OSCE Mission to Montenegro supports municipalities in regulating informal building structures

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro in co-operation with the Union of Municipalities presented on 13 December, 2016 in Podgorica a Model of Decision-making, which would support local governing units in legalizing informal building structures, and therefore support the municipalities in implementing the forthcoming Law on regulating informal building structures.

Attended by representatives of the local authorities in charge of legalizing informal building structures, and on finance and local public revenues, the discussion was opened by Refik Bojadzic, Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.

He said that regulating the status of informal building structures is of special importance for local government, given that according to the Law on Local Self-Government and the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction, municipalities govern the local land and create conditions for building.

“Any seizure of space by illegal builders prevents local governments from accomplishing the planned development of the municipality and deprives it of income,” said Bojadzic.

The Law on the regulation of informal building structures comes into force on 1 March 2017. It introduces new municipal revenues - among others, a fee for the legalization of informal building structures.

Participants concluded that the Model of Decision-making, developed with the support of the  OSCE Mission, is a good basis and provides quality guidelines to municipalities for preparing their decisions. The Model of Decision aims to ensure a unified and consistent approach in all municipalities.