montelibero

Overview

Montelibero is an intentional community in Montenegro inspired by the idea and the successes of the Free State Project in the United States. Its members see their shared values of liberty as basic community building blocks and their aim is to form a mini-society that exemplifies these values. Montelibero was started by Ukrainian agorists, the community of panarchy.ru, and ex- and present members of the Libertarian Party of Russia. Russian-speaking residents from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan currently make up the majority of the project; however, Montelibero is gaining the attention of more and more supporters from non-CIS countries, such as the UK, Lithuania, Israel, Montenegro, France, and India.

Unlike the Free State Project, however, Montelibero’s goal is not to reach a critical mass of libertarians in order to form a strong voting bloc. As mostly foreign nationals, their involvement in local politics would be frowned upon. Therefore, the goal is to become good role models, to show themselves as good, friendly, and respectful neighbors, and thereby work to spread libertarian values to the surrounding communities as well.

Montelibero’s flagship project is MTL City – a startup town intended as the new home and base for most Monteliberans. Its site is located near the city and port of Bar, close to the Adriatic coast. Bar Municipality is currently the region of Montenegro where most Monteliberans have moved, though the community remains spread out further across the Montenegrin coast.

MTL City will include a townhouse district, a commercial and office quarter, and a district of private detached houses. A privately-built road connects MTL City to the rest of Montenegro.

A separate 3-ha plot of land at a different location also belongs to Montelibero, which is to be used for agriculture or industry in the future.

Montelibero features a fledgling local economy and the EURMTL stablecoin which can be used in everyday transactions and facilitates external investment.

Current Situation

The first Monteliberan settler arrived in the summer of 2020. In mid-2021, the project was concretely formulated and more people started moving in. In 2022, the project saw a large influx of new inhabitants

As of mid-2023, at least 100 members of the Montelibero community live in Montenegro on a full-time basis. Additional people frequently come for temporary stays to decide whether to move permanently in the future. Around Bar, where MTL City is being built, the newcomers have already increased the demand for real estate, causing the locals’ properties to appreciate.

MTL City is already under construction, with the first building having been completed and offered for long-term renting in Summer 2023. Three families already live in MTL City full-time. The MTL City site currently includes 1 hectare of land, though it will likely be expanded in future phases.

Relations with local Montenegrins are being fostered, including cross-employment. Monteliberans operate a construction company, delivery and taxi service, car rental, and several other small businesses.​

How to Move in

Prospective Montelibero residents must have a right to remain in Montenegro. However, the country offers multiple residency options for foreigners. Most notably, individuals can gain Montenegrin residency by starting a company in Montenegro.

Residency by investment in real estate is also possible, but since foreign physical persons cannot own land in Montenegro, such investments need to be facilitated either by one’s own purpose-established local company or by Montelibero.

Like most other countries, Montenegro also offers temporary work visas. There are plans for digital nomad visas, though this program is yet to be launched. Check official sources for a full list of options and more details.

How to Invest

Montelibero makes it possible to invest in the overall community directly via its MTL fund. This fund owns the site of MTL City and includes a tailored mix of assets representing local businesses. The fund’s reporting and balances are fully transparent. Direct investments in real estate in MTL City are also possible.