Municipality of Herceg Novi: We are not silent, we act according to the law, do not spread falsehoods, organize celebrations

The Municipality of Herceg Novi announced that it will not remain silent on the request submitted by the informal citizens' organization STEGA on the occasion of the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the restoration of Montenegro's independence, which is planned to be held on May 21 at Nikola Đurković Square at 15 p.m.

In response to yesterday's statement from STEGA, the Municipality of Herceg Novi announced that they would act in accordance with the law and call on the association to "not spread falsehoods", but to organize the ceremony.

"Attempts to present through media appearances that the Municipality of Herceg Novi is 'silent' regarding the request to occupy public space on Nikola Đurković Square are another example of politicizing the topic and misleading the public. The truth is simple - the Municipality of Herceg Novi, namely the Secretariat for Communal Activities, acts in accordance with the Law on Administrative Procedure, which in Article 114 stipulates that 'the deadline for adopting and submitting a decision in administrative proceedings is 30 days from the date of initiation of the procedure, unless otherwise prescribed by a special law'," the Municipality of Herceg Novi announced.

They add that the request to occupy the public space was submitted seven working days ago and that they believe that they will be allowed to act in accordance with the law, "without undue public pressure."

"The administrative body has an obligation to collect relevant facts and circumstances within a defined timeframe before making a decision, so that it is legal and well-founded. The Municipality of Herceg Novi has responded positively to such and similar initiatives in 99 percent of cases so far. In this specific case, the deadline has not expired and there is no need to prejudge that something will not be resolved, that it will be ignored or kept quiet. The question arises as to who is in charge of raising tensions and spreading half-truths. Instead of cooperation and responsible relations, we are witnessing attempts to divert attention from the essence through pressure and spin," it was announced.

They note that in 2025, the Secretariat for Communal Services resolved 80,28 percent of received cases within the legally prescribed deadline, and that this indicates a responsible and efficient way of working of local self-government, regardless of who submits the initiative.

"As before, the Municipality of Herceg Novi will act exclusively in accordance with the law and in the interests of all citizens, without succumbing to daily political pressures. We expect other actors to show a minimum of responsibility and respect for the institutions of the system," it was announced.