PM Krivokapić participates in AmCham event "Openly with the Prime Minister": Business environment which is satisfactory to all stakeholder should be created

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić said that one of the most important pillars of the Government of Montenegro is digital transformation, which is, as he stated, a necessary prerequisite for further development of Montenegro in all areas of public administration and society and the cornerstone of economic growth.

Prime Minister Krivokapić took part in the event "Openly with the Prime Minister", which is traditionally organised by the American Chamber of Commerce.  AmCham Business Climate Report for the period 2019-2020 has been officially presented at the event.

Prime Minister Krivokapić said that the Government wants to create a business environment which is satisfactory to all stakeholders, and to define development policies based on dialogue with the key partners.

President of AmCham Nikola Tripković said that they were pleased that the Government of Montenegro is ready to timely and adequately include the American Chamber of Commerce in the earliest phases of reviewing regulations relevant to the business environment, and support their platform “Partnership for a Better Business Environment”.

The Prime Minister said that consistent application of legal regulations is a precondition for fighting the grey economy, emphasising that the Government, in order to resolve this issue, will work on improving tax policy in the coming period through changes in tax legislation and strengthening administrative capacity.

Asked whether the Government plans to adequately reduce tax levies on salaries, as an appropriate balance to increasing cost of the minimum wage, PM Krivokapić answered that the goal of the Government is to work with all partners to find the optimal solution, i.e. reduce the tax burden, which would compensate the costs for employers that are the result from the increase in the minimum wage.

Krivokapić said he hopes that the Labor Law will be amended in a way that would make everyone satisfied. He pointed out that the measure of everything is a quality employment relationship, so that the worker and the employer, as well as the state, could benefit. The Prime Minister pointed out that in the current situation it is the most important thing to ensure the protection of employees, on the one hand, as well as more flexible business of employers, on the other hand, in terms of realizations of rights at work, in a dignified manner and in the law spirit.

U.S. Ambassador in Montenegro, H.E. Judy Rising Reinke, said that the past year highlighted the importance of improving digital services and opened opportunities for its application in a new sectors, including digital healthcare. It is no surprise that AmCham saw this trend developing and has started looking into the combination of healthcare and technology in Montenegro.

The current healthcare challenge requires our collective energy, diligence and commitment to community, said U.S. Ambassador, as well as that she is very proud of the financial assistance that the U.S. Embassy has provided through the Red Cross, COVID-related technology grants and more than $300,000 in hospital equipment to facilities around the country.