Ten business zones in Podgorica will be available to future investors, covering an area of 3.328.000 m2, from Tuški put to the turn towards Golubovci airport.

Today, at the press conference, the Mayor of Podgorica Ivan Vukovic, announced that a public invitation for the users of business zones in Podgorica will be announced soon.

“It is an intention to use a huge potential that the Capital has, i.e. an area whose market value is, according to some estimates, almost 350 million euros. That land is owned by the Capital, and it consists the plots that stretch from Tuški put to the turn towards Golubovci airport. We had two choices ahead of us, one to sell those plots successively, which would enable regular functioning and financing for a longer period of time”, Vuković said.

He pointed out that new jobs are a priority, especially given the epidemiological situation that has greatly affected the financial situation in Podgorica, but also the country.

“This is especially important because new job positions are always needed, which Montenegro lacks for a long time. That is evidenced by the unemployment rate in our country, which has been high for years and with the coronavirus pandemic and its negative consequences, our economy has further deteriorated. The initiative comes at the best moment, although we did not know what would happen, but it was as if we had assumed it”, Vuković said.

He expects the offer to be a special motivation for all businessmen to intensify activities on the territory of Podgorica.

“We did not want to sell ten business zones, that are very valuable financially, but to put them as a pledge for future financial development, not only of Podgorica but also of Montenegro. In our opinion, this is one of the most important resources of our country as a whole. Podgorica will receive the missing facilities, such as fair centers, exhibition spaces, as well as the hospital that is desperately needed in Montenegro and Podgorica, which is also included in the planning documentation and a wide space for new business development and opening new job positions which will lead to improving the quality of life”, said Vuković.

Deputy Mayor Caslav Vesovic expressed satisfaction with the fact that the capital is getting closer to putting business zones in Podgorica into operation.

“It is a valuable resource, thanks to which we are convinced that we will encourage economic activity in Podgorica, enable numerous investments, provide higher revenues for the city and state coffers and better job positions”, said Vešović, recalling that this is the property of the Capital which is located along the most transit roads in the country.

“It is an area located only a few kilometers away from the Airport and the main railway station in Podgorica, only 40 kilometers from the Port of Bar. With all the privileges and incentives that we have provided to business zones, we believe that through a public call we will enable the participation of a large number of interested businessmen. Through a thorough and comprehensive approach, we are sure that we have reached a quality legal framework that will on one hand maximally protect the interests of the Capital, while on the other hand will generate rules that will not be restraining for investors who need to realize investments and business ideas”, said Vešović.

He pointed out that the Capital, guided by the protection of public interests, created special criteria according to which partners will be selected, and that companies that are not financially stable will not be able to participate in the public call, as well as those who do not regularly pay obligations to the state or have final convictions of a business offense.

“We tried to gain credible companies and based on the needs of the Capital we created criteria, and certainly the most important criterion will be the number of new job positions. Out of 100 possible points, those who employ the largest number of workers will get 35 points. The second important criterion is the investment itself which will carry a maximum of 30 points and we graded it in the way that the participant gets one point for 500.000 euros. Those who provide an investment of more than 15 million euros will receive a maximum of 30 points”, said Vešović.

He also explained that those who provide the largest amount of communal and infrastructural equipment will receive 15 points, and for investments in communal equipment (200.000 euros) the investor will receive 1 point, which means that all those who perform communal equipment worth over 3 million euros will receive a maximum of 15 points in that category.

Vešović emphasized that environmental protection is very important for the Capital, which is confirmed by the decision to award 10 points to those who will not endanger the environment with their investment, and all those who will have to make environmental impact assessments will receive less number of points.

Vešović pointed out that 10 points will be given to those investors who offer investments faster than the others. He also clarified the conditions for investors who want to buy property within the business zones, emphasizing that priority will be given to those investors who want to lease, if It happened that for the same plots there is an offer to buy or sell, in order to preserve the property of the Capital in the long run.

The manager of the Capital, Marjan Junčaj, announced that in the initial phase of the realization of this project, the best comparative practices and experiences of cities in the region were used, with a special emphasis on the so-called competitive and comparative advantages.

“We have recognized the key elements that a business zone must contain in order to attract a certain target group of investors, and I am pleased to say that our concept has proven to be very effective, as we have received over 30 letters of intent in a short period of time. I am glad that in the near future they will have the opportunity to turn their business ideas into action”, the manager of the Capital emphasized, expressing his belief that both the state and local administration are ready to respond to this challenge in the best way, despite the current coronavirus pandemic

Source: RTCG