DPM Simović meets with Executive Director of World Bank

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Milutin Simović met today with the World Bank delegation, led by Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank Group Frank Heemskerk.

The meeting discussed the progress of development projects implemented by Montenegro with the World Bank MIDAS 1 and MIDAS 2, exchange of ideas within the Government's efforts to reduce unemployment and increase the participation of the population in the labour market, as well as directions for future cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister Simović informed Executive Director Heemskerk about the results Montenegro achieves in implementing the economic policy and the process of fiscal consolidation, emphasising the importance of good communication with the World Bank in these processes.

Executive Director Heemskerk expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation so far and expressed the readiness of the World Bank to define further directions of World Bank support for the achievement of Montenegro's development goals, in line with the planned increase in the budget of the World Bank in the forthcoming period. Frank Heemskerk stressed that the MIDAS project implemented in Montenegro has been recognised as very successful and has given the expected results.

On the basis of the successful experiences of the MIDAS 1 project, mutual trust in the successful implementation of the new highly ambitious MIDAS 2 project has been expressed, which will give a new impetus to agricultural producers and development of agriculture in Montenegro.

Also, it was agreed to intensify communication on the project of employment incentives as the most important socio-economic challenge that is of a highest priority in the Government's economic policy.