PM Marković hosts Frank Heemskerk: World Bank fully supports Government's plan to put airports up for concession

Prime Minister Duško Marković hosted earlier today Frank Heemskerk, Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank Group and representative of the Constituency of thirteen countries, including Montenegro.

Having informed Mr. Heemskerk about results and economic priorities of the Government, as well as development projects worth billions of dollars currently being implemented in our country, Prime Minister Marković emphasised that all economic parameters are undoubtedly successful as well as the growth of investors' interest in Montenegro – the results achieved through World Bank support.

"Our results represent a joint success. Thanks to the confidence of the World Bank and financial support of $ 90 million last year, we have improved the country's credit rating and achieved credit conditions better than ever before. In Montenegro, there are many reasons for satisfaction with the partnership with the World Bank," Prime Minister Duško Marković said.

Frank Heemskerk expressed full support from the World Bank to the Government of Montenegro, with particular emphasis on support to the Government's model of valorisation of our airports.

"Managing airports with public money is very expensive. The private-public partnership is a good model to boost airport traffic and increase their value, and it is better to use public money for school building projects, for example," Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank Group said. He emphasised that his experience as the Minister of Tourism of the Netherlands shows that the growth of traffic at airports is one of the key preconditions for strengthening tourism activities and increasing revenues, as well as the availability of the country.

Prime Minister Marković thanked the World Bank for supporting the valorisation of Montenegrin airports, noting that airports are one of our biggest infrastructural potentials, they are now at a low level and already represent a bottleneck for further development.

"We want to change this in the shortest possible time, so we have decided to partner with the International Finance Corporation (IFC)," the Prime Minister said, adding that the attempt to discredit an expert hired by this reputable international financial organisation is only a form of political struggle.

"Nevertheless, I expect the success of the airports' valorisation and great benefits for our economy," Prime Minister Duško Marković said, stressing that the Government shows the highest level of responsibility in the implementation of this project through transparency, sending materials to the International Monetary Fund and the engagement of a renowned international financial organisation.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO