Offers for the development and implementation of a special investment program, on the basis of which someone can acquire Montenegrin citizenship (economic citizenship), can be submitted until February 27. The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism has decided not to announce the names of those interested until then.
The department, which is managed by Minister Pavle Radulović, announced an international public invitation on November 28 last year, the deadline for the purchase of tender documents expires on February 16.
"Given that the tender procedure is still ongoing, at this moment we cannot provide information on the number and names of the companies that purchased the documentation. After the opening of bids, the Tender Commission will inform the public about which companies have submitted bids in the tender," the Ministry told "Vijesti".
At the end of July last year, the Government adopted the Decision on the method, procedure and criteria for the selection of bidders for the development and implementation of a special investment program on the basis of which one can acquire Montenegrin citizenship.
In the public invitation, it was explained that the Program implies investments in economic activity that will contribute to the economic development of the state, investment in real estate or payment of money to a special account of the state budget.
The program includes management, methods and conditions for the selection of investors and the application of the program, analysis and assessment of financial effects, development and implementation of marketing and communication strategies, as well as other activities determined by the project task.
"The bidder must have at least five years of continuous experience in the development and implementation of investment-based citizenship programs in the last seven years and must pass an integrity check. Qualification requirements must be met cumulatively. Fulfillment of the qualification requirements will be evaluated after the receipt and opening of bids," explained the invitation.
A tender participant can form a consortium with others. Such a consortium can submit an offer provided that at least one member meets the conditions defined by the public invitation and instructions for bidders. It is also a condition that the members of the consortium are jointly and severally liable for the obligations of each of them. Responsibilities and obligations of each member of the consortium must be explicitly defined and stated in the offer.
The bidder must pay a deposit or provide a bank guarantee of EUR 100 with the bid. The guarantee must be issued by a bank with a credit rating of at least BBB according to the Standard and Poor's agency or by a bank approved by the Commission for the selection of bidders for the development and implementation of a special investment program, at its discretion, on the basis of a request submitted in advance.
In 2010, the government launched the economic citizenship program, with which it planned to offer a passport to everyone who invests a minimum of half a million euros, part of which would be paid directly into the budget. It gave up on the request of the European Union.
That concept was devised by the Swiss lawyer Kristijan Kalin, who published the details on his portal, stating that Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia and Albania are interested in the program.
In recent years, at the suggestion of former Prime Ministers Igor Lukšić and Milo Đukanović, President Filip Vujanović and former President of the Assembly Ranko Krivokapić, Montenegrin passports were distributed even to controversial people, suspected of criminal acts in their countries.
Among the "famous Montenegrins" are the former Palestinian minister Muhamed Dahlan, whom the Palestinian authorities suspect of embezzling hundreds of millions from state funds, and the former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was convicted in that country for corruption.
Nathaniel James Rothschild, the heir to a well-known banking dynasty and one of the financiers of the Porto Montenegro project in Tivat, also has a passport.
The contract will be valid for three years with the possibility of extension
The committee for the selection of bidders for the development and implementation of a special investment program will determine the formal correctness of bids three days after their opening.
Also, no later than 15 days after the opening of bids, the Commission will make a ranking list of bidders.
Based on the established ranking list of bidders and the Commission's report on the procedure for the selection of bidders, the Government will make a decision on the selection of bidders and authorize the Commission to start negotiations with the selected bidder for the conclusion of the contract, it was stated in the public invitation.
The contract with the selected bidder will be signed for 36 months, with a revision of the contract from the aspect of achieved results every 12 months and the possibility of extension for a maximum of 36 months under the conditions defined in the contract.
Bonus video:
