Milatović returned the Petrović Law to the Parliament: Giving Kruševac Castle to Prince Nikola is against the Constitution

President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović returned the Law on Amendments to the Law on the Status of Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty to the Parliament for reconsideration, assessing that certain adopted solutions are questionable in terms of compliance with the Constitution and the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property.

As announced by the President's Office, Milatović exercised his constitutional right and returned the law that the Parliament adopted on June 1 at the Ninth Session of the First Regular Session in 2026.

The explanation of the decision states that the provision that transfers the Kruševac Castle in Podgorica, with its associated land, into the private ownership of Prince Nikola Petrović is particularly controversial.

Milatović points out that this is a building that has had the status of a protected immovable cultural asset for decades, which is why he believes that transferring it to private ownership is contrary to the Law on the Protection of Cultural Assets and the constitutional obligation of the state to protect cultural heritage.

"The provision of Article 78, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of Montenegro establishes that the state protects natural and cultural heritage, while the provision of Article 42, paragraph 1 of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property stipulates that immovable cultural property in state ownership cannot be alienated," the explanation states.

Milatović assessed that the state had taken a constitutional, legal and balanced approach towards the descendants of the Petrović Njegoš dynasty through a legal solution from 2011, which provided for the construction of a family house in Cetinje and the allocation of an apartment in Podgorica.

According to the head of state, giving the Kruševac castle to private ownership creates an unconstitutional and illegal precedent that could open the way for similar demands by descendants of the same or other dynasties towards state property of historical and cultural significance, which, as Milatović said, would be detrimental to the state's interests.

"When it comes to the valuable heritage of the Petrović Njegoš dynasty, it is our duty to inherit the role it played in the historical continuity of Montenegro through adequate educational and cultural policies. However, since Montenegro is defined by Article 1 of the Constitution as a state with a republican form of government, the affirmation of the values ​​that stem from such a constitutional definition is a priority for every institution," the explanation adds.

Milatović called on the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage to urgently take action according to the adopted law.