Conditions have been created for Montenegro to soon begin the legalization of illegally constructed buildings, Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property Slaven Radunović announced in an interview with the national broadcaster TVCG. He said that satellite imaging of Montenegro’s entire territory was completed in July, and the images will be available online in the coming days to identify illegal construction.
Radunović explained that only fully enclosed structures with walls and a roof or concrete slab will qualify for legalization. Any new illegal construction will be automatically subject to demolition. Montenegro has more than 100,000 illegal buildings, and the minister said the situation must finally be regulated. As part of the crackdown, authorities have already acted in Žabljak, closing 136 construction sites, filing the same number of charges, and preparing the first demolitions.
Owners of illegal buildings will have access to long-term repayment plans, with monthly installments not exceeding around 25–30 euros, depending on the municipality, due to repayment periods of 20 to 30 years.
Radunović also addressed criticism from residents of Botun regarding the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. He stated that once all legal requirements, documentation, and approvals were in place, the government was obligated to issue the construction permit. The project is considered essential for resolving wastewater issues in Zeta and Podgorica and is one of the conditions for closing Chapter 27 in EU accession negotiations.
