Oil Fund until the end of 2017

At yesterday's session, the government adopted amendments to the Hydrocarbons Act, which set a new deadline for the establishment of a hydrocarbons fund. According to the amendments to the Law, the fund will be established by December 31, 2017 at the latest.

According to the previous decision, (Article 22) the Government should have submitted the draft law on the hydrocarbon fund to the Parliament by December 31, 2014 at the latest.

The amendments now stipulate that "the fund for hydrocarbons shall be established by the Government by a special act."

"The act on the establishment of the fund for hydrocarbons determines the status and competences of the fund, the fund's bodies, the competences and the method of work and decision-making of the fund's bodies, the rules for the use of revenues from hydrocarbons and other issues of importance for the work of the fund", the proposed changes stated.

Part of the money that the state receives from taxes based on the profits of companies that get work in oil and gas exploration in the Montenegrin sea will be poured into the fund. Of the total income, 85 percent will belong to the fund, and 15 percent to the state budget. The hydrocarbon tax rate is 54 percent.

In early February, the government approved a concession for oil and gas exploration for four exploration blocks near Ulcinj to a consortium consisting of Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek. The final decision on the concession will be made by the Assembly. The opposition previously assessed that it was not good that the late drafting of the law on the oil fund was a condition for the Assembly's wider support for the Hydrocarbon Tax Law.

At yesterday's session, the Government relieved Arijana Nikolić Vučinić of the duties of a member of the Negotiating Group for conducting negotiations on the accession of Montenegro to the EU, in charge of negotiation chapters 2. Free movement of workers and 19. Social policy and employment, due to her transfer to a new position. In her place, Ljiljana Simović, general director of the Directorate for European Integration, Programming and Implementation of EU Funds in the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, was appointed.

A decision was adopted on the adoption of the Detailed Spatial Plan for the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant. The plan, as announced, defines the model of space utilization and optimal deployment of activities and facilities within the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant complex.

The government approved the rehabilitation financial plan of the Municipality of Plav and the debt of 1,2 million with Ziraat Bank Montenegro.

New consent for Kalač to be director of the Forestry Administration

Yesterday, the government passed a conclusion by which it gives consent to the Minister of Agriculture to appoint Nusret Kalač as the director of the Forestry Administration, as stated "the previous acting director of the Forestry Administration".

Three weeks ago, the government passed the first conclusion by which it gave consent to the minister to dismiss the previous acting director, Mirsad Nurković, and to appoint Kalač as acting director. Minister Petar Ivanović then sent a commission to carry out the handover of duties, although he did not sign the dismissal of Nurković and the appointment of Kalač.

He did that later, without giving a deadline for an appeal. Nurković previously provided information on illegal contracts for concessions.