Dukaj: Ulcinj no longer has time for those who will criticize, work today, instead of invoking historical memories

Ulcinj no longer has time for those who will criticize, announced today the Minister of Public Administration Maraš Dukaj.

He said this after Force MP in the Parliament of Montenegro Ilir Čapuni told "Vijesti" that the Draft Law on Local Self-Government is an insufficiently thought-out attempt to reform the system, and as such requires a much more serious social and political consensus. According to the proposed provisions, Čapuni claims, "historical and urban centers like Ulcinj or Kotor" may be left without city status, while municipalities like Tivat may acquire that status "exclusively on the basis of administrative and fiscal parameters."

"It is very tendentious in the interview with MP Ilir Čapuni that Ulcinj will lose something it already has through the new Law on Local Self-Government, but in fact the opposite is true. The law has left opportunities for status advancement and rise for every local self-government, but this must be worked on today, instead of invoking historical memories. In the historical context, the text that MP Čapuni sent to the media is very instructive, but we must stick to the current criteria for obtaining city status, which Ulcinj will certainly be able to fulfill if it has successful and responsible leadership, in which there will be support from the central government and specifically the Ministry of Public Administration. But if that does not happen, as there was none in the previous period, then the culprits should be sought at the same addresses that are responsible for development stagnation, and even devastation like that in the Old Town - where not only buildings of old splendor are being demolished, but also the tourist and cultural reputation of Ulcinj is being destroyed," Dukaj emphasized in a statement.

He added that "no one with good intentions can dispute the good policies and quality solutions of the Ministry of Public Administration in the last four years, and even today there are praises that the law should be adopted as soon as possible in order to make democracy work and restore the development perspective of local governments."

"After all, the law was passed with broad consensus, we carefully proposed the criteria together with the Ministry of Finance and our European partners, so please let's check all this once again in parliament. And so that the same thing doesn't happen again after that, and we divide ourselves into two groups - those who will work, and those who will criticize... There is no more time for the latter," said Dukaj.

Of all the municipalities in Montenegro, for now, only Tivat could potentially meet the conditions to receive city status, in accordance with the provisions of the Draft Law on Local Self-Government - "Vijesti" learned from the Government.

In the proposal that the executive branch approved on May 14th and will send to parliament for adoption, one of the key innovations is the introduction of the city as a unit of local self-government, which should have a wider range of competencies than municipalities.