The Government's decision to suspend the implementation of the Temporary Locations Program in the territory of the Budva municipality for the period from 2028 has practically jeopardized the summer season, which has already begun.
This is the position of the Mayor of the Municipality. Nikola Jovanovic who sees the government as the culprit, while the opposition is clear that the culprit is the coalition gathered around Jovanović's group "Budva our city", the European Union and the Democratic Party of Socialists, which, despite warnings that it was an illegal document, for which there was no consent from the Ministry of Spatial Planning, adopted a planning document last year, which has now been called into question at the dawn of the season.
The program, in addition to setting up various temporary facilities, from ice cream parlors, souvenir shops, kiosks and other facilities along the promenade and urban areas in coastal towns from Jaz to Buljarica, also defines catering terraces, especially in attractive areas such as the Old Town. Practically, all temporary facilities are now illegal, tenants should not be allowed to operate, because they cannot conclude contracts with the Municipality, and there are thousands of guests in the city.
At a session held ten days ago, the Government adopted a Decision to suspend the implementation of the Decision of the Budva Municipal Assembly on the adoption of the Program of Temporary Facilities on the territory of the Budva Municipality.
"The Government will initiate proceedings for the assessment of constitutionality and legality before the Constitutional Court within 30 days from the date of entry into force of this decision," reads the Government decision signed by the Prime Minister. Milojko Spajic.
As stated in the explanation of the decision, on November 4 last year, the Ministry of Spatial Planning informed the Ministry of Public Administration that it considered that the Temporary Locations Program for the Municipality of Budva was not adopted in accordance with the law because the consent of the Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism was not provided.
Possible annexes to the contract under the old program
The President of the Municipality of Budva, Nikola Jovanović, said that if the decision to suspend the Temporary Locations Program is legally binding, published in the Official Gazette and as such applicable, it will effectively "close" tourism in Budva.
"This decision is not responsible for the tourist season. We know that Budva accounts for 50 percent of tourist traffic and tourist overnight stays in Montenegro... This is the most important economic sector that contributes to filling the budget. If the Government insists on this solution, it means that we will not have a tourist season in Budva. With one decision by the Government, a political decision, the season has been canceled," Jovanović emphasized to "Vijesti", adding that the Government's decision is not final, and that the procedure for its repeal has only just been initiated and that the Constitutional Court will have the final say.
As Jovanović emphasized, this is a very unreasonable and irresponsible approach that will have economic and financial damage measured in hundreds of millions of euros, considering that Budva annually generates between 550 and 600 million euros in revenue for the state budget.
"The Municipality of Budva certainly has the possibility that, based on the previous decision it made, somewhere assuming that political pressures could occur (this is not the first decision the Government has tried to overturn, there have been some before, and there will be others in the future), it left the possibility of annexing contracts for the period until the new program is adopted, or until the new program is implemented. Of course, we were politically and tactically wise," Jovanović emphasized.
Are Mandić's cadres in the government knowingly causing damage?
He recalled that the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, the Transport Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and other state institutions have given their consent to adopt the Temporary Facilities Program.
"Although they did not give consent, or rather tried to ignore their legal responsibilities, the Ministry of Spatial Planning and the Ministry of Tourism, and not by chance, because they are managed by the cadres of New Serbian Democracy, that is, the party Andrije Mandić who are the opposition in this city. Obviously driven by their political motives, they wanted to cause further damage to the Municipality. I am afraid that this move sends a message that they are ready to destroy the economy not only of Budva, but also of the state of Montenegro, in order to satisfy their political interests and to cause damage to the current government in Budva," Jovanović assessed.
According to him, it is not a matter of the Municipality of Budva violating any procedure, whether legal or by-law, but rather a matter of political revenge by NSD cadres, who, as he said, cannot get over being sent to the opposition in Budva.
"Such moves can now be recognized by citizens, which is why such politicians should be in opposition in the long term. As for the Budva Municipal Assembly, rest assured that we will overcome this problem and that after that, if necessary, we will also adopt a new Program for Temporary Facilities. As for us, let the Government meet every other day and let that new Program be canceled, we will meet every third day and adopt a new one. I expect that someone will finally bear political responsibility for all of this, if not now, here comes the election year of 2027 and citizens have the opportunity to see how each of us behaves, whether responsibly or irresponsibly, harmful or beneficial to citizens and this city, and let them judge accordingly," said Jovanović.
Zenović: The Municipality and the Government want anarchy and chaos during the season
Leader of the "Movement for the City" and councilor of that group of citizens in the Budva parliament Đorđe Zenović He points out for "Vijesti" that both the Municipality and the Government want chaos and anarchy during the tourist season, of course, each for their own reasons and motives, because we are in an election year.
"All of this will break again and break on the backs of citizens and the tourism industry. On the one hand, it is the responsibility of the Municipality, which formed a commission in February 2024 that spent a year and a half preparing the Temporary Facilities Program. It is to be expected that it would prepare a quality document in that much time, but the Assembly had to adopt alleged corrections to technical errors in the Program on several occasions, because the original Program had numerous essential, not technical, errors and as such was inapplicable. Then we have a situation where the Assembly adopts the Program in August 2025, and the Commission that is supposed to conduct a public call for bids for the lease of temporary facilities is only formed in March of this year, the Secretariat for Urban Planning issues urban and technical conditions for locations only in April, and to date the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage has not issued all conservation conditions for locations within and around the Old Town," said Zenović.
He questions why it took seven months to start implementing the Program and why users of public spaces are put in a situation where they do not know the fate of restaurant terraces and other locations, and therefore cannot plan investments.
"The very fact that the competent Secretariat for Urban Planning did not participate in the development of the Program and that it was forced to send objections and suggestions to the Program during the public debate speaks volumes about the lack of transparency and incompetence in the development of that document. And the special level of madness that reigns in the executive branch is reflected in the fact that the Commission for the Development of the Program denied the Secretariat for Urban Planning the right to participate in the public debate at all. On the other hand, an equally important question is why the Government suspended the Temporary Facilities Program only a few days ago and submitted it to the Constitutional Court for consideration, when it was known as early as August last year that the Program was illegal and inapplicable," Zenović emphasized.
Pićan: Threat of lawsuits against the Municipality
Member of Parliament for New Serbian Democracy and member of that party's council in the Budva parliament Bojana Pican sent a letter to the Protector of Property and Equal Interests of Montenegro Bojana Cirovic, requesting that it submit its opinion “whether the property and legal interests of the state of Montenegro are endangered due to the suspension of the illegal Temporary Facilities Program in the Municipality of Budva”.
"I kindly request that, in accordance with Article 50 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro, you provide me with information, documentation and notification of the activities undertaken regarding the situation in the Municipality of Budva relating to temporary facilities set up on state property owned by the Municipality of Budva. Bearing in mind the fact that along the Budva Riviera there are plots of land owned by the state of Montenegro, while the Municipality of Budva has the right to dispose of them, and that temporary facilities have already been set up and lease agreements have been concluded at those locations, the question of the legal consequences of the illegal Decision for the state of Montenegro arises," states the letter from Pićan, which "Vijesti" had access to.
As she emphasized, the suspension of the Temporary Facilities Program calls into question the legal basis for the continued duration of the lease and the implementation of existing contractual relationships, which potentially jeopardizes the acquired rights of numerous conscientious and reputable businessmen who acted in accordance with the acts of the Municipality of Budva, which were ultimately illegal.
"Of particular concern is the possibility of significant litigation and possible claims for compensation against the Municipality of Budva, but also against the state of Montenegro, given that part of the locations in question are located on state property. What activities has the Protector undertaken or plans to undertake to protect state property and the legal interests of the state in this case? Are there any estimates of possible financial consequences for the state of Montenegro due to possible legal proceedings that could be initiated by tenants and business entities?", Pićan emphasized in the letter.
Franeta: We adopted the Program to meet the needs of the sponsors of DPS and "Budva our city"
Democratic Montenegro councilor in the Budva parliament Željko Franeta pointed out that despite the clear warnings they presented at the Municipal Assembly session, the decision was adopted solely to satisfy the needs of the sponsors of the "Budva our city" group and the DPS.
"The plan was adopted illegally - without the mandatory prior consent of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property and without respecting the opinion of the Ministry of Tourism, which directly violated the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Facilities. The consequences are catastrophic: all urban and technical conditions and permits issued on the basis of this plan are now questionable or invalid. Businessmen and caterers are threatened with the removal of facilities and gardens in the middle of the tourist season, mass lawsuits and enormous material damage. We call on the Prosecutor's Office to urgently launch an investigation and establish the criminal liability of councilors and officials who knowingly made an illegal decision and thereby committed abuse of official position to the detriment of the citizens and economy of Budva," Franeta pointed out.
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