The Government of Montenegro will soon respond to a request from the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) for documentation related to a recently signed agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on cooperation in tourism and real estate development.
At the end of March, Montenegro and the UAE signed agreements on economic cooperation and tourism development in Abu Dhabi. The agreements were signed by Montenegro’s Prime Minister and the UAE’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The NGO Network for the Affirmation of the NGO Sector (MANS) submitted an initiative to the SDT on April 10, requesting an investigation into the preparation of the agreement, citing suspicions of potential criminal responsibility by some actors involved. The initiative calls for identifying those responsible and preventing possible damage to the state budget and public interest.
MANS referenced serious accusations made by Montenegro’s President, who claimed the agreement might violate Montenegrin laws, the Constitution, and the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, suggesting criminal accountability may be necessary.
Due to insufficient grounds from MANS’s submission alone, the SDT requested all relevant documents and a written explanation from the government to clarify the basis for signing the agreement.
Additionally, the parliamentary group URA filed a criminal complaint against the Prime Minister and others over the agreement.
There has been no official response yet from the SDT regarding actions taken following these submissions or complaints.
MANS’s research center director emphasized the importance of the SDT thoroughly investigating the background of the agreement, identifying responsible parties, and preventing potential harm to the public interest.
Montenegro’s President has not signed the law ratifying the agreement and returned it to Parliament for reconsideration in late April.
While the agreement does not explicitly violate EU law or Montenegro’s Stabilization and Association Agreement, improper implementation or interpretation could lead to breaches in public procurement regulations and discrimination against European and Montenegrin companies in favor of UAE investors.
This summary is based on information including a response from EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who highlighted potential concerns regarding compliance with EU legal standards and values.
