Press release from 23rd Cabinet session

Podgorica, Montenegro (27 APpril 2017) - - At today’s 23rd session, session, the Montenegrin Cabinet passed the Draft Law on Planning and Construction. The discussion showed strong and unanimous support for the new concept of planning and construction aimed at even and regionally balanced spatial development, rational and efficient use of space and the preservation of resources and protection of natural resources, nurturing and developing regional spatial peculiarities, identity and environmental characteristics of the area, protection and promotion of cultural goods, encouraging investment environment focused on the development and advancement of the quality of space, application of best practices in the development of urban settlements and improving the architectural quality of buildings and protection from earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism was tasked to hold a public debate on the draft law within a period of 40 days from the date of publication of the public call on the website of the Ministry and, thereafter, to craft and submit to the Government the draft law, with the report on the public debate.

Cabinet also approved the report on spatial development in 2016, representing an overview of the situation and the problems identified at national and local levels with the aim to review the complete and objective picture of the Montenegrin space, as the most important national resource. Priority tasks in the area of spatial development in the future will be focused on the preservation of identity and a stronger affirmation of the Montenegrin space, prevention of negative phenomena , dealing with the consequences of not only illegal, but also planned and visually unadjusted construction, as well as establishing a responsible attitude of the citizens towards the urban environment.

Proposed spatial development programme for 2017 is based on gradual changing and harmonisation of the concept of economic, and therefore, territorial development, with new, modern methods of spatial planning, adjusted to the development needs and interests of the State.

Today’s session also approved the report on the implementation of the Action Plan for Employment and Human Resources Development in 2016. It was concluded that the implementation of measures and activities defined by the Action Plan has caused the recovery trend of the labour market indicators, reflected in the reduction of ILO unemployment rate, with an increase in employment compared to the beginning of the year. However, the reporting period is also characterised by a continuous growth levels of registered unemployment, as a result of the application of legal solutions regulating the system of social and child protection.

Cabinet approved the Information on the level of implementation of the Methodologies for the identification of critical information infrastructure. Critical information infrastructure relates to the information systems of the authorities which destruction would endanger the life, health and safety of citizens, and the functioning of the State, and which functioning depends on the performance of activities of public interest. In line with an increase in security challenges, risks and threats, as well as the fact that the critical infrastructure is recognised as one of the priorities in the European and Euro-Atlantic processes, the Cabinet tasked the authorities to carry on with the activities towards its comprehensive protection.

At today's session, the Cabinet approved the Municipality of Plužine’s loan arrangement with the Investment and Development Fund of Montenegro, totaling UR 250,000 to finance the reconstruction of the Borikovač-Brštanovica road and rehabilitation of the Plužine’s ballpark.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO