Zečević seeks international expert support from IATA for preparation of Master Plan for Podgorica and Tivat airports
Montenegro’s Minister of Transport Radoš Zečević sent a letter to Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Saadia Zahidi today, requesting advisory and technical support from the international organisation in preparing the terms of reference for the development of a Master Plan for the development of Podgorica and Tivat airports.
Emphasising the strategic importance of developing Montenegro’s airports, Zečević stated in his letter that the Government of Montenegro had identified them as one of its infrastructure priorities.
- The Government of Montenegro has placed the long-term development of the country’s two international airports, in Podgorica and Tivat, among its strategic infrastructure priorities - Zečević stated.
Highlighting the importance of the airport system for improving transport connectivity and the overall economy, the Minister pointed to the continuous growth in passenger traffic, as well as the specific challenges faced by both airports.
- Montenegro’s airport system currently handles just over three million passengers annually and continues to record steady growth. Its main characteristic is the pronounced seasonal concentration of traffic, with a short but intense summer peak that places both airports under considerable operational pressure - the Minister emphasised.
He drew particular attention to the specific operating conditions at Tivat Airport, highlighting its spatial constraints and its location in the immediate vicinity of a protected natural area.
- In addition, Tivat Airport operates under severe spatial constraints and in the immediate vicinity of a protected natural area. These circumstances make a rigorous, long-term and internationally comparable planning framework not merely desirable, but essential - Zečević stated.
For this reason, the Ministry of Transport is working to establish the preconditions for defining the terms of reference for the development of a Master Plan for both airports. The document will identify long-term development priorities, requirements and implementation phases for future infrastructure investments.
Zečević stressed the particular importance of ensuring that this process gets off to the right start, in accordance with international professional standards and the European regulatory framework.
- Before launching any procedure for selecting a company to prepare the document, the Ministry wants the scope of work and the terms of reference to be defined in accordance with the highest professional standards and in full compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization, as well as the applicable European regulatory framework - Zečević emphasised.
In this regard, IATA has been asked to provide specific expert guidance and recommendations to assist the Ministry in defining the methodology, content and scope of the future planning document.
- Specifically, your expert guidance and recommendations would be invaluable in relation to the methodological structure and appropriate level of detail for a master plan for airports of this size and seasonal traffic profile; the key elements and scope of work to be covered by the terms of reference; and the identification of capacity assessments and other analytical work that should form an integral part of this process - the letter stated.
Another particularly important issue is ensuring that the future Master Plan provides a sound basis for applying for international funding and implementing development projects.
- Your recommendations on the requirements that such a document should meet in order to serve as a credible basis for subsequent applications for international financing would also be invaluable - Zečević stressed.
The letter particularly emphasised that IATA's expected role would be limited to providing institutional and methodological support during the preparatory phase, while the selection of a company or expert consortium to develop the Master Plan would be carried out through a separate procedure, in accordance with national legislation and Montenegro’s obligations under the European integration process.
- Allow me to emphasise that this request relates exclusively to institutional and methodological support through consultations, the exchange of expert views and the provision of recommendations during the preparatory phase of this process - Zečević clarified, adding that the selection of the company responsible for preparing the document would be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of transparency, competitiveness and expertise.
Zečević also proposed a meeting with IATA Director General Saadia Zahidi to explore opportunities for a direct exchange of views on further cooperation and possible forms of expert support. At the same time, the Ministry expressed its readiness to continue communication and the dialogue already initiated through other appropriate institutional channels.
By reaching out to IATA, the Ministry of Transport is launching activities aimed at establishing international expert cooperation in the preparation of one of the key long-term development documents for Montenegro’s aviation infrastructure. The objective is to ensure that the development of Podgorica and Tivat airports is based on sound analysis, realistic capacity assessments and internationally comparable planning standards.