The government will abandon the proposed amendments to the Law on Local Self-Government Financing, which would require that municipalities in whose territories the state grants concessions for airports, ports and roads be given only 70% of the concession fee that the state takes from the lessee, instead of 20%.
This was told to "Vijesti" yesterday by the presidents of the municipalities of Tivat and Zeta, Željko Komnenović and Mihailo Asanović.
Amendments to the Law on Financing Local Self-Government are available on the parliament's website, but there are no government proposals for amendments.
The two had a meeting with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić last week regarding this issue, where Spajić promised them that the amendment would be dropped. At the meeting, it was agreed that the Government and the municipalities of Zeta and Tivat would define in an agreement that the money that would be allocated to these municipalities if the airport concession was agreed upon, would be used only for the implementation of capital projects in their territories.
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"This Agreement would be signed only after the completion of the tender procedure and the eventual selection of the concessionaire," said Komnenović.
In the very final stages of the procedure for the possible leasing of the airport, which has been going on for more than five years, Spajić's government decided to "change the rules of the game" to the detriment of the local governments of Tivat and Zeta and to drastically cut these two municipalities off from dealing with the future airport manager.
The adoption of these amendments in mid-March was met with strong opposition from two local governments, and Komnenović resigned from the Tender Commission for the concession procedure for the right to use the Podgorica and Tivat airports. He was there as a representative of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.
The Prime Minister's Office announced after the meeting last week that Komnenović and Asanović supported this approach regarding the agreement, emphasizing that the funds from the concessions are an opportunity to launch a series of strategic projects in their municipalities.
"What is certain is that we are on the same page with the municipalities, because our goal is to intensify the implementation of capital projects. In this context, we are ready to sign agreements and clearly define projects that will provide the greatest benefits to citizens in the shortest possible time. Our intention is to fully respond to the demands of local communities and provide them with the necessary support for their further development," Spajić said at the meeting.
The Tender Commission for the concession procedure for the right to use the Podgorica and Tivat airports conducted a public opening of bids for the award of the concession for the Airports of Montenegro on May 9, in the presence of authorized representatives of the two bidders.
The Commission noted that two bids were received in a timely manner within the deadline specified in the public invitation from the bidders Incheon International Airport Corporation and Corporacion America Airports.
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