Preparations for the anniversary: ​​Cafe owners will have to temporarily remove gardens from Independence Square

An apartment for a day with a view of Independence Square for up to 200 euros or a table reservation in a nearby café for 60 to 120 euros. These are just some of the ads ahead of Ricky Martin's concert on May 21st in Podgorica.

Some caterers even planned to expand their gardens, in order to have more tables and make better money, as many out-of-town guests are expected.

And while many questioned how these intentions coincided with the government's intention to present a concert by a world-class star to the citizens of Montenegro, the Coordination Body for the Organization of the Celebration of the Twenty Years of Independence has broken the silence. As the Podgorica authorities told Television Vijesti, cafe owners will have to temporarily remove their gardens from the Square.

Preparations for the anniversary celebration – 20 years of the restoration of Montenegro's independence – are nearing completion. In the center of Podgorica, streets are being busily paved, the city is decorated with flags, and a stage has been set up on Independence Square where music stars Ricky Martin and Robin Schulz will perform on May 21st.

In addition to Montenegrin citizens, this space should also be filled with a large number of guests from the region, as confirmed by offers from tourist agencies. Authorities hope that the planned celebration will live up to expectations.

Some of the accommodation providers told Television Vijesti in a telephone conversation that renting an apartment with a view of the Square for the night of the concert alone costs 200 euros. And, it was seen on the networks that some cafe owners planned to charge between 60 and 120 euros for table reservations, which they confirmed to Television Vijesti in an informal conversation.

The question is, however, how does all of this fit into the Government's message that the concert is a gift to citizens, if many would have to pay exorbitantly for the venue, because a significant part of the square is occupied by gardens?

The Government did not respond, but Television Vijesti learned that the Coordination Body for the Organization of the Celebration of the Twenty Years of the Restoration of Independence has decided to put citizens before individual profits.