Đeljaj: The Municipality of Tuzi wrote tax decisions for "Plantaže" in accordance with the law

The President of the Municipality of Tuzi, Lindon Đeljaj, reacted to today's article in "Vijesti": "Bankruptcy for Tuzi or 'Plantaže'".

He said, among other things, that this local self-government acts exclusively in accordance with the laws and within the strictly defined framework of its legal jurisdiction.

We transmit his response in full:

"I strongly condemn the dissemination of disinformation and defamatory allegations contained in the text of the daily newspaper Vijesti dated August 07.08.2025, XNUMX, which relate to the collection of taxes from AD 'Plantaže', as well as the law that was returned to the Parliament for reconsideration.

First of all, I would like to unequivocally emphasize that the Municipality of Tuzi operates exclusively in accordance with the laws of Montenegro and within the strictly defined framework of its legal jurisdiction, despite the inept and malicious attempt to manipulate and distort the truth. Any challenge to the legal work of the local tax administration represents a conscious attempt at manipulation, gross deception of the public and extremely irresponsible spreading of lies.

The claims that there are final judgments of the Administrative Court challenging the tax calculation by the Municipality of Tuzi are completely fabricated. On the contrary - there is no such judgment. Also, the judgment of the Basic Court clearly confirms that the Municipality of Tuzi is not obliged to return the tax funds already collected. The only administrative decision that was returned for revision dates from 2019, and this was solely due to the decision of the Constitutional Court, which then declared an article of the Law on Real Estate Tax unconstitutional. This decision has nothing to do with the tax calculation methodology applied by the Municipality of Tuzi.

Claims that the law was changed 'directly because of Plantaže' and that this "legalizes the illegal work of local government" are a notorious lie, uttered with the aim of covering up the illegal actions of related persons who, at the end of 2021, against the public interest and to the detriment of all municipalities, and especially the Municipality of Tuzi, changed a decades-old legal norm through the Assembly in order to gain benefits in court disputes.

Legislative initiatives of the Parliament of Montenegro are the exclusive competence of the deputies and reflect state policies, not the interests of individual municipalities or business entities.

The claim that the Municipality of Tuzi has not recognized the legal tax relief of 70% for agricultural production is incorrect. The reliefs are applied solely on the basis of prescribed documentation and fulfillment of legal requirements – not automatically. The Municipality of Tuzi cannot and will not provide tax discounts outside the legal framework.

The claim that the Municipality of Tuzi could go bankrupt due to the possible return of funds to Plantations is particularly malicious. Plantations are no exception – they are obliged to pay taxes like all other taxpayers, because it is not a matter of political will, but a legal obligation.

I also condemn the attempt to present to the public that the operations of the 'Plantaže' company are in loss solely due to obligations to the Municipality of Tuza. All of Montenegro knows that the multi-year loss is a consequence of the unscrupulous and illegal operations of the management, which, with its own privileges and personal interests, caused direct damage to the company. The management, which paid itself and the management many times higher amounts than the obligations to the Municipality of Tuza, is now trying to shift responsibility to the local government. In some minds, apparently, the problem arises only when taxes are paid to the Municipality of Tuza, while the misuse of company money for private interests is not a problem.

Additionally, we are in possession of an official, signed and stamped statement from the executive director of AD 'Plantaža' confirming that this company did not realistically assess the area of its properties in order to pay lower tax amounts. This clearly indicates that it is not the Municipality of Tuzi that is acting illegally, but rather the taxpayer who is trying to reduce real obligations to the local community.

The Municipality's budget is stable, planned responsibly and transparently, and funds are spent in accordance with the priorities of local community development. None of the decisions made by this administration are based on improvisation or personal interests, but on the legal, responsible and conscientious management of public finances.

I would also like to remind the public that the Municipality of Tuzi, as a new local government formed in 2018, has made a huge effort to establish an institutional framework, including tax administration, in order to ensure equality for all taxpayers on its territory.

Finally, I call on the media to refrain from spreading inaccurate, unverified and malicious information. Before publishing such serious accusations, it is necessary to verify the facts with the relevant institutions, including the Municipality of Tuzi. We are open to providing all necessary clarifications and transparent communication with the public, but we will not remain silent in the face of attempts to tarnish the reputation of the institution we represent.

Finally, I would like to emphasize that we want AD 'Plantaže' to be a successful company and that we are building a partnership with the new management. We have already initiated cooperation and have shown our readiness for all legally permitted reliefs in order to get the company back on its feet – including the possibility of temporary tax exemption, all with the aim of its recovery and stable operations."