The government and the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management (JP) must reduce rental prices and set them in line with the inflation rate, return the scoring to the previous level, or annex contracts like last year due to the short deadlines for preparing for the season. Otherwise, they may face a boycott of the announced tender for the rental of bathing areas and facilities in the coastal zone, it was announced today at a protest rally in Ulcinj.
Representative of the Association of Beach Tenants Albert Kastrati told the Government and PE not to ignore their message.
"Consider our demands, because this is an opportunity to show understanding and to prove that there is no place for discrimination in this society. We will not stop until justice is served. Because this is not the end of our fight, this is just the beginning and we will be ready to boycott if necessary," said Kastrati from the protest in front of the JP office in Ulcinj. The protest was organized by the Association of Beach Tenants, the "Ada Bojana" Association and the Association of Ada Bojana Restaurant Tenants.
Kastrati stated that they gathered to raise their voices against the injustices that affect them.
"Our community cannot and will not remain silent while decisions are made that threaten our interests, rights and future. Making wrong decisions by the Government and PEs will jeopardize the upcoming and all future seasons. Raising rental prices will jeopardize the operations of our companies, and the tourism product will also become more expensive. The competitiveness of Montenegro as a tourist destination will be jeopardized, especially compared to neighboring countries, where prices are more affordable and where the long-term sustainability of tourism is taken into account. Is this the goal of state policy," Kastrati asked.
He said that this is not just an appeal but also a call for change.
"At a time when dialogue and understanding are key, refusing to consider our demands is not only ignoring our community, but also undermining the values on which our society should be based. We want accountability, we want a system that works for everyone, not just a few. Our fight is not a fight for privileges, but for the rights that belong to us. We call on all those with decision-making power to step out of the shadows of bureaucracy, to listen to us and show the courage needed for change. Our patience is not infinite, but our will for justice is unwavering," said Kastrati.
Representative of the "Ada Bojana" Association, Drago Vukčević, assessed that the Government and the Public Company are trying to blackmail the tenants with their decisions and force them to accept the disastrous conditions under which they announced the latest tender for the lease of beaches and temporary locations.
"This tender is nothing more than an attempt at robbery under the guise of development. The increase in rent by as much as 300% compared to previous years is not economically justified, it is not in line with real market conditions, nor with inflation, but is a deliberate strategy to squeeze out domestic businessmen and give space to those who come with dubious capital," Vukčević assessed.
He added that "those who make these decisions have never asked us what we need, who work here, who invest here and live off of this."
"They never consulted us, they never invited us to a dialogue. Their decisions are made in closed offices, far from the public eye, and when they need our money, they remember that we exist. That's why we say - enough is enough. We will not allow our natural resources to be managed by those who come to Ulcinj only for official meetings. We will not allow them to treat us like ordinary ATMs from which they can withdraw when they need it. Our money is for investment in Ulcinj, in our city, in our future, and not for fulfilling political debts," said Vukčević.
Protest organizers believe that the tender conditions are extremely unfavorable for future tenants.
This is the second protest by Ulcinj tenants after a public auction was recently announced for the lease of the beach and facilities in the coastal zone.
The starting price for 69 beaches in Ulcinj is 2,7 million euros and for 111 in Budva, 2,2 million.
Kastrati explained that a square meter of beach, which was previously divided into four price zones on the Big Beach, cost between 47 and 85 cents, while it is now uniform and amounts to 2,5 euros.
"This means that in some cases the price has increased by almost five times. Does this mean that we should also raise the prices of services by five times? Ask yourself, dear fellow citizens, whether that is our goal or not? In addition, the total amount of the initial prices for 69 beaches in the Ulcinj municipality, according to the public call, is 2,7 million euros, and for all 111 beaches in Budva, which are almost twice as many, 2,2 million euros. That detail alone says enough about what is at stake, without listing further examples, since the public call for other temporary locations has not yet been published," said Kastrati.
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