The new phase of the Thousand Plus project, due to changes in the real estate market, cannot be implemented under the same conditions, which is why the Government requested the assistance of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe.
The Europe Now Movement (PES) is planning to establish a credit guarantee fund, which would help users of housing loans.
While apartment rental prices are skyrocketing, it is not yet certain in what form and when the Hiljadu plus project, which made it possible to get a roof over one's head under favorable conditions, could be continued.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning and Urbanism told Vijesti Television that the realization of that work is impossible under the current conditions, i.e. with an interest rate of 2,99 and a limited price per square meter, so they are looking for a possible and acceptable model with the consultant of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe.
How much should be set aside for renting an apartment in Podgorica at the moment and what kind of housing policy are planned by those who aspire to be the backbone of the new government, TV News checked.
The search for renting an apartment in the capital is not easy at all, at least for those with average incomes. In a survey prepared by Television News, citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the prices at which apartments are rented out.
To rent one-room apartments in Podgorica, depending on the location, you need to allocate around 400, 500 or more euros, and you can rarely find them for the amount of 250, 300 euros... For two-room apartments, you need from 450 and up...
Even though the authorities announced in the autumn of last year that they were preparing the fifth phase of the Thousand plus project, so that the citizens would, under favorable conditions, get a roof over their heads, almost a year later, one thing is clear - the same conditions, i.e. an interest rate of 2,99 impossible.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning and Urbanism told us that they are in intensive communication with the Development Bank of the Council of Europe, with whose credit support the project is being implemented.
"Since we cannot influence the current situation on the market (real estate prices, interest rates, etc.), which makes it almost impossible to implement a new phase under the same conditions, through cooperation with CEB we have started activities to improve this project. On this occasion, CEB hired a consultant to help us find an adequate solution for the continuation of the Project, which means that we jointly find an acceptable solution that would provide aid-subsidy to the citizens", said the Ministry.
Those who aspire to be key holders of power in the coming period think that the Thousand Plus program should be continued, with stronger involvement of local governments, in order to prevent emigration from many Montenegrin cities by solving housing issues under more favorable conditions.
In addition, they are now reporting from Europe that they are planning to establish a credit-guarantee fund in the short term, which, in addition to supporting the economy, would have a special credit line, from which citizens will receive certain guarantees for housing loans.
"That guarantee can be through a guarantee for participation - that the borrower will not have to give his participation, but will have a guarantee that will cover that participation in order to get a favorable loan, and it is possible that this program can also be realized through a guarantee for a lower interest rate , so that in this way loans are available under more favorable conditions for as many citizens as possible. I think this is also acceptable for banks that are interested in approving as many housing loans as possible, since it is the safest business for the bank," said the PES official. Vasilije Carapić.
According to the latest Monstat data, at the end of the first quarter of this year, the average price per square meter of an apartment in Montenegro reached 1340 euros, and in Podgorica almost 1410 euros. In the competent department, they claim that both banks and investors are in favor of the continuation of the Thousand Plus project
Over the past ten years, through the four phases of the thousand-plus project, the housing issue has been solved by slightly more than one and a half thousand households. While they are waiting for the promised fifth phase or some other way of buying an apartment under favorable conditions, citizens remain anxious - how long will rental prices rise
On the other hand, some state-owned companies continue to apply regulations that allow allocations for apartments, management members or employees in positions of special importance.
In PES they condemn it.
"Housing policies within state-owned enterprises must not turn into party policies for solving housing issues of officials or party-eligible people, which has been the case until now," said Čarapić.
As early as tomorrow, if he leads the government, Spajic's movement can mark the end of this bad practice, and by actively engaging tenants, help them to pay off their own apartments instead of high rents, with less money.
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