The huge development project planned for Ulcinj seems to be heading in a very different direction from the current plans, and it looks like a special law will be needed to make it happen. This new law would essentially override existing rules, including the spatial plan, nature protection laws, and even certain taxes and fees for the investor during construction.
The project spans nearly 11 million square meters and will feature luxury hotels, marinas, shopping malls, offices, and thousands of apartments and homes for sale. However, this project conflicts with current zoning laws and environmental protections, so the government plans to create a special law (lex specialis) that will bypass those regulations.
This special law would allow the UAE investor, Mohamed Alabar, to lease a massive part of Velika Plaža for 99 years, covering the area from Port Milene to Bojana and from the coast to the road to Ada Bojana. Alabar would also have the right to transfer construction rights to other companies.
The lease deal is similar to other long-term leases that were made in recent years, such as with Luštica and Kumbor. For the law to pass, a majority of parliamentarians need to vote for it, including members of the former Democratic Front and the Democrats who had opposed similar long-term lease deals before. The law would be based on a bilateral agreement between Montenegro and the UAE, which was recently published on the government website.
The plan also calls for massive investments over 30 billion dollars and the construction of infrastructure, which is expected to cost around 20 billion dollars. However, construction will take about 10 years, during which a significant portion of Velika Plaža will be closed off to tourists and beachgoers.
Current zoning plans for the area, from 2018, allow for just about 10% of the space to be developed, with the rest being protected areas, beaches, and green spaces. Some parts of the land are designated as a nature reserve and can’t be built on. Even with these restrictions, there are still plans to build luxury hotels, camps, bungalows, and sports facilities, but with a limit on how much of the land can be developed for housing.
In short, this project is shaping up to be a massive development for Ulcinj, but it’s raising plenty of questions about the balance between growth, environmental protection, and local interests. This whole situation with the Ulcinj development project makes me feel a bit uneasy. While I understand the desire for economic growth and attracting investment, it seems like this project is cutting corners on environmental protection and community impact.
The special law that bypasses existing regulations feels like a shortcut that could create long-term problems. I can’t help but wonder what the cost of this development will be for the people who live there, and whether the area’s natural beauty and local culture will suffer in the process. It’s a tough balance progress is necessary, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of everything that makes a place
unique. I think we should really consider the future implications before rushing into a decision that might change Ulcinj forever.
Written by our correspondent A.A.
