Europe Now Movement (PES) MP Vasilije Čarapić submitted an amendment to the Bill on the ratification of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism and Real Estate Development between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), so that the Parliament would have to confirm the contract that the Government signs with an investor from the UAE, with which it places state property at its disposal.
"The agreement referred to in Article 2, point 3 of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism and Real Estate Development, which the Government concludes with the Entity, will enter into force after the adoption of the Decision of the Parliament of Montenegro on the Disposal of State Property in connection with the same," stated Čarapić's amendment.
Article 2, point 3 states "For the purpose of implementing this Agreement, contracts, programs and agreements related to projects, with a precisely defined location of the projects, shall be concluded with the Entity."
"The proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Proposal aims to align the normative text with the Conclusion of the Government of Montenegro (No.: II-OI1/25-1038/2, dated March 24, 2025), which underlines the constitutional and legal obligation that the Agreement from Article 2, point 3 of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism and Real Estate Development, which relates to the disposal of state property, must be confirmed by the Parliament. This amendment removes all possible dilemmas and doubts regarding the disposal of state property and additionally ensures efficient management in the interests of citizens and the state," Čarapić stated in his explanation.
This would mean that if an investor from the UAE chooses the Great Beach in Ulcinj for his investment, as announced, and the Government accepts to lease it to him for 99 years, as requested, the contract would first have to receive the approval of the Parliament.
The government had previously requested that MPs vote on the law on this agreement under urgent procedure, but did not state the reasons for the urgency in the proposal itself.
The day after submitting the proposal, they sent amendments related to reasons of urgency, but without stating a specific reason for urgency.
"We propose that the Law on Ratification of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism and Real Estate Development between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in accordance with Article 151 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro, be adopted as a matter of urgency, bearing in mind that the aforementioned agreement would improve cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates in the field of tourism and real estate development, which would result in a better economic standard in Montenegro," he stated in this explanation.
"Vijesti" announced today that the adoption of the Agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would lead to the Government taking over the powers of Parliament and handing over state property to investors for leases longer than 30 years without the consent of MPs.
This was told to "Vijesti" by Vanja Ćalović Marković, director of the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS), saying that in this way another control mechanism is being abolished and the door is being opened to possible corruption.
The government claims that the assembly members will have the final say in the case of a potential investment from the UAE, which, they say, guarantees that they are a control mechanism.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajić signed economic and tourism cooperation and real estate development agreements with the UAE in Dubai on March 28. He previously presented to the leaders of Ulcinj and local parties the intention of Arab billionaire Mohamed Alabar to allegedly invest 35 billion euros in the construction of a tourist complex in that municipality and to lease the entire Ulcinj Velika Plaža for 99 years, which he sent to the parliamentary procedure in the form of a bill. Some in the public and the non-governmental sector claim that the agreements are contrary to state interests in several areas and that they jeopardize Montenegro's path towards the European Union (EU).
Čarapić previously told "Vijesti" that the procedure for MPs to ask questions has not been ruled out and that this has been confirmed by the Government's conclusion.
"Which tasks the General Secretariat of the Government with submitting all contracts concluded on the basis of the Agreement with the UAE relating to the disposal of state property to the Parliament for ratification. Any contract concluded by the Government can only enter into force once it has been previously confirmed by the Parliament, which means that the MPs have the final say on each investment," claims Čarapić.
Bonus video:
