The Committee on International Relations and Emigrants of the Parliament of Montenegro today, with seven votes in favor and one abstention, supported the Draft Law on Ratifying the Cooperation Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the field of tourism and real estate development, as well as economic cooperation between the two countries.
Discussion flow:
We have been fighting for years to make the state just, and the parliamentary majority is now throwing it away.
This was stated by the President of the Municipality of Ulcinj, Genci Nimanbegu, at the Board meeting.
Nimanbegu said that billionaire Mohamed Alabar appeared in Ulcinj through the lease of beaches, and that his local community is trying to resolve the thirty-year-old "injustice of the Coastal Zone".
"We were all surprised that one company was competing for 18 beaches... The process surrounding the Coastal Zone is creating conflicts in communities. This process is such that money has been going to the Coastal Zone for years and the municipality of Ulcinj, instead of having three million from beach rentals annually, is still a municipality that uses the Equalization Fund," he said.
He urged MPs not to hide "behind a law or a proposal that someone has wrongly identified."
Nimanbegu said that no one is against investments, but he appealed that the bill not be voted on in an urgent procedure.
"Imagine, after so many years we are waiting for investments and we are talking about 30 billion and it took 30 days - from the appearance of investors to the debate in the Parliament. Where is the public debate, where are the state interests, where is the rule of law, where is respect for local self-government, where is the voice of the people? Well, someone voted for you. Don't disappoint the citizens of Montenegro. And I have always been reasonable, tolerant. I have always offered compromises. What is being prepared today is not good for Montenegro," he said.
He asked why the Ministry of Tourism is not proposing a tourism agreement.
"I have had seven meetings with the Prime Minister from March 12th to today and I know details that can give you a headache," he said, assessing that the relationship between Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and the parliamentary majority and anyone who votes for this agreement "says that we are not wanted here." "We don't ask ourselves, we don't need to be asked anything," he said.
He added that a "new city within a city" is being built.
"We, the elected representatives of the people, have been fighting for years to make the state just, so that the rule of law applies to everyone, and does some parliamentary majority, because of the will of one person named Milojko Spajić, want to throw all that away? Spatial planning for 30 years, environmental protection for 30 years. Should I mention Solana and Chapter 27," Nimanbegu said.
"Tell me what the reason for the urgency is that it has to be passed today - before Easter? Milojko Spajić ruined Ramadan for the citizens. For me, it's Eid. Why? What's the rush? What's to be gained by this law having to be passed overnight?" he said.
He added that the Germans made the plans for Velika Plaža, but they did not plan "megalomaniacally".
"An investor can come and show that your house should be turned into a new house, better and more beautiful, and you will remain in the background," he said, adding that the property of 20.000 citizens will be devalued.
"You want to vote for something you haven't read, and which involves such a complex procedure. I urge you to postpone this point and adopt the first one on economic cooperation with the UAE. Let economists and experts carefully analyze what the benefits of further investment would be. We had 55.00 inhabitants. How many more do we want to build? For whom? The municipality of Ulcinj has over 25.000 housing units and 20.000 inhabitants. There are hotels, companies, various activities," he said.
He added that he wrote to all parliamentary groups.
"Any insistence will lead the state into instability. In this way, you want to throw 20.000 people in the municipality of Ulcinj, tomorrow in Buljarica, the day after tomorrow in Jaz into the water. Where will we go with the new city? The state cannot build a good road to Ulcinj today, it cannot build a hospital, so an investor will come and build everything - including the new Old Town. You are no longer members of political parties, you are persons with a name and surname. Appeal to Milojko Spajić to withdraw this," he said.
Ćalović Marković: Agreement between PES and part of DPS
The Director of the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS), Vanja Ćalović Marković, said that the Venice Commission (VC) had pointed out to the Government and Parliament several times when the IBAR laws were passed, which she assessed as "passed hastily, over the knee".
"The story of this agreement is an extreme indicator of what happens when you don't have a public debate. There is no step that the Government and the Prime Minister have not skipped. It was adopted at an electronic session that, according to my information, lasted from 20:55 to 21:28. The members of the Government had thirty-three minutes to consider this agreement. Tell me who is this legislator who can consider such a complex matter in 33 minutes from the time he was delivered the document to the time he is supposed to make his statement," she pointed out.
As she added, no one is against investments, but citizens are against them being implemented only in the interests of investors.
"Maybe we could understand this if it were done this way, let's say we live in Canada, the USA, and we have excess space. And we live in Montenegro and especially in the southern region, there is not much left to valorize in a quality way. I am convinced that most of you MPs, no matter which party you come from, do not want any more cities to turn into Budva, any more cities to be concreted over. The question here is not whether we should invest in Velika Plaza, but the way in which we should," she said.
She pointed out that there was talk of regional development, but that it all came down to building apartments on the coast.
"Wouldn't it be logical to tell the investor to build in the north first, and then see. But we know that this is a simple political lie to win over the Bosniak Party," she said, adding that "the DPS did the same, so it ended up where it ended up."
"Where are the gentlemen from DPS? They are not there because this gentleman likes Đukanović," she pointed out.
She pointed out that "in this business, there is no way to protect Montenegro from dirty capital."
"We know who has invested in Montenegro so far and we know that there was money laundering by our and international criminals. I think this is an agreement between PES and part of DPS," she said.
She recalled that the Competition Protection Agency was not consulted and said that the state must listen to its institutions.
Adžović: Montenegro is a tourist country and we want to try to open the door to investments in this way
The Economic Cooperation Agreement contains a number of areas of cooperation, and compared to the agreement signed in 2011 and expiring in 2022, the number of areas has been expanded, said Minister of Public Works Majda Adžović, after the session resumed.
"Regarding the second agreement, which relates to cooperation in the field of tourism and real estate development, one of the areas has been developed, with the development of real estate planning foreseeing two projects - one in the south and one in the north," Adžović pointed out.
As she added, Montenegro is a tourist country and they want to try to open the door to investments in this way.
A break was given for the plenary session. In the meantime, the deputies in the plenum voted to accept the Government's proposal and to supplement the session's agenda with draft laws on the ratification of two agreements with the UAE.
The session resumed after more than an hour.
Laković: The sentence addressed to the minister "does she think she will be able to come to Ulcinj after this" is a threat.
Europe Now Movement (PES) MP Nađa Laković assessed that the sentence addressed to the Minister of Public Works Majda Adžović, "does she think she will be able to come to Ulcinj after this?" was a threat.
"It is very important that we respect each other, that we have coexistence. I am a child from a mixed marriage and we must respect each other. I think Ulcinj is no more important than Budva. That municipality is respected just like any other in Montenegro and no one can forbid us from coming there," said Laković.
She added that there had previously been talk about illegal construction in Ulcinj, but nothing had been done about it.
"Ulcinj has the potential to be the number one tourist destination in Montenegro. I understand that Budva is devastated, but unfortunately you cannot compare Budva and Ulcinj. You cannot, because in Ulcinj you have Velika Plaža, and we do not. We have Slovenska Plaža. I am the first to go to Ulcinj every summer, but we have to look at the other side. I believe that this agreement will prevent illegal construction," Laković stressed.
Laković noted that the Ulcinj municipality also has a problem with residence taxes, but also that Porto Montenegro did not lower the price of a square meter in Tivat, but rather raised it.
"Ulcinj is declining culturally and touristically. Ulcinj has so much potential to develop into a world destination, you are stopping it," the PES MP said.
Kljajević: Knežević contacted European officials, we submitted amendments, we will abstain when voting for the second agreement
Democratic People's Party (DNP) MP Jelena Kljajević assessed that she understands both the guests on the committee, the ruling majority, and the citizens of Montenegro who are cautious.
She added that her party leader Milan Knežević had contacted European officials, and that they had submitted amendments, and that they would abstain when voting for the second agreement.
Abazović: The agreement has already been signed in Abu Dhabi, it is futile to adopt amendments
The leader and MP of the Civic Movement (GP) URA, Dritan Abazović, assessed that the agreement has already been signed in Abu Dhabi, and that it is futile to adopt amendments.
"How do we propose amendments? If that is adopted, they have to go there and tell them, 'You know, what we signed is no longer valid because we have amendments, let's sign it again.' Theoretically, they can say they are not interested," he said.
Abazović added that he knows Alabara, but nowhere in the world are agreements in the field of tourism declared to be of public interest.
As he pointed out, if it is true that the plan has existed for two years and the mayor of Ulcinj does not know about it, it is a job for the prosecutor's office.
He also referred to Saint Stephen, who has been closed for four years.
"Do you know why it was closed? Because we didn't allow apartments to be built in Miločerski Park," he pointed out.
Adžović: I do not perceive the claims about the impossibility of coming to Ulcinj as a threat
Adžović pointed out that Nimanbegu had a meeting with her and Spajić, and that she did not perceive the claims about the impossibility of coming to Ulcinj as a threat.
Abazović said that five years ago, when Zdravko Krivokapić's government was formed, Spajić said that something had to be done about Velika Plaza, but that there was nothing on Luštica, while in Ulcinj there are plots of land belonging to Veselin Barović and Prva banka, and that this is why the DPS is not campaigning.
Bosniak Party (BS) representative Admir Adrović said that it was not true that his party's support was secured by the alleged project on Hajla, but that it would support the construction of a ski center on that mountain near Rožaje.
Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Alskadnra Vuković Kuč said that the party she belongs to is state-building and that it cares about state property.
"DPS cannot be in a deal with anyone regarding state interests," she said, adding that now that the agreement is complete, she will present her position.
As she pointed out, she will not stand behind something that is not transparent.
Europe Now Movement (PES) MP Darko Dragović said that there are double safeguard mechanisms, and that if the Parliament does not adopt it, the agreement between the two governments will remain a dead letter on paper.
He added that every investment must be based on four principles - sustainable development, transparency, protection of human rights and social responsibility.
His party colleague Miodrag Laković added that the agreement does not refer to Ulcinj, but rather an agreement between the two states that opens up the possibility of cooperation, but also that they will not support any agreement that the citizens of Ulcinj will not accept.
Nimanbegu: I will not allow Spajić to push a municipality against the wall. We will defend ourselves, so start arresting us
Nimanbegu pointed out that "the lack of transparency in the project is great."
He recalled the text from PES executive director Vlado Bojović, which contained photos of garbage, but also that he had been trying to meet with Spajić for five months about the saltworks, only to recently receive a response that "Alabar would fix it."
The first man of Ulcinj reminded that according to European laws, investments must not lead to a change in the demographic picture in a minority community.
"Kumbor was a military facility, Arsenal a military repair facility. They were not used. That's the difference," he said.
"Postpone the vote, there's no need. Give space for dialogue. I will not allow Milojko Spajić to push a municipality against the wall. We will defend ourselves, so start arresting us," he pointed out, adding that President Jakov Milatović addressed the Venice Commission (VC) on this occasion.
Miodrag Laković (PES) said that Bojović did not forge anything or take pictures of someone's private property.
Niamnbegu replied that the beaches are under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Department, which should organize the garbage cleanup.
Abaz Dizdarević (DPS) said that he did not see why there was a rush, and that it was important to ask the citizens.
He asked Nimanbegu if they would leave the Government if the agreement passed.
Ćalović Marković pointed out that she does not have a house in Ulcinj, and that she has no personal interest.
"I have the same interest as when I defended Buljarica," she pointed out.
She added that there was talk about Velika Plaza because Spajić mentioned it.
"I think there will be nothing on Velika Plaža, because Alabar saw that the citizens did not want it, but that he would do something on Buljarica. We all know that the Arabs have been interested in Velika Plaža, Buljarica, Plave Horizonte for ten years... The Prime Minister is now telling us that he discovered hot water because he brought an Arab to Velika Plaža, and they have been trying to get it for ten years. For ten years, the DPS has been proposing various laws, and we are fighting against them," Ćalović Marković pointed out.
She noted that it had become urgent to vote on the agreement, not the anti-corruption laws.
She added that the agreement is very important because it includes the construction of facilities for transshipment, re-export and temporary storage, and that this will be used for cigarette smuggling.
"What do we need this for in the agreement? I guess it's normal that we have transshipment facilities. You know what for? For cigarettes, gentlemen. There are Laković and Abazović. Ask them where cigarettes come from in Montenegro. Temporary storage of cigarettes is prohibited by government decision, but if you adopt this agreement, cigarettes from the UAE will be able to be stored because it will be above the government decision," she said.
As she said, she believed that Spajić had the will to fight cigarette smuggling, but that she realized that papers from the Port of Bar were being laundered, and that he was the Minister of Finance at the time.
"Do you know who was the finance minister when Bemaks was smuggling cigarettes from the Free Zone of the Port of Bar? Milojko Spajić, gentlemen. And he kept the former head of the State Security Service as the customs director until he appointed Saša Damjanović. That's why there's so much nervousness about this being voted on before Good Friday," Ćalović Marković said.
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