The President of the Municipality of Ulcinj, Genci Nimanbegu, sent an official letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressing deep concern about the alarming consequences that the agreement between Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates could have for the citizens of this city, his office announced.
As added in the statement sent to the media, the Municipality called on the European Commission to recognize the seriousness of the situation and take steps to protect the rights of the citizens of Ulcinj.
"With this letter, we have the honor to share with you our deep and legitimate concerns regarding the policies and practices of the Government of Montenegro which, in numerous cases, are not in accordance with the Constitution of this country nor with the fundamental European principles that protect minority rights, equality and cultural diversity.
"Unfortunately, the latest moves by the Government of Montenegro are in direct contradiction to these principles. The Government, in an unprecedented manner, has decided to sign an international agreement with the United Arab Emirates, using an accelerated and urgent procedure – as if the country were in a state of war – in order to have it ratified as soon as possible by the Parliament of Montenegro, concluding with the session on 17 April 2025," the letter to von der Leyen states.
Nimanbegu points out that due to the extremely short deadline, neither the Municipality nor its citizens – members of the Albanian minority – had the opportunity to take constitutional and legal steps to protect their rights and legitimate interests.
"Moreover, there are well-founded suspicions that the UAE agreement contains serious legal shortcomings, which was confirmed by the President of Montenegro himself, Mr. Jakov Milatović, who, according to the daily newspaper "Vijesti" of April 9, 2025, demanded criminal liability for the officials who signed the agreement.
Large infrastructure projects such as the Agreement with the UAE involve the import of thousands of foreign workers – which is already foreseen in the text of the agreement – thus creating enormous pressure on the local economy and demographics.
"According to Article 39 of the Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, it is expressly prohibited to undertake any measures that would disrupt the demographic structure of areas inhabited by minority communities. The UAE Agreement and its possible implementation represent exactly that - demographic destabilization and undermining of the identity of Ulcinj as a majority Albanian municipality," the letter states.
The Municipality said that throughout the recent history of Montenegro, Albanians have shown unwavering loyalty to the state and its institutions, contributing to stability, cooperation, and peace in the region.
"They were an active factor in the process of Montenegro's independence, believing that constitutional principles and guarantees would be respected without exception, regardless of the political orientation of any government.
"The Great Beach in Ulcinj, as a symbol of identity and economic survival, represents not only a natural resource but also the foundation of collective dignity and survival," they add.
The letter states that, in addition, the right to a healthy environment, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Montenegro, European environmental standards and the Aarhus Convention, has also been violated.
"Projects that threaten ecosystems, such as those on Velika Plaza and Solana Ulcinj, and are implemented without environmental impact assessments, grossly violate this right.
"For the authors of the agreement with the UAE, the economic benefit was clearly above any constitutional or international limitation," Nimanbegu points out.
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