Properties returned to the Albanian-owners in Montenegro

Valdanos, Ulcinj

 The Montenegrin parliament on Friday approved a law on the return of Albanian-owned properties in Valdanos, Ulcinj municipality.

The law was approved with 49 votes of the deputies of the ruling parties and some deputies of the opposition, among whom were also the deputies of the two Albanian political parties. President Milo Djukanovic's Democratic Socialist Party did not take part in the vote.

During the review of the draft law in parliament, the position prevailed that this law is a great victory for the owners and for the municipality of Ulcinj, as well as for the protection of property rights in Montenegro.

Valdanos is a coastal bay on the outskirts of the city of Ulcinj, with a rare natural beauty, with about 18 thousand olive trees that are more than 100 years old.

This olive grove covers an area of ​​over 100 hectares, owned by over 200 families living in Ulcinj. In 1978 this area was nationalized for the needs of the former Yugoslav army. It was planned to build a large military base there, but this plan failed, due to the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Some of the owners were compensated with negligible amounts of money.

Montenegrin governments over the years have not returned this property to former owners. They tried several times to sell this to foreign investors, which has provoked large protests organized by the owners and the society, as well as the Albanian political parties.