Dear Members of the Parliament of Montenegro,
We address you regarding the proposed Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates in the field of infrastructure and tourism projects. This Agreement has raised serious concerns among citizens and civil society, as well as representatives of the European Union. As elected representatives of the people, it is your duty to make decisions transparently, responsibly, and in the best interest of the citizens.
We therefore expect you to carefully consider the arguments against adopting this Agreement:
Unknown locations and lack of project information
Decisions on the locations of infrastructure and tourism projects are being made without precise and transparent information, which means that citizens across Montenegro may be directly endangered by the loss of their property. Decisions that will have long-term impacts on people’s lives must not be made without essential data.
Violation of citizens’ property rights
The proposed Agreement enables the declaration of public interest without clear criteria, increasing the risk of abuse of expropriation. Citizens may lose their property at unfairly low prices, facing lengthy court procedures and the possibility of forced removal from locations chosen by investors.
Deepening economic and social inequalities
The proposed development model will lead to the creation of closed, exclusive enclaves for the wealthy, while the rest of the population becomes economically and socially marginalized. This will result in further emigration of young people and an increased sense of unfair and uneven development among citizens.
Negative impact on tourism prices and accessibility for citizens
The construction of residences intended for wealthy foreign nationals will further increase real estate prices and the overall cost of living. For most citizens, such tourist facilities will be inaccessible. The tourism season is short, while high living costs remain year-round.
Unplanned development endangers the environment, quality of life, and sustainable development
Decisions are being made without previously prepared and adopted planning documents. Investors are given the freedom to decide where and what to build, as well as the consequences their projects will have on local communities and the environment. This undermines the potential for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
Financial risk for the state and citizens due to unachievable obligations
The state does not have the financial resources to build the infrastructure it has committed to under the Agreement. If the state fails to meet these obligations, citizens will bear the cost of high penalties to the investor. Even in the event of the Agreement’s termination, the state remains obligated to complete all initiated projects, further jeopardizing financial stability.
Lack of transparency and democratic decision-making
The decision on this Agreement was made out of the public eye, without public debate and in violation of democratic principles. This contradicts the promises of the new government that key decisions would not be made in secrecy and without citizen participation.
Non-transparent investor ownership and risk of money laundering
The real owners of the companies expected to invest are unknown. The Agreement contains no safeguards against money laundering to protect Montenegro from suspicious capital. Such capital threatens the reputation and financial stability of the country.
Sale of the state’s strategic resources
Adopting this Agreement may lead to the sale or alienation of the most important state resources, including land, coastline, and other natural assets. Such management endangers national sovereignty and security, opening the door to uncontrolled governance of significant areas by unknown foreign investors.
Endangering Montenegro’s EU accession process
The European Commission and other EU officials have clearly warned that the Agreement violates essential principles and standards that Montenegro must uphold in its accession process. By breaching public procurement rules, competition standards, and environmental protection requirements, adopting this Agreement directly threatens our European path and EU integration process.
This decision is not merely a matter of economic development. It concerns the future of our citizens, environmental protection, transparency in decision-making, the rule of law, and Montenegro’s European trajectory.
We call upon you to make a decision in the interest of the citizens you represent and to protect Montenegro’s future by voting against the Agreement.
Respectfully,
The undersigned NGOs and activists:
Center for Women’s Rights
Center for Investigative Journalism CIN-CG
Center for Protection and Research of Birds – CZIP
Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association – MSJA
NGO MANS (Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector)
Ecology Movement “Ekopatriotizam”
Fidelity Consulting
CEE Bankwatch Network
NGO Optimisti
NGO Škart
NGO Spektra
KANA/Who if not the architect
NGO Green Home
Portal Ul-info
NGO Expeditio
NGO TMT (javniservis.me), Dejan Pejović
NGO Biciklo.me
Mladen Ivanović, film director and activist
Milica Kankaraš Berber
Marko Begović
Balša Lubarda, Pompeu Fabra University (Spain)
