Cabinet meeting: New ministers of justice, labour, health, culture and education appointed

Podgorica, Montenegro (19 March 2015) – At yesterday’s session, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović voiced his belief that newly appointed Minister of Justice Zoran Pažin, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Zorica Kovačević, Minister of Health Budimir Šegrt, Minister of Culture Pavle Goranović and Minister of Education Predrag Bošković will be committed to successful implementation of Montenegro's strategic political objectives. Within their previous political and professional engagement, the newly appointed ministers proved that they have enough capacity to meet very demanding tasks and duties, and the Government will provide them with support necessary for undertaking responsibilities and running of the ministries, PM Đukanović emphasised at the beginning of the meeting.

The Government adopted the Bill Amending the Law on restriction of usage of tobacco products, which is aimed at harmonising the law with the relevant EU regulations and directives prescribing new warnings on the harmful effects of tobacco products. In order to protect human health and reduce the use of tobacco products, the Government adopted provisions which are part of normative regulations for using tobacco products in public and in workplace, thus prohibiting their sale.

Action plan for the implementation of the Strategy for development of the manufacturing industry 2014-2018 was also adopted at the meeting. The plan is aimed at reaching key strategy goals: increasing employment, boosting competitiveness and strengthening export capabilities and GDP growth. In that regard, the Government will contribute to raising the level of competitiveness of enterprises and higher valorisation of their innovative and export potential.

The Government also adopted the Information on bond issuance at the international market in 2015, making positive remarks on Montenegro’s successful bond issuance which will have an effect not only on reducing financing costs, but also on decreasing interest rates. In that regard, the economy will be able to make an easier access to corporate resources which will strengthen its activities. It will also affect Montenegro’s global position, particularly when it comes to the evaluations of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and credit agencies, allowing best Montenegrin companies to come out in the international capital market.

The Government approved the plan of regular investment maintenance, reconstruction and construction of the state roads in 2015. According to the plan for the following year, the investments amount to EUR 250,2 million. The Government will also allocate EUR 206 million for the priority section of the Bar-Boljare highway.

The detailed spatial draft plan for the Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja, with the report on a strategic assessment of the environmental impact was also at the yesterday session's agenda and the documents can be found on the e-uprava web site.

Discussing the Information on territorial demarcation and division of the property between municipalities Berane and Petnjica, the Government decided to establish an arbitration commission for territorial delineation of these properties. The Commission is obliged to submit a decision on territorial delineation of these municipalities to the Government within 60 days. The Cabinet tasked ministries of finance and the Interior to submit a proposal on the establishment of the Arbitration Commission to the Government, after the adoption of the aforementioned decision.

The Government also adopted a decision on the appointment of Nina Vujošević and Vojin Vlahović the Prime Minister’s advisers.