Government to address cigarette issue in Port of Bar Free Zone

The Government of Montenegro has decided to establish a Coordination Body for inventorying confiscated goods in the Port of Bar Free Zone, following a meeting between Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica, and representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Administration, led by Minister Novica Vuković.

The Body, aimed at efficiently addressing this significant problem, will be established promptly and will be led by Prime Minister Spajić.

Deputy Prime Minister Koprivica, Minister Vuković, Minister Danilo Šaranović, as well as representatives from the Special State Prosecutor's Office, National Security Agency, Customs Administration, Police Directorate, State Property Administration, will be involved in its work. The Government will demonstrate maximum openness to involving international partners in the entire process to ensure transparency.

During the meeting, further steps were outlined, including the inventory of confiscated cigarettes located in the Port of Bar Free Zone.

It was noted that the Special State Prosecutor's Office has ordered the inventory of seized goods, which must be done as soon as possible. It is crucial to determine not only the brands present but also all other relevant information regarding the seized cigarettes.

Carrying out these activities will provide a clear picture of the nature of the confiscated goods and all their illegal aspects, leading to actions for their definitive destruction, demonstrating a strong commitment to permanently resolve this pressing issue.

The destruction of confiscated cigarettes would be carried out in collaboration with partners from the United Kingdom and the European Union, who would donate funds and equipment for the entire process.

It was emphasised that by providing an efficient response, Montenegro, as a signatory to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, would send a strong message to international partners willing to offer full assistance.

Furthermore, as conveyed during the discussions, this would be another step towards restoring citizens' trust in institutions.

It was concluded that this approach fully supports the independent work of the Special State Prosecutor's Office and takes decisive steps to shed light on all the facts regarding smuggling and numerous other illegal activities in the Port of Bar Free Zone in the previous period, ultimately putting an end to this serious societal and economic problem.

Efforts to draft a new Law on Free Zones remain crucial, and in this context, satisfaction was expressed with the expert assistance received from the OECD and the World Customs Organization.