Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced that from now on, Montenegro will enter into partnership relations exclusively with investors and that there will be no sales of state-owned land, or strategic locations.
He pointed out that the Government has adopted a framework agreement on cooperation between Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and that the country is interested in investing in a megaproject in Ulcinj or in the north of the country.
Spajić said that the idea is only in the initial phase, and that the UAE as a state is willing to invest a total of up to 30 billion through Mohamed Alabar's "Emmar" company in the construction of a tourist complex in Ulcinj, which would be intended for tourists from Western Europe. He emphasized that they are currently trying to attract that investment...
"A huge project that is only at the idea level and would bring benefits to Montenegro. We would have annual investments of two or three billion euros, while the state would have half a billion euros in revenue upon completion of the project, and the Municipality of Ulcinj 50 to 60 million in revenue. From today, the state will never sell strategic pieces of land again, but will always co-invest with the largest investors," Spajić said, adding that the entire process would be transparent because it would be done through intergovernmental agreements.
Spajić pointed out that the agreement expanded cooperation between the countries, so that economic cooperation will also be in infrastructure, agriculture, innovations and finance. This document, he said, must also be ratified by the Parliament.
He announced that he would invite all the mayors of coastal municipalities on March 24 to express their interest in megaprojects and what they could offer. He added that he would do the same for municipalities in the north, as investors are interested in similar investments in that region as well.
"We scratched the surface of the project"
Spajić emphasized that this is a large strategic project, through which exclusive tourist properties would be developed and offered to the markets of Western Europe and the United States of America. He added that the project would have green areas, parks, swimming pools, bays, lagoons, and that the buildings would be single-storey and the architectural appearance of both Ulcinj and other municipalities would be preserved.
"With this idea in Ulcinj, there is neither a conceptual solution nor a conceptual design, we have literally scratched the surface of this one project. He is ready to build all the necessary local infrastructure as well as the airport, all of which would be defined by an intergovernmental agreement with the UAE. There is a contract that is signed between the state and the investor delegated by the UAE, we do not choose Alabara or anyone else, but we will enter into an agreement and the state will delegate and guarantee for the company. There is no change in the demographic structure in the municipality where this project will be located. Care would be taken to ensure the harmony of buildings and functionality, so that the offer is as rich as possible and that tourists have everything they need," said Spajić, adding that work on this project will be accelerated, and it may also be built in another municipality.
Spajić emphasized that the project would also be profitable due to dividends, which could cover education or health budgets. He stated that they are looking for investors who will invest in the state and local community in the long term, because the quality of long-term investments is much better. He reiterated that this is the largest project in the region and that it would attract other investors, renovate the entire Old Town of Ulcinj, build an airport, the most modern hospital in the Balkans, the largest marina on the Adriatic...
He also referred to the initiated highway projects and emphasized that the start of one of the 18 sections will be this year, while two tenders for contractors will be announced early next year or will be worked on through intergovernmental agreements with France or other countries, in order to jointly build the infrastructure.
Spajić added that they are also finalizing the procedures for an intergovernmental agreement with France, which would be the basis for cooperation between the two countries, and that they will have a meeting with the country's Enterprise Movement (MEDEF), as there are ten projects they will work on. He did not want to reveal which projects they are talking about, but said that it will probably be a topic of the next government session.
Alabar stopped by for a meeting.
Spajić did not confirm the information presented by MP and president of the Democratic Union of Albanians (DUA), Mehmed Zenka, that Arab investors are seeking a 99-year lease of the entire Velika Plaza - from Port Milena to the mouth of the Bojana. He stressed that they met with the investors and Alabaro at a government meeting in Dubai, that the idea is still in its infancy and that they are considering whether to build in Montenegro at all, because a North African country has also made a favorable offer, namely 20 kilometers of coastline.
"We will enter into joint ventures with all investors," he said, emphasizing that they want long-term investments.
When asked whether he convinced the authorities in Ulcinj of this project and why Alabar was at a meeting with the President of the Municipality of Ulcinj, Gencij Nimanbegu, Spajić stated that Alabar was passing through and was going to Hvar, where he claims to own 80 percent of the hotels.
"He was passing through the region and stopped by Montenegro. As far as I understand, he tried, through a competition for beaches that unfortunately ended up in another story, to show what his projects would look like in the long term. How to enrich the tourist offer and attract tourists, because Montenegro cannot do it alone...", said Spajić.
Regarding the statement by the leader of the Civic Movement URA, Dritan Abazović, that the entire project smells like a corruption job, he said that everyone should refrain from populist statements that are not founded because the UAE is behind the story.
Asked about the agreement and the opposition's return to the Parliament, or the condition that identity issues would no longer be addressed, Spajić stated that the opposition had verbally agreed to join Barometer 26.
"The majority has already unanimously voted for Barometer 26, we have been urging them to join for months. We are really happy that they accepted it, they have some formulation that they probably have to sell to their voters. The most important thing is that the country has united around Barometer 26," he said, adding that tricky issues can be discussed because Montenegro is a democratic state.
The marine area is waiting for a leader
Asked when he would appoint a new director of the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management and whether the Minister of Spatial Planning, Slaven Radunović, had submitted an explanation for appointing former director Mladen Mikijelj to that position, Spajić emphasized that the issue was not up to the Government.
"There are procedures for the appointment to pass the personnel commission and go to the Government, so we expect such an appointment imminently. It is important that more candidates and an explanation of why the candidate is superior to the others will be sent, so we expect such a situation," he said.
Spajić also stressed that the tender for the concession for domestic airports was postponed to May 7 at the request of potential bidders. He also stated that investors from the UAE are returning to Montenegro and that some of the largest ones are among them, namely those in the Bijela Shipyard, the "One and Only" hotels, Porto Montenegro, as well as partial owners of companies that submitted bids for the airports.
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