Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Mr. Igor Lukšić, PhD., visited Investment - Development Fund of Montenegro A.D

The representatives of the Fund (the President of the Board of Directors, Mr. Dragan Lajović. PhD., and the Executive Director, Mr. Predrag Poček) have briefed the Deputy Prime Minister on planned investment activities of the Fund and credit – guarantee scheme, based on which activities will be undertaken. It was concluded that the establishment and the commencement of operations of the Fund was required and necessary, considering the problems in the economy sector, mainly caused by the global economic crisis and restrictive banking sector policy led in the period of the crisis. The representatives of the Fund, have informed the Deputy Prime Minister on new financial market products, such as credit – guarantee lines Fund – Investor – Bank. The new thing against the investment activity of the Development Fund, whose legal successor is the Investment – Development Fund, is the issuance of different types of guarantees to banks and small and medium – sized enterprises, pursuant to the risk dispersion criteria and the cautious banking operations. A special emphasis was put on the supporting measures to projects being implemented at the North of Montenegro in less developed municipalities. It was jointly concluded that the entrepreneurs, and the economy in general, requires the assistance of the state and banks in overcoming the crisis, as well as that the launch of products of the Fund may represent an efficient anti – crisis measure or the instrument for their implementation. Furthermore, it was emphasized that the Fund, in addition to the financial and non – financial support to SME’s sector, will stimulate the opening of new work posts.