Butorović - Mikijelj: The state will not tolerate the usurpation of public spaces or work outside the legal framework

The state will not tolerate the usurpation of public areas or work outside the legal framework, it was assessed at a meeting between the Minister without Portfolio and the President of the Coordination Body for the Harmonization and Monitoring of Inspections, Milutin Butorović, and the Executive Director of the Public Company Morsko Dobro, Mladen Mikijelj.

As announced by the Government of Montenegro, Butorović met with Mikijelj and his associates with the aim of better preparing and coordinating the upcoming summer tourist season.

The meeting was also attended by the president of the Working Group for the Preparation and Monitoring of the Summer Tourist Season, Miomir Tapušković, KTA advisor and tourism inspector Andrej Vučeković, and advisor Jovana Dragović, and on behalf of the Public Company Morsko dobro, assistant director Ivana Franeta and head of the Service for the Assignment of Use of the Maritime Domain Nikola Kralj.

"The main topic of the conversation was the synchronization of the activities of all competent authorities in order to ensure the complete legal operation of all entities on the Montenegrin coast. The focus was placed on three key priorities; Suppression of the shadow economy: Increased supervision over all economic activities in the coastal zone, then on suppressing the operation of unregistered accommodation facilities, and on strict compliance with the rule on freeing up 50 percent of the space on the coast intended for public beaches, without beach furniture," the statement said.

The Government added that during the meeting, the case of illegal construction on Slovenska plaža was specifically analyzed, where it was determined that the investor had significantly exceeded the dimensions defined by the Urban Planning and Technical (UT) conditions.

"If the investor does not restore the space to its original condition within the stipulated period, the contract between the user and JP Morsko dobro will be unilaterally terminated. The deadline for eliminating irregularities and complying with the issued conditions expires on Monday, after which the competent inspections and JP Morsko dobro will take radical legal steps," it states.

The interlocutors, as stated in the statement, agreed that protecting the space and image of Montenegro as a tourist destination is a common priority.

"The state will not tolerate the usurpation of public areas or work outside the legal framework, and intensive cooperation between the Coordination Body and the Coastal Zone will continue daily throughout the season," the statement concludes.