With the new price list, the rent of the beach on Velika Plaza in Ulcinj could increase by more than two and a half times per square meter, representatives of the Public Enterprise (PE) for Coastal Zone Management and the Government told the beach tenants at a meeting held yesterday in Ulcinj. The president of the Ulcinj Beach Tenants Association, Prelja Škrelja, told "Vijesti" that the tenants are absolutely dissatisfied and that such a pricing policy is unacceptable to them.
"However, they promised us that they would do everything they could to provide us with some kind of discount, because otherwise, we would be absolutely uncompetitive in the region, which would result in the absence of guests who are traditionally fond of Ulcinj," said Prelja.
He recalled that until this year, tenants were paying up to 1,2 euros per square meter of beach, and now that price could be between two and a half and three euros.
"They also increased the dimensions of our beaches, so we would have to pay for parts that we don't use at all. They did the same with the facilities. So, according to the projected price list, the lease would cost some tenants several hundred thousand euros, which is really unrealistic," he said, stating that the lease price for beach facilities remained at around 80 euros per square meter.
As Škrelja stated, JP is planning several new beaches on Velika Plaza.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Genci Nimanbegu, who hosted the meeting, advocated that the beaches in Ulcinj be managed by the city, recalling that the mayors of all other coastal municipalities agree with this proposal.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of restaurants and cottages on Bojana.
As "Vijesti" reported, the PE has not yet announced a tender for the lease of Montenegrin beaches. This, as was shown at yesterday's meeting, raises justified fears among the tenants that a possible delay in the tender and an unrealistic pricing policy will jeopardize the season and damage the image of Montenegro as an attractive and tempting tourist destination.
Last year, the JP failed to announce a tender for the lease of the bathing area on time, so it was forced to extend all contracts until the end of the summer just before the pre-season. This, however, had an impact on the quality and course of the season, as the tenants were already far behind in preparations, while it was difficult to secure seasonal labor.
The tender was then postponed to October, but even at the end of November, the PE did not discuss a precise date when the public auction could be announced. This was not announced at yesterday's meeting either.
In response to questions from "Vijesti", the company, headed by Mladen Mikijelj, said that the tender cycle would be carried out after the legal prerequisites were met, i.e. the adoption of a document containing the locations of the bathing area and the locations for the installation of temporary facilities in the coastal zone.
They reminded that, in accordance with the law, the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property adopts the Program of Temporary Facilities in the Maritime Domain Zone, which, after adoption, is implemented by the company for locations planned on cadastral plots in state ownership. They also stated in their response that it is necessary for the Government, in accordance with the Law on Maritime Domain, to adopt a decision regulating the conditions, time of use of the maritime domain and the amount of the fee.
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