Two companies have formally expressed interest in reviving industrial salt production at the historic “Bajo Sekulić” saltworks in Ulcinj, sending a letter of intent to the Government of Montenegro and the Municipality of Ulcinj proposing investment and a long-term concession for the site.
The proposal was submitted on 9 March 2026 by the Ulcinj-based company Montesalina together with its Italian partner Europea Sali S.r.l., signalling renewed private-sector interest in restarting economic activity at one of Montenegro’s most historically important industrial locations.
The companies say they are ready to commit significant financial resources to modernise infrastructure, restore salt harvesting and implement new production technologies while preserving the ecological value of the area.
Reviving an industry that stopped more than a decade ago
The Ulcinj saltworks, founded in 1934, was once one of the largest salt production facilities in the Adriatic region. Industrial salt production continued for decades before gradually declining and ultimately stopping after the company entered bankruptcy.
Salt harvesting effectively ceased around 2013, leaving the large network of evaporation basins inactive and creating uncertainty about the future of the site.
Since then the area has been managed primarily for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, as the salt pans became an internationally recognised habitat for migratory birds and wetland ecosystems.
The challenge for policymakers has therefore been balancing economic revitalisation with environmental protection, particularly as the site was designated a nature park and holds significant ecological importance.
Proposal combines industry, ecology and tourism
According to the companies’ letter of intent, the investment plan would not focus solely on restoring salt production. The proposal outlines a broader development model combining industrial activity with environmental protection and tourism initiatives.
Planned investments would include:
- restoration of production infrastructure and evaporation basins
- introduction of modern salt-harvesting technologies
- preservation and enhancement of the area’s biodiversity and wetlands
- development of ecotourism and educational activities linked to the saltworks
- creation of new jobs for the local community.
The companies emphasised that the Solana represents a resource of economic, ecological and social significance, and that any investment model would need to comply with both Montenegrin legislation and international environmental standards.
Concession model under discussion
The investors proposed negotiating a long-term concession that would allow them to manage and operate the saltworks in partnership with the government and local authorities.
Such a concession would require a formal agreement with the state and the municipality, including approval of a detailed investment plan, project timeline and management structure.
The proposal also comes after the Government of Montenegro and the Municipality of Ulcinj established a joint company to manage the Ulcinj Salt Pans Nature Park, creating an institutional framework for potential future partnerships.
Before any concession is granted, the project would require legal, technical, environmental and financial assessments, as well as negotiations between investors and public authorities.
Strategic importance of the Solana site
The Ulcinj saltworks covers a vast coastal wetland area and historically represented one of the largest salt-production systems in the Mediterranean. The evaporation basins and pumping infrastructure once supported industrial production while simultaneously creating a unique habitat for migratory birds and wetland ecosystems.
Because of this dual function, the site occupies a special position in Montenegro’s environmental and economic policy debates. Environmental organisations have long advocated for its protection, while local stakeholders have emphasised the economic potential of restarting production.
In many European coastal regions, traditional saltworks operate successfully as hybrid economic and ecological systems, producing artisanal sea salt while attracting visitors interested in nature tourism and bird watching.
Economic implications for Ulcinj
If the proposed investment proceeds, it could have a meaningful impact on the local economy of Ulcinj.
Reviving salt production would create employment opportunities and restore an industrial activity that historically played an important role in the town’s economic life. At the same time, integrating ecotourism and environmental management could broaden the economic value of the site beyond traditional manufacturing.
Such a model would align with broader trends in Mediterranean coastal regions where former industrial salt pans have been transformed into multi-functional landscapes combining agriculture, tourism and conservation.
Next steps for the project
For now, the proposal remains at the preliminary stage. The letter of intent signals investor interest but does not yet constitute a formal concession agreement.
The government and the municipality will need to evaluate the proposal and determine whether negotiations on a concession should proceed.
Any final project would need to reconcile three objectives that have shaped the long debate over the future of Ulcinj Solana: economic revitalisation, environmental protection and sustainable local development.
If these objectives can be aligned, the revival of salt production could restore both an industrial tradition and a unique coastal ecosystem that has defined the region for nearly a century.
