Montenegro's government amends decision on defining blocks for oil and gas exploration

Podgorica, Montenegro (30 October 2014) -- At today's session, Montenegro's Government has amended the Decision on Defining Blocks for Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons, thus exempting a part of the surface in the territorial sea under the interim jurisdiction from any kind of oil and gas exploration and production.

The Cabinet decided to take this step in order to harmonise its policy in this area with the internationally applicable document – Protocol on Interim Regime along the Southern Border, having in mind the Protocol had established a provisional cross-border regime on the Prevlaka peninsula.

Croatia has shown the blocks applicable for research and exploration agreements in its official map within the area which Montenegro considers disputable (around 1800 km2). Given that Croatia had marked this area as its epicontinental shelf and that the two states had not discussed its delimitation, as well as the fact that the Croatian tender had not been withdrawn, Montenegro decided to protect its interests in the sea area.