National Development Plan basis for use of IPA funds, FM Katnić and EU's Leopold Maurer agree

Podgorica, Montenegro (16 February 2012) – The National Development Plan 2013-2016, which is to be completed  by December 2012, is an important strategic document for Montenegro as an EU aspiring country and one of the Government’s top priorities in 2012, Finance Minister Milorad Katnić told the press conference following the Cabinet meeting.

It will reflect Montenegro’s development vision in line with the EU guidelines set up in the Europe 2012 Strategy and will serve as a main framework for defining annual priorities, and, at the same time, as a basis for the use of IPA resources and funds, Minister Katnić explained.

As an EU candidate country, Montenegro has access to the resources in the various sectors, including regional development, human resources development, agriculture and rural development, Mr Katnić said adding that it is therefore necessary to recognise, through this strategic document, the priorities and the possibilities for using IPA funds.

Minister Katnić remarked that the document envisages four development directions. The first one is smart growth, including improvement of the business environment, attracting direct foreign investment, privatisation, tourism, high education, science, and telecommunications.

The second direction is sustainable growth including energy supply, agriculture and rural development, environment, transportation, housing, and construction.

The third one is inclusive growth including labour market, social welfare, health care, education, and sports.

The fourth direction is the public administration reform, including reform of state and local administrations.

The National Development Plan is to be made through the realisation of the twinning project and the partners in the project are Government of Montenegro, German Ministry of Economy and Technology, Austrian Development Agency, Office for Development and European Affairs of Slovenian Government and EU Delegation to Montenegro.

The value of the twinning project is over EUR 1,000,000 and will be financed in large part by the European Union and the Government of Montenegro.

Head of EU Delegation to Montenegro Leopold Maurer noted that the document and the twinning project will be the basis for the use of structural funds which are the most important funds for poorer regions in the EU. The key lesson for a future EU member state, he added, is to learn how to use those funds.

The document will be a basis for the implementation of components 3, 4 and 5 related to employment, agriculture and social policy and for investing more than hundred million euro in Montenegro through IPA funds in the next three years, Head of EU Delegation highlighted.