Workers wrote to the Government: Spajić to say whether "Luka Bar" will remain majority state-owned and to present an investment plan

Employees of "Luka Bar" AD have sent a request to the Government of Montenegro, namely Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, to publicly, in writing and unequivocally state whether the company will remain a company with majority state ownership, as well as to present a concrete investment plan for "Luka Bar".

The request, as "Vijesti" has learned, was signed by 450 out of a total of 490 employees at "Luka Bar".

The reason for addressing the Government is the Memorandum of Understanding with the company "Abu Dhabi Ports", as well as public claims that in the case of "Port of Bar" it is not about privatization, sale or change of ownership, but exclusively about investments - which was previously told to the "Vijesti" editorial office by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

"That is precisely why the employees are demanding that the Government remove any dilemma and clearly communicate its real intentions towards 'Port of Bar'. If the Government is truly not planning privatization, sale, concession, change of ownership structure or any other model of losing majority state control, then there is no reason to remain silent about it. On the contrary, it is obliged to immediately and clearly communicate this to the employees and the public," said the workers' representatives.

Employees of "Luka Bar" are also demanding that it be clearly stated whether the state retains majority ownership and a controlling stake, as well as what the specific investment plan is for infrastructure modernization, business improvement, and resolving problems that have been burdening the company for a long time.

"The Government of Montenegro must answer to the employees and the public - is 'Luka Bar' developing as a state strategic company or, through unclear arrangements and decisions made without the participation of employees, is preparing the ground for its abandonment to other people's interests," the workers stated.

The letter sent by the workers to Spajić states that their attempts to obtain relevant information from the management of "Port of Bar" about the state's plans for the company have not borne fruit.

"The management of 'Luke Bar' was not involved or timely informed about the activities that preceded the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the company 'Abu Dhabi Ports', which is why it was not able to provide employees with additional information about the state's intentions," they wrote.

They also note that it is concerning that after the natural disaster that caused significant damage to the operations of the Port of Bar in July 2024, the expected institutional support did not follow.

Although the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the relevant minister announced assistance in repairing the consequences of the damage, they added, to date no concrete steps have been taken that would contribute to the recovery and improvement of the company's business. On the contrary, as they state, the purchase of the mobile crane was carried out at the expense of the employees and business of "Luka", without adequate support from the state as the majority owner.

"At the same time, information we receive through other channels, including information through the branch union and the federation based in Podgorica, indicates the possibility of preparing personnel and other decisions that could enable the eventual privatization, sale, concession, recapitalization or other form of de facto transfer of control over the 'Port of Bar' to be carried out without real resistance from employees and their representatives," they wrote.

If the Government is truly not planning privatization, sale, change of ownership structure, concession or any other model that would effectively lose majority state control over the Port of Bar, then, as the workers say, they expect this to be clearly demonstrated through state investments in the Port of Bar, modernization of infrastructure, improvement of the business environment and elimination of problems that have been burdening the company's operations for a long time.

The signatories concluded that they expect "Luka Bar" to remain a company in majority state ownership, as a strategic resource of particular importance for Montenegro, and that its development is ensured by responsible management and investments by the state as the majority owner, "and not by models that, regardless of the formal name, could lead to the loss of state control, or the loss of the state's majority ownership stake in the company and the controlling stake".

Because of all this, they say, they demand that the Government publicly, in writing and unequivocally declare its intention to keep "Luka Bar" in majority state ownership, as well as to present a concrete investment plan in that company.