Hundreds of residents, local officials, and entrepreneurs from Ulcinj gathered in protest against the tender for leasing the city’s beaches, which has been dominated for years by local business owners. This year’s tender saw the highest bid from the Arab company “Eagle Hills”.
Dijana Pelinković, head of the “Ada Bojana” association, criticized the plan, saying, “The Big Beach is not a desert to build Dubai. It’s a natural wonder with 20 km of untouched coastline and therapeutic sand. It’s our pride and heritage.” She emphasized that locals were not against progress but opposed projects that would erase their cultural identity.
Albert Kastrati, a representative of local lessees, argued that the tender discriminated against local bidders in favor of foreign investors. Despite Prime Minister Milojko Spajić’s announcement on March 20 that “Eagle Hills” intended to withdraw and allow local lessees to retain the beaches, frustration remained.
The controversy began after “Eagle Hills” submitted the best offer on March 11 for a four-year lease on nine of the 19 beaches at Ulcinj’s Big Beach, sparking backlash from local lessees and authorities. They accused the government of favoring foreign investors through questionable deals.
Prime Minister Spajić reported that Mohamed Alabar, head of “Eagle Hills,” decided to pull out and offer the leased beaches to the local lessees at their original bid prices. He also revealed that the company, based in Abu Dhabi, was interested in investing 30 billion euros in a megaproject in Ulcinj, which would include a new airport, hospital, marina, and the renovation of the Old Town.
However, the proposal for this large-scale investment faced strong opposition, with critics arguing that Ulcinj should not be sold off to foreign investors, particularly with a 99-year lease. Opposition member Mehmed Zenka criticized the lease terms, stressing that the Big Beach should remain under local control, not subject to foreign ownership for nearly a century.
Dritan Abazović, former prime minister and Ulcinj native, called for an investigation into the lease process, alleging corruption and irregularities in the tender procedure.
The local community has launched a petition demanding the cancellation of the tender, stating that any investments should respect the principles of sustainable development and local community involvement. The dispute highlights concerns over the preservation of Ulcinj’s identity and its future in the face of large-scale foreign investments.
