A protest took place today at the roundabout near the new bridge at Port Milena, drawing a crowd of local citizens. Organized by the Association of Beach Tenants, the Ada Bojana Association, the Association of Restaurants on Ada Bojana, and local community representatives, the gathering aimed to convey a united message: Velika Plaza and Ulcinj are not for sale. They called for the cancellation of the tender issued by the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management (PK) and the annulment of the lease agreements made in 2019.

Albert Kastrati, representative of the Association of Beach Tenants and President of the MZ Štoj, asserted that the foreign company that participated in the tender, which won the rights to nine beaches, was unfairly favored due to a delayed procedure that allowed it to register in Montenegro and apply.

“The previous tenants have faced egregious discrimination. Our investments over the years have been ignored, despite us transforming a neglected area into the best tourist product our municipality currently offers. The opaque process for collecting bids and the extended deadline for submissions by seven days advantaged the foreign bidder instead of us, the longstanding and responsible tenants. We only learned at the last moment, on the day of bid opening, that it was a foreign contender who applied for 19 bathing areas and won nine as the prime bidder,” stated Kastrati.

He assessed that this scenario exemplifies the centralism and arbitrariness of the JP.

“In the previous year, we held multiple discussions with representatives from Coastal Zone and relevant ministries at the Chamber of Commerce, concluding that a working group should be established to prepare transparent and beneficial tender procedures. However, this did not transpire. No one consulted us as business operators or the Chamber of Commerce, resulting in the situation everyone now faces,” Kastrati remarked.

He emphasized that Ulcinj is voicing its dissent against centralization.

“Recently, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić unveiled an ambitious project aimed at developing Velika Plaza for a 99-year lease. This timeframe spans four generations. From this platform, we express to him and all future leaders that we are not against community development, but not at any cost. We advocate for environmental preservation and sustainable growth, actively engaging with experts to find solutions that are acceptable to all parties,” Kastrati declared.

It was reported by “Vijesti” yesterday that Mohamed Alabar, founder of “Emaar Properties” and president of “Eagle Hills Properties” from the UAE, plans to lease the entire Velika Plaza for 99 years from Port Milena to Bojana.

This was corroborated by multiple attendees of the meeting with Spajić, who refrained from confirming or denying the allegations at a press conference following the Government session.

In the recently concluded tender, JP awarded the bid to Alabar’s “Eagle Hills Properties” for nine largely contiguous bathing zones on Velika Plaza in Ulcinj.

The Prime Minister conveyed Alabar’s proposition to the people of Ulcinj, indicating that this well-known investor is amenable to relinquishing these beaches or subleasing them to Montenegrin citizens.

Kastrati emphasized that projects instituted in a non-transparent manner, alongside attempts to introduce foreign investors through clandestine means, are intolerable for them.

“As the president of the MZ Štoj, I want to highlight that the hinterland of Velika Plaza contains between five to eight thousand various structures—residential homes, cottages, apartments, small hotels, and motels primarily aimed at providing accommodation. We must ask ourselves, if this grand project is realized, consuming the entire Velika Plaza, what will become of these buildings and the local population?” Kastrati questioned.

He recalled that their requests were clear from the outset: the cancellation of the non-transparent and discriminatory tender, the retraction of contracts from last year, the voting on amendments to the law on maritime domain in the Parliament of Montenegro, and the eventual pronouncement of the Constitutional Court regarding their initiative.

All these requests were encapsulated in a petition available for attendees to sign during and after the protest.

Dijana Pelinković, representative of the Ada Bojana Association, noted that the gathering was organized to voice their stance not against progress or development, but against humiliation, neglect, and the sale of irreplaceable assets.

“Ulcinj transcends being merely a city; it embodies history, culture, and spirit, a place that has endured empires, storms, and remains undaunted. Velika Plaza is a natural marvel, a pristine coastline of twenty kilometers, our oasis, and our heritage. But Spajić lacks this understanding; he has never felt the sand of Velika Plaza beneath his feet or listened to its waves. Thus, he can perceive it as just a concrete plot to sell, all while disregarding us,” she stated.

DUA President and MP Mehmet Zenka noted that he attended the rally as a concerned citizen to support tenants who have invested over 50 million euros in beach facilities.

“These beaches are the city’s brand and its prime asset, contributing to Ulcinj’s 300,000 bed capacity. Yet, a sudden proposal from an investor seeking to lease 20 million square meters emerged. They talk to us as if we are from a developing nation, wanting to purchase land for a century, planning for future generations. They aim to construct projects akin to Porto Montenegro, Luštica Bay, and others, but there will be no space for that,” Zenka remarked.

Ulcinj’s Mayor, Genci Nimanbegu, stated that their calls for the annulment of the tender, the addition of contracts, and amendments to property law enjoy backing from mayors across Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat, Budva, and Bar.

“We stand united along the coast. This law must change. The government needs to return property to municipalities, empowering us to manage the development effectively. I take pride in our solidarity today, and I urge everyone to recognize our responsibilities toward Ulcinj and our shared home,” Nimanbegu stated.

He stressed the necessity to prevent leaving future generations with an unmanageable burden.

“We must not permit our children to question where we stood during these pivotal moments. Today is that day, and we will continue our struggle until we achieve equality—not just as a municipality, but as citizens and human beings. We unite here, representing diverse nations, religions, colors, and professions. Ulcinj unequivocally says no to these ambitions,” Nimanbegu affirmed.

The Mayor of Bar, Dušan Raičević, also addressed the crowd, stating his support for the Ulcinj people’s demands.

“Today it’s Ulcinj, tomorrow Bar, and soon the entire coast. We must not let this happen,” Raičević warned.

Other attendees included representatives from the Valentina Bogogojević restaurant, Halil Truma, Ivo Knežević, and NGO activist Dželal Hodžić, who also spoke at the rally.

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