The Municipality of Berane will submit objections during the public debate on the new Spatial Plan of Montenegro because the part of its territory, the increasingly attractive Jelovica mountains, does not foresee the construction of any large tourist facilities.
A spokesperson from the Municipality said that it is unfair that on the part of Jelovica belonging to the Andrijevica municipality, large hotel complexes can be built, while on the Berane side of the same Jelovica, only cottage-style weekend houses are allowed.
During the adoption of the Special Spatial Plan for Bjelasica and Komovi in 2010, initially, the draft plan included the construction of hotels on our side as well, but that was later removed, and no one from the then-local authorities protested about it. Thus, we are left to build cottages and tend livestock on our side, while on the other side, hotel resorts are being developed,”.
He explained that this was during the time when the local government in Berane was held by the Democratic Party of Socialists, and it is entirely unknown why they did not object when hotel construction was removed from the plan they worked on, drafted by Canadians.
“Perhaps it seemed unimportant at the time, or they lacked vision. That was the time before the construction of the road across Jelovica to Kolasin had started. But now, with the opening of that road and the question of valorizing the tourist potential, it becomes apparent what a mistake that was,” said the Berane Municipality spokesperson.
The public debate on the Spatial Plan of Montenegro has already begun, and in Berane, it will be held on February 21st.
“The new plan will not affect national parks. However, this territory in question does not belong to the Bjelasica National Park, which means there are no restrictions from that side. The question is only whether there are restrictions because this territory is covered by the Special Purpose Plan for Bjelasica and Komovi, and whether that is subject to change,” said the spokesperson.
According to him, this is a crucial fact not only for the Municipality of Berane but also for all the citizens of Berane who own land there, whether it has been theirs for generations or they bought it in the last year or two when there was a massive sale of land on this mountain and the construction of cottages began.
The Manager of the Berane Municipality, Marko Lalević, has informed the MPs from Berane about this issue, urging them to join the municipality’s requests in the state parliament and to seek approval for changes to the spatial plan in that part of the Jelovica mountain.
