The Statement of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mr. Igor Lukšić after the meeting with the representatives of the Employers Union, organized with the purpose of improving social dialogue in Montenegro, in conditions of

The Government will continually insist that banks use funds for which the state provided guarantee. Relatively high interest rates, influenced by several factors, arent possible to be reduced over night. Loans provided on the basis of state guarantee from the KfW, the European Investment Bank, may objectively affect the decrease in interest rates. We are interested in launching the cash into circulation. Therefore we applied the pressure and we were steadily sending messages that we are interested that banks sign agreements with international institutions and to direct the money in tourism, agriculture, forestry, trade, crafts, without delays. The banks should realize approved credit schemes, because this is in their best interest. In absence of good clients, you have problems with banks. If the banks do not see the interest for credit investments, they will abandon the idea even if the money is covered by the guarantee. We must understand that the communism is a past tense, the old fashion way where states were issuing instructions to market players on what should be done. The state should only ne focused on improving business environment. It is not a dominant practice in the world that the state abandons the market economy for the benefit of socialism. Employers should be held liable in launching good business plans. The Government, Trade Unions and employers should soon define a new collective agreement, which will represent a very complex task, because it must include the answer to the consequences of the crises. The Government is ready to negotiate the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The team is established and will make the draft agreement. The future Agreement should take into consideration the elements of the crises, but it also should predict the economic growth. We must find the answer accompanied by the high degree of responsibility. The New Collective Agreement should take into account the lowest wage representing the social minimum. This amount is the matter of negotiations, or the input that we will use for calculation.