President Milo Đukanović called on the Government to reconsider the decision on the collection of excise duties on fuel for yachts.
He said that supplying yachts with excise-free fuel was "our 'bait' offered from the start" which made our offer in marinas attractive to owners of mega yachts compared to the "unchallenged competition in the Mediterranean".
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance passed a regulation according to which the obligation to collect excise duty on fuel for recreational yachts is restored.
"During the past 15 years, we have invested a lot of effort to position Montenegro as a prestigious destination for nautical tourism. In extremely strong competition, we have achieved excellent results, both in improving our tourist image and in financial and economic terms," Đukanović said on Twitter.
With the newest service that Montenegro is currently preparing, the overhaul of yachts at the location of the former shipyard in Bijela, Đukanović points out, "we are definitely rounding off a complete and high-quality offer" to owners and crews of yachts, as very important players in tourism consumption in every country.
"Therefore, new solutions that are inconsistent with the Government's overall policy on this topic and that fundamentally threaten our comparative advantage are by no means welcome. My urgent warning: reconsider the decision on the collection of excise taxes on fuel for yachts. As our people would say: it will be a greater gift than measure," concluded the president.
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