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PM Marković: We make decisions on opening borders ...
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PM Marković: We make decisions on opening borders on basis of health standards, not politics
Published on: May 28, 2020 • 12:45 AM Author: PR Service
Podgorica, Montenegro (27 May 2020) -- Prime Minister Duško Marković emphasized that the decision on countries with which the borders will be opened, which the National Coordination Body for Communicable Diseases should adopt tomorrow, will be based on epidemiological standards and that there is no policy. He rejected the accusations coming from Serbian officials and said that Montenegro decides on the basis of health criteria, in the interest of its citizens.
"Health is our goal, not just the economy. We have to open up, we have to think about the economy, but we always have to focus on the health of the population. It is not politics that lives here, but health standards. We are looking forward to the success of every country, which achieves those result and Montenegro will be ready and pleased to welcome all citizens of all countries in the region and others who will succeed in achieving that standard," the Prime Minister said answering questions from journalists in the Assembly of Montenegro, following the Prime Minister's Questions.
In order for the border with a country to be open, it must, according to epidemiological criteria, have 25 or fewer infected per 100,000 inhabitants. When asked to comment on the statements of Serbian officials if the decision on not opening the border with Serbia is political, the Prime Minister categorically denied it. He specified that the decision is defined in relation to the number of currently infected and not of those who died from the coronavirus.
"It is hard to comment on that, especially for me, because we want to behave responsibly, in a European way, in every situation that is not simple, to understand those who do not understand us. It is interesting that one press conference on the announced measures of the National Coordination Body can cause so many uproars, misunderstandings and even accusations against Montenegro and its authorities," Prime Minister Marković stated.
He reminded that Montenegro did not react when, at the beginning of the epidemic, Serbia was among the first to close the border with Montenegro, banning the export of medical equipment and wheat.
"I think that their stance, in relation to this issue towards Montenegro, resides in politics. I don't want to argue with that, I accept that. We know what our job and our interest are. We will not go anywhere for an opinion on what the interests of the state are, whether they are health or economic, but we will make decisions independently, without working against anyone," Prime Minister Marković pointed out.
We look forward to the success of all, he added. We will gladly wait for the moment for Serbia to successfully deal with this epidemic, that there are no actively infected people or that there is a number of infected people who meet the criteria for opening the borders with Montenegro.
"We are looking forward to the arrival of Serbian citizens to Montenegro. We want to see them, if they want to, on our beaches and on our mountains," said the Prime Minister.
Commenting on the decision of the Serbian authorities to ban the landing of Montenegro Airlines air crafts at the Belgrade airport, he noted that the decision was acknowledged and that he would accordingly look for alternatives and the best solutions for our country, citizens and economy.
"As we were looking for alternatives for wheat - we imported it from France, it is no big deal. We think that decision is not logical. When it comes to the economy, trade in goods, there can be no political revanchism," said the Prime Minister.
Answering the question of journalists whether he plans to raise an issue with Serbian officials on opening borders and ban for the Montenegro Airlines, Prime Minister Marković answered in the negative: "If there is any misunderstanding of our decision, the phones are working, I could talk to the Prime Minister, she could have called me or asked me, or President Vučić to President Đukanović ... But we to go in there, to ask what we are going to do with what is in our interest, no, not at all".
Prime Minister Marković said that at the very beginning of the epidemic, Montenegro closed its borders with six countries, but that no one protested for it and pointed to the existing criterion, which does not open borders with Italy either, with whom we are the first neighbours, with whom we have serious and developed economic relations in various sectors.
Asked if he had received any remarks from another country, regarding the plan to open the borders, the Prime Minister said that he received no objections from any of them: "Nothing but praise for the great job, we are doing. Yesterday, I received several telegrams and emails from the states that heard about this. Congratulations on how we worked, how we saved the health of the population, how we organised the system, how the health system functioned and that we are the first corona free destination," Prime Minister Marković said.
The Prime Minister clarified, it is the manipulation that the citizens of Republika Srpska will not be able to enter Montenegro. They are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which meets the criteria for opening the borders, and accordingly, the citizens of the Republika Srpska will be able to enter Montenegro, when the border is officially opened.
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
PHOTO AND VIDEO: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNtv9gC
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