Press release from 67th Cabinet session

Podgorica, Montenegro (8 March 2018) -- At today’s session, the Montenegrin Cabinet passed the Information on the need of setting up an expert negotiating team related to the continuation of the Bar-Boljare motorway project, thus initiating the process of creating preconditions for ensuring, while the construction of the motorway's priority section is still underway, the continuation of the construction of other sections towards the border with Serbia.

The information stated that all other sections of the Bar - Boljare motorway are on the updated Single List of Priority Infrastructure Projects approved by the Government in July 2017, that the detailed Spatial Plan of the Motorway defines the section from Mateševo to Andrijevica as the second stage of the project's implementation, that Montenegro through the Investment Framework for the Western Balkans has received around EUR 5.5 million of non-refundable funds for the preparation of preliminary projects and accompanying studies, and that a new comprehensive feasibility study for the full profile of the entire motorway is being drafted.

The Cabinet once again emphasised its determination to provide all the preconditions for continuing the construction of the motorway, stressing this is a key development project in Montenegro and the largest infrastructure project in the history of the country that directly affects the accessibility of Montenegro and its development, especially of northern region, and that all citizens of Montenegro and the State as a whole will benefit from the project.

The 15-member expert negotiating team, headed by Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs Osman Nurković, is in charge of, inter alia, proposing to the Government an optimal procedure or model for the construction of the Mateševo-Andrijevica section of the Bar-Boljare motorway, defining the criteria for pre-qualification of the most favourable bidders in line with the best international practice in order to best protect the investor's interest, evaluating the collected bids for the selection of the most favourable bidder, conducting negotiations with the best bidder or bidders, and coordinating activities on the project's implementation.

The Cabinet also passed the Information on court proceedings related to the Protector of Property and Legal Interest for the period from 1 October to 31 December 2017, which stated, inter alia, that in the reporting period, the Protector received 966 lawsuits against the State of Montenegro, and that they are primarily concerned with overtime work allowances, non-use of annual leave, breaks during work, salary difference, unpaid warm meal. The value of disputes in 711 cases was not determined, while in other cases the total value amounts to EUR 6.021.842.56. In the reporting period, EUR 6.111.059 was collected from enforcement judgments.

During today’s discussion about the outflow of money from the budget based on complaints of employees in public administration, the Government pointed to the worrying attitude of public servants towards the State and its financial stability.

In that regard, the Cabinet reached conclusions on the urgent setting up of a working group for the drafting of the Law on the Protector of State Interests as a normative solution that should prevent this phenomenon.

Today’s session passed the Draft Law Amending the Law on Obligations and the Basics of Property and Legal Relations in Air Transport. The amendments further clarify certain provisions in order to fully align with European legislation in the area of establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding or cancellation or long delay of flights.

The Government approved the Water Sector Concession Plans for 2018, which is based on the analysis and assessment of the current situation, in terms of the description of concessions, locations where the concession activity can be carried out and the deadlines for publishing public announcements for concessions. The plan is guided by a clear vision of the future situation in a space that respects the principles of sustainable development and provides a rational use of water resources. It allows for the introduction of a concession award procedure in the field of water, as a form of encouraging private investments in performing economic activities of public interest in order to achieve optimal valorisation of natural resources.

The Cabinet passed the Information on the financing of the Podgorica-based Medresa "Mehmed Fatih" (secondary school) and approved the Financing Agreement, which stipulates that EUR 500.000 will be allocated, in line with the Budget Law, to this institution, as the only religious secondary school with valid education programme.

The Government passed the Information on additional credit indebtedness of the Municipality of Andrijevica for the implementation of the Water Supply Pipeline Construction Project in Andrijevica Municipality, financed from the European Investment Bank (EIB) funds. Given that this is an important project in the field of utility infrastructure, and that the Municipality of Andrijevica has regularly settled all obligations under the applicable Transfer Agreement, the Government approved the Amendment and Supplement to the Agreement in order to approve additional debt from the EIB loan funds amounting to EUR 18.059.06, in order to successfully complete the project.

The Government gave its Opinion on the Law Amending the Law on State Survey and Real Estate Cadastre, submitted by Predrag Sekulić, Marta Šćepanović and Petar Ivanović, MPs, which accepted the proposed amendments to the Law. In order to implement the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction when it comes to the legalisation of illegal buildings envisaged by the amendments, legal preconditions are created for the entrance of illegal objects into cadastral records.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO