No major project in Montenegro, whether it involves Ulcinj, the Great Beach, Velje Brdo, or any other location, should be carried out without the mandatory construction of social and affordable housing, stated the Montenegro Tenants’ Association “My Home”.
The association expressed deep concern about the increasing number of large urban and tourism projects that, according to them, ignore the real needs of Montenegrin citizens, particularly renters, young people and working families.
“The latest statement by Mohamed Alabar, the Arab investor and owner of the company Eagle Hills, in which he mentions his plans for a partnership with the state to develop projects in Montenegro – including his interest in parts of the Great Beach – once again confirms that land is being increasingly used as a tool for profit, while thousands of citizens are left without the basic right to a secure home”, the association stated.
The association reminded the public that Alabar, during an informal meeting with journalists in Tivat, stated that “he does not want to buy land but wants to enter projects together with the state” and that he aims to “build apartments that bring happiness.” However, this “happiness” does not include social housing or any protection of the rights of the local population, they noted in their statement.
At the same time, the association emphasized that the latest statistics from MONSTAT are alarming – almost one in four apartments in Montenegro is empty, and over 90,000 apartments are used only seasonally. While luxury apartments remain vacant or serve as investment products, tens of thousands of people, especially young people and families, cannot solve their housing problems, the association added.
“If the state introduces public land into private projects, it must ensure that these projects address the needs of the local community, not just tourists and investors. Therefore, we demand that every future urban or investment plan include: a mandatory percentage of apartments for social and affordable housing, public and public-private rental models with tenant protection, the introduction of a tax on vacant apartments that are not used for permanent living or rent, the development of a public housing fund based on affordability, security, and sustainability principles, and a legal framework regulating the rental market – a Renters’ Law,” the statement said.
The Tenants’ Association also suggested that local referendums should be held in all municipalities where similar projects, such as the one in Ulcinj, are planned, so citizens can express their views in the most democratic and transparent way possible.
“We, as the Tenants’ Association, believe it is crucial that such issues are not left only to political elites and investors, who often make decisions that favor certain groups or personal interests while neglecting the well-being of the wider community, including those of us who live as renters,” the association concluded.
In addition to local referendums, the association demands transparency throughout all stages of the development of these projects, with regular consultations and participation of the local population, ensuring that decisions on urbanization and investments reflect the interests of all citizens, not just specific political or investor circles.
“We do not dispute the need for development and investments. But development that excludes ordinary people is not progress – it is exclusion. If Montenegro continues on the path of luxury projects without social responsibility, it will become a country of locked apartments and open social wounds.
Therefore, we send the message: housing is a right – not a commodity. A home is a basic dignity – not a luxury,” they concluded in their statement.
