The Balkan state of Montenegro is looking at a June date for the evaluation of bids for the operation of its two airports: Podgorica, which serves the capital and surroundings; and Tivat, which offers access to the country’s Adriatic coast.

The tender process is being handled by the current government—headed by Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister since 31 October 2023—through a Tender Commission, without representatives from the current operator, Airports of Montenegro (APM), taking part.

The Tender Commission, led by Nik Gjeloshaj, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, extended the original bid deadline from April 4 to May 7, to “allow bidders to prepare high-quality proposals that will undergo a thorough evaluation in accordance with the already established criteria and conditions of the procedure.”

Earlier this month, two bids were submitted: from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, which is highly experienced in overseas airport projects, especially in developing markets; and New York-listed Corporación América Airports, which currently operates 53 airports in six countries across Latin America and Europe.

State-owned APM told AirportIR that “the future development of airport infrastructure in Podgorica and Tivat will depend on the government’s upcoming decision regarding a potential concession model.” That model is likely to be a long-term concession.

A Need for Intervention

The new government has made airport development a priority, recognizing its critical importance to Montenegro’s tourism and overall economic growth. In December 2024, the Tender Commission, with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), issued a request for proposals as part of an ongoing tender process that the government criticized.

In a statement at the time, the government said: “This step marks the second phase of the tender process and is a clear demonstration of the 44th government’s commitment to concluding a procedure initiated in 2019. Notably, in the five years since the process began, only the pre-qualification phase had been completed, resulting in three international bidders qualifying for the second phase.”

While passenger numbers continue to grow steadily at Montenegro’s two airports, existing infrastructure remains outdated. APM said: “Terminal facilities have seen little change since 2006, despite the fact that we served around 850,000 passengers then and expect to handle over three million this year. The mismatch between capacity and demand underscores the urgent need for infrastructure expansion.”

Interim Modular Expansion Expected

Regardless of the final tender decision for long-term airport operations, APM told AirportIR that it is “committed to building modular terminals in Podgorica ahead of the next summer season." The entity stated: “Once conditions are in place, we will present detailed investment plans.”

This month, Montenegro, with a UN-estimated population of just 633,000, together with Albania, was cited by the European Union as likely to move up the list of countries set to join the EU. European Council President António Costa told Euronews that the stalled accession process in the Balkans was being revived, largely on the back of security concerns in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.