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PM Marković to foreign investors: Government policy delivers great results, Montenegro among most prestigious investment destinations

Published on: Nov 19, 2019 • 10:00 PM Author: PR Service
Podgorica, Montenegro (19 November 2019) – Prime Minister Duško Marković told foreign investors in our country today that government policies are delivering results, economic growth and tourism are record high, according to investors' interest Montenegro is the most prestigious investment destination in the world.

"We can say that Montenegro's position as a fully-fledged member of NATO significantly improved its business environment and opportunities in Montenegro, contributed to its overall not only social but also economic affirmation and created new opportunities for development and creation of new value. Our NATO membership has empowered Montenegro as a safe and secure destination, Montenegro governed by the principles of the rule of law, democracy and overall freedoms - hence economic freedoms. According to some estimates for these two years, they cannot be completely reliable, the inflow of foreign direct investment from NATO member states is over 60%. It is truly impressive information and should be put in the context of our overall economic progress," the Prime Minister said at the annual session of the Foreign Investors Council.

Speaking about investments, the Prime Minister said that last week's conference in London convinced him that Montenegro was the leading investment destination.

"The other day, I participated in an investment conference in London on the occasion of this [economic citizenship] programme. … Montenegro is today, not as a tourist destination, but as an investment destination more interesting than the Caribbean, Jamaica, Mexico and countries in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean. Simply, investors and agents representing investors have no explanation for it. This is a good opportunity for Montenegro as well, but a great opportunity for those of you who are in business," the Prime Minister said.

Montenegro wants in the EU but understands the internal problems

Speaking about the foreign policy environment, the Prime Minister reiterated that Montenegro wants to be a member of the European Union when it is ready for it, regardless of the events in the Union itself.

"We can see that the integration process of the Western Balkan countries, that is candidate countries, above all Montenegro and Serbia, has slowed down significantly. The European Union is facing serious internal challenges, which are primarily reflected in Brexit, in the aftermath of the migrant crisis, which is not only a social challenge but also a serious security challenge, and of course in the global trade conflicts present on the global economic scene, differences within the European Union regarding many difficult questions, including the aforementioned. … In some ways, this has put enlargement policy in the background. This situation in the European Union has also resulted in a new initiative by France, namely President [Emanuel] Macron, which has been distributed as a non-paper to member states and will be given the green light today to begin a discussion on it. I believe that after the end of this discussion, which will not be short, it will not be fast, I believe that it will be contined next year, we will have a clear EU stance on the enlargement policy, which will, of course, concern Montenegro and Serbia and other candidates for membership in the EU, and of course you as a business community. Montenegro's position in this regard, at first reading, is that enlargement policy is unquestionable and that the Western Balkans should and must have a European perspective. The Western Balkans need to be part of a united Europe for many reasons - political, economic and of course security. This non-paper speaks of the EU's need when it comes to the Western Balkans," Prime Minister Marković noted.

Speaking about the European integration of our country, the Prime Minister said that Montenegro does not have any nervous attitude towards non-paper and towards this approach.

"Montenegro is a partner in the negotiation process. This is not a one-sided process in which only Montenegro is reviewed, but on the other hand we have our European partners and the European Union. Montenegro, although a small country, is mature to understand the problems its partners face - in this case the European Union. We understand the full context of the challenges facing the European Union. With its position, Montenegro also wants to support the European Union to solve its difficult issues, to consolidate its internal infrastructure, to make it more efficient than it is now. Montenegro also wants to be a part of the European Union when it is ready, whatever the European Union might look like," PM Marković stressed.

He added that our country would continue reforms in this regard.

"Montenegro wants a strong, powerful European Union, a European Union that will have an impact and that can guide global economic, political and security developments. That is Montenegro's position, and until then we will work harder than ever on the European agenda and on reforms to reach the necessary level of readiness for membership. Therefore, the European Union has no alternative for Montenegro," the Prime Minister concluded.

Regional initiatives - preference for facts over political interests

The Prime Minister of Montenegro explained that our country's stance is that every initiative, such as the one colloquially called "little Schengen", should accelerate the European integration process, not to be a substitute for that process.

"Montenegro's position is to fulfill the commitments we have undertaken and not to enter new initiatives without fulfilling the commitments we have undertaken regarding regional cooperation and facilitating business and trade. We have undertaken these commitments in Trieste within the Berlin Process by signing the Action Plan on a Regional Economic Area. It includes all these elements as a regional initiative. Montenegro does not have any kind of restrictions for all those who do business with companies in Montenegro, there are no non-tariff barriers and burdens unlike other countries that impose barriers on our economy in doing business with their companies. Any regional initiative is good if it compensates and accelerates the European integration process rather than being a substitute for that process and European integration. So, we will be very careful about this initiative, which came from the two presidents in our neighbourhood, but we will have to put facts and not political interests on the table," the Prime Minister said. 

Economy continues to grow, tourism breaks records

The Prime Minister said that our economic indicators show impressive rates of economic growth, and that in the first two quarters of this year we also record high growth rates of over three percent.

"The data we now have in relation to the third quarter show that the growth rate in the third quarter will be significantly higher than the growth rate in the second quarter. So, our economy has a steady growth and I am very pleased with that," PM Marković said.

He added that since the beginning of his term in office, nearly 30,000 jobs have been created, or that the unemployment rate has been reduced by 8 percent.

Speaking about the budget, the Prime Minister told the Foreign Investors Council that in the first eleven months of this year, Montenegro had increased its revenues compared to last year by 5.5 percent or by EUR 81 million.

When it comes to tourism, this year also shows that it will be a record year.

"We are seeing significantly better results in these eleven months compared to the previous year which was record high. Today we have 160,000 more tourists in Montenegro and over 400,000 more nights. … We have already surpassed the financial effects of tourism in these eleven months compared to the whole of 2018," Prime Minister Duško Marković said.

Great interest in Airports

Speaking about the valorisation of our airports, the Prime Minister said that the interest for the concession was great.

"We have more than 22 interests of the companies and the consortia. The unprecedented interest of the strongest companies in this segment is global and I believe that our investment expectations, as well as those regarding Montenegro's air travel accessibility, will be significantly exceeded in the future. I myself could not believe that we have such an interest, that this interest even now goes into the request to prolong the pre-qualification procedure," Prime Minister Marković pointed out.

He added that the valorisation of the Airport of Montenegro will contribute to the rapid growth of our entire economy and the job creation.

Message to investors: Seize the opportunity

The Prime Minister urged investors to seize the unique opportunity.

"Dear business people, these are not the results we expect, but these policies and these results are already being achieved. Montenegro is not an investment destination that we should recognise. We've already done a lot together. Today it is a prestigious, top investment destination and of course a tourist destination. Therefore, I invite you to take this unique opportunity in which Montenegro is now, and that by working within your companies you create new value for Montenegro, thus contributing to the overall progress of Montenegro, every citizen and every family, to increasing standards of our family and our individual, and that the State must follow you in this regard. It must be efficient, it must be less expensive and it must provide you with full competitiveness in the market in order to achieve these goals," Prime Minister Duško Marković concluded at the annual session of the Foreign Investors Council in Montenegro.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO


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