were taken away from them in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

"We've done a lot of work. Unfortunately, this was supposed to be done by ACG management, as well as many other things because they had about 25 million euros in the account, "said the Minister of Transport Osman Nurkovic (BS) on February 3rd on RTCG.

He and his associates, even after more than 15 days, did not answer the questions about the removal of the burden from the land with 544,601 square meters in KO Mrcevac in Tivat. That's all the land and facilities of Tivat airport. According to the records of the Real Estate Directorate, this was done by the "final decision of the Basic Court in Kotor, whose spokesperson, Spiro Pavicevic, explained:" We are informing you that the court ruled that the lawsuit was withdrawn and that the decision was final on 22.11.2013.”

However, from MSP to this day, they did not explain why the burden from the cadastral register was erased five years after the court made the decision. The Municipality of Tivat said that "erasing the record of court litigations in the jurisdiction of the cadaster". The Law on State Survey and Real Estate Cadaster stipulate that the recording of the dispute shall be deleted ex officio by the expiration of a period of 10 years from the date of the registration, so the interlocutor from the Municipality does not exclude the possibility that this was done ex officio.

For one year and a half there are discussions in public related to the concession, but also among the ruling coalition partners - DPS, BS and the Social Democrats whose staff is managing ACG. Giving the airports in Tivat and Podgorica for long-term lease was announced in May 2017 by the Prime Minister Dusko Markovic (DPS), who defined the current situation at the airports "shameless" and said that through the concession, they can be valorized" in the fastest and most efficient way and lead to a standard adequate to the intention of Montenegro to become a regional touristic leader.

DPS supported by BS, whose line minister and staff claim that ACG does not manage well the airports, stated that this company is an example of nepotism and employment through the political party SD and that Montenegro "does not have the knowledge or money" to adequately lead and develops the airports.

SD, however, rejects the claims, stating that ACG is the most successful state-owned company operating with the profit, although it practically carries along a continuing loser – the national aircraft Montenegro Airlines. They state that ACG can develop the airports from profits and favourable loans offered by the EBRD.

The opposition shares such views, but also a part of the expert economic public in Montenegro and the region that warn the Montenegrin Government "not make sudden decisions", but to be very cautious, because the concession arrangements in the area have not given good results, and that behind private companies that lease the airports there are actually companies of powerful Western countries.

They do not have the interest to develop the company and worry about its contribution to tourism, said Alen Sucuric, a civil aviation analyst from Zagreb, and the owner of the company that deals with this kind of business. He illustrates this with statistical data:

"ACGs are extremely successful. In the context of the size of Montenegro and the environment, ACG is the most successful airport operator in the region and have a great future because they can develop themselves. They are extremely important for Montenegro, which is a remarkable airline destination and for whose tourist economy the airline availability is conditio sina qua non," says the interlocutor.

The interlocutor states that "the concessionaire is a huge danger because he wants profit". "He is not concerned about the interest of a domicile state or city, a strategy for the development of air transport or the overall economy. He does not care whether Montenegro will be connected, whether the number of tourists will be reduced, will it cause a chain reaction of negative effects on the entire economy. He is only interested in huge profits. He will not work with a positive zero. That is precisely why all concessionaire firstly increase fees for 100% or more, start charging a series of services to users who were free of charge until then, the incentive strategy is only in the role of higher income, and not the importance of covering flights outside the season or individual for the country of important destinations and tourist markets," Scuric warns and recommends the government in Podgorica to ask "themselves why the Western countries do not give their airports to concessions, only the Eastern ones. "

So far, the government has not given up on its intention to conclude a concession act, but due to the disagreement with SD, a modified and to some extent agreed concession act and contract, have not yet been found at the Government session.

Minister Osman Nurkovic has been repeating since mid-January that this will happen "as early as this Thursday" (the days of the government sessions). Critics of this arrangement stated that it does not meet the basic requirements under the Law on Concession, which stipulates that the contract must be bilaterally, and not trilateral as planned by MSP, introducing space for "sponsors" into the contract. It was also stated that the valuation of the property has not been carried out, but also of the business itself that the state wants to give in the concession, and that property issues have not been solved, primarily in Tivat.

Despite the deletion of the burden from part of the land of Tivat Airport, several court proceedings initiated by private owners are still ongoing.

One citizen from Krtoli, who has been in conflict with the state for years over his family's property, seized by the state without compensation, says that now they are offered twice as much as a couple of years ago - 37 cents, but that the experts during the court proceedings for such plot, next to the runway, estimated it on 109 euros.

The same amount, the interlocutor says, a few years ago the state paid to the locals whose land had been expropriated to extend the nearby Kotor crossroad.

The Ministry did not want to comment on the difference between the expert's assessment and the state's offer. It was not answered in which way and from what funds the state intends to reimburse the owners of the land it wants to give in the concession.

According to unofficial information, Nurkovic assessed the informal talks with coalition partners that this will cost the state up to 9 million euros. In the cadaster, the government still has in the registration the burden of restitution on the largest, cadastral plot of 291,848 square meters. 

Tivat municipality, which is ruled by DPS-SD-HGI coalition, previously in 2017 immediately after Prime Minister Markovic announced concessions, remained without one million square meters - its 486 thousand at the airport and another 44,700 square meters on which the municipality was co-owner with individuals. All of this was registered to the state, and the local administration of Tivat, in the meantime, did nothing to try to protect its property worth tens of millions of euros.

In the meantime, the problem was further complicated because the local administration of Tivat, according to the cadastral records, remained in the past two months without further assets - over 118,000 square meters of land, which "leans" on the fence of the current airport complex and which, according to the State study of the location of Tivat Airport, was intended for further expansion of the airport's capacity. Municipal six plots with the total area of 118,200 square meters from LN 152 KO Mrcevac were registered to the state as the owner, and the Municipality remained entitled to dispose of that property.

The heads of the Real Estate Directorate, government and local DPS officials claimed that this was legalindeed because according to the Law on State Property, the airports could be only state-owned. Although the cadaster leaders then explained that the Municipality had allegedly never been registered as the owner, this was denied by a document issued 19 years ago by the same directorate. In response to the question by delegate Petar Samardzic (SNP) on April 20th, 2000, the then head of the Department for Cadaster of the Real Estate Directorate, Vladimir Grgurovic, said that the Municipality owned over a million square meters in this part of the country, which includes the airport with its surrounded area. 

Concessions are harmful if it is a case of strategically important airports, which airports of the capital cities, but also of large tourist resorts certainly are.

Concessions make sense in smaller airports and those that cannot be profitable, so large systems manage to make such unprofitable ports positive, by the synergy in the system of several airports, as well as by rationalizing the operations resulting from shared services and more cost-effective business based on large orders and numbers.

In Montenegro, this is not the case and it must be done very carefully, "assesses Alen Scurica, who is currently the greatest expert in the region for the analysis of profits in the civil aviation industry.

He states that ACG is a very successful company, which by many parameters is the leading operator among airport operators in the former Yugoslavia. In Tivat and Podgorica, as many as 43 carriers landed last year, and ACG had 100 flights a week to the countries in Europe and the Middle East. It is the same number of airlines and a slightly smaller number of weekly lines than at a much larger and tourist busy airport in Dubrovnik. And the other airports in the surrounding area have very low figures, he said. Thus, Tirana had 28 carriers and 79 lines, Skopje 19 carriers and 47 lines, Pristina -14 companies and 46 airlines.

Montenegrin airports have 12 companies that fly for them all year round while Dubrovnik has only 5, and they have an almost ideal - almost equal share in the total traffic between the so-called legacy, leisure and low-cost companies.

Montenegrin airports, according to the analysis by Scuric, also have some of the highest growth rates in the region and predominate in the number of newly opened lines. Thus, for the last two years, as many as 30 have been opened, while at the same time much bigger Serbia has managed to open only seven new lines.

Montenegro with ACG traffic of 2.2 million passengers and a visit of about 2 million tourists has the best ratio of 1:1 when looking at passengers and tourists, better even than the regional tourist superpower such as Croatia where it is 1:2.

According to the number of passengers at the airports compared to the number of inhabitants, Montenegro with a coefficient of 3.7 is by far the most successful in the region of the former Yugoslavia.

The text was downloaded from the Professional Journalist Association website /dpncg.me/

Text by Sinisa Lukovic, on February 23rd 2019, read more at Vijesti

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