The Secretariat for Development Projects by mid-April should submit to the Government proposals for the conclusion of a contract with three selected mediation agents in the project of the selection of persons wishing to obtain a Montenegrin passport based on investments in Montenegro. Public call conditions were completed by three companies, namely Apex Capital Partners, Arton Group and Henley & Partners Government Services.
The competition for the selection of agents for international aptitude announced at the beginning of January was extended until April 1st. The reason for this is that the applications received did not meet the requirements. The public opening of bids on this basis is planned, according to information from an amended call, for April 8th.
When the Government concludes a contract with the selected agents, the Secretariat will issue licenses, and only by issued licenses, agents can perform their activities within the aforementioned Montenegrin citizenship acquisition program.
"A total of 22 applications have been received for public mediation agent selection. The three applications met the conditions stipulated by the decision and the public call, 18 applications did not meet the conditions, while one application did not arrive within the defined and according to the decision and the public call it was not considered," said the Secretariat.
The Government Decision on criteria, methods, and procedures for the election of persons who may obtain Montenegrin citizenship by a receipt for the realization of a special investment program of exceptional importance for the economic interest of Montenegro is applicable from 1st January 2019. Based on this decision in the next three years, it is possible to issue a maximum of 2,000 Montenegrin passports. One of the conditions for the application of getting the Montenegrin citizenship is that the foreigner has not been legally convicted in Montenegro or another state and for whom an international aptitude assessor has given a positive opinion, including proof of money initially intended for payment and investment following the Government's decision. If it is subsequently found that the person who acquired the Montenegrin citizenship by admission in accordance with the decision has given false information or deliberately concealed the facts and circumstances, as well as if the agent for assessing international eligibility for that person provided incorrect information in his report, a decision of withdrawal of the citizenship will be issued.
The Government's program model for acquiring a Montenegrin passport is donation and investment. Contribution refers to the amount intended for the development of less developed municipalities. The contribution amounts to 100,000 euros per applicant's request, which is for 2,000 applications a total of 200 million euros. The investment refers to the amount intended to invest in one of the development projects from the Government's list of development projects. The applicant has to pay at least EUR 450,000 to invest in one of the development projects in Podgorica or on the coast or at least EUR 250,000 to invest in one of the development projects in the northern or central region.
The applicant must pay 15,000 euros for himself, 10,000 for a maximum of four family members and 50,000 for each of the following family members.
An open invitation to invest in tourism
On February 26th, the Ministry of Tourism issued a public call for those wishing to invest in the field of tourism to get the Montenegrin passports. The call is open until the end of 2021.
From the Ministry of Tourism, to "Vijesti" was explained that a committee for evaluation of public call documentation was formed, regarding the fulfillment of the qualifying conditions for project selection on the list of development projects in the field of tourism. "Applications, or documents that fulfill the conditions by a public call, shall be submitted by the Ministry to the Government which, according to the decision, determines the list of development projects in the field of tourism. The committee will meet regularly and consider the received documentation, "the ministry said. The public call lists the criteria for investing in a hotel or a mixed complex.
Among other things, the investor must employ at least 80 employees in the coastal region or the Capital or at least 25 employees in the northern or central region, as well as that the hotels that they built have at least 60 accommodation units in the coastal region or the capital city or at least 35 accommodation units in the north or the central region.
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Text by Marija Mirjacic, on March 31st, 2019, read more at Vijesti
