The President of the Municipality of Tivat, Željko Komnenović, has resigned from the Tender Commission for the airport concession.
Komnenović said that he resigned out of dissatisfaction with the Government's amendment to the Bill on Amending the Law on Financing Local Government, as it drastically reduces the amount of municipal revenue from concession fees for the use of goods of general interest, primarily airports, from 70 percent to 20 percent.
"This is an injustice towards Tivat and as the mayor who has so far participated in the process itself as a member of the Tender Commission for the airport concession, contributed to the work of that government body and tried to defend the interests of the city - I must react to this intention to drastically reduce fees, but also to the fact that my request to change the Concession Act itself was not adopted. Therefore, I am irrevocably resigning from my membership in this Commission," said Komnenović.
He added that he was elected as a member as a representative of the Association of Municipalities of Montenegro, and he is asking the Association to appoint another representative.
According to the Municipality of Tivat, he explained that the offered concession fee, which dates back to 2018, is not adequate.
"In the past seven years, the global and regional economy has undergone enormous changes, and every citizen is deeply aware of this. The value of the concession defined in 2018 cannot be relevant today. I also believe that the Municipality of Tivat should be much more adequately involved in the entire process. There is no resident of Tivat who does not support the idea of modernizing Tivat Airport and improving the working conditions and functioning of the Airport, so it is in the interest of all of us to find the best solution."
Komnenović also addressed the issue of property:
"It is being forgotten, but the fact is that the Tivat Airport was once built by the Municipality of Tivat and the JAT company, not the state. The state, to be honest, provided expropriation compensation for private owners, which is its legal obligation," the statement from the Mayor of Tivat reads.
He added that the question arises as to what happens to 50.000 square meters of municipal property.
"Where are the interests of Tivat in all of this? We in the local government must fight to make that part of the city a new opportunity for further development of the city, and not to trade with one of the most important economic resources of the state in this way."
Komnenović said that the Municipality of Tivat and he remain open to any form of cooperation with the Government and Government bodies, supporting economic reforms, but also examples of actions that are a departure from past policies.
He called on the Government to abandon this amendment and thus enable municipalities to generate revenues in accordance with existing legal solutions.
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