Prime Minister Duško Marković, invited investors today to invest in Montenegro with even more determination.
“With NATO membership, our country has raised the level of safety and already some of the most prestigious tourist brands are operating in Montenegro”, said the PM.
In the interview for the magazine Collection Montenegro, Mr Marković invited investors to invest in Montenegro, especially in the north of our country, saying that Montenegro is the archetype-country, where people of different nations and confessions live in harmony.
“We’ve got Aman here, we’ve got Sheraton, Chedi, Regent, Hilton, Melia, Iberostar, Falksteiner… One&Only opens next year, the first one in Europe… In 2008, Montenegro committed to becoming high-end destination. World Council for Tourism and Travel has positioned Montenegro first, by the growth rate in tourism industry. After great work we did in developing our seaside, we started strategic valuation of the resources in our northern region. I’ve said so many times, our key resources re right there”, said the PM.
The Government has done what nobody has ever done: capital budget for this year amounts €320 million, which is the highest amount so far.
“More than 70% has been earmarked for the North. Therefore, the Government has sent clear message to investors: this is in our focus now. I have no doubt that we are going to be successful. Currently, we are acquainting investors with the possibilities, resources, perspective. We’re interested in the investments that will contribute to the economic development and increase in employment. Economic citizenship program should be taken into account in that same context”, pointed out Mr Marković.
Montenegro – tough from the inside, recognizable from the outside
Journalists asked the PM to tell how he would describe Montenegro to some foreigner, who’s never visited our country before and to compare it with the Montenegro as it was at the beginning of his career. PM said that natural beauty and national and confessional harmony remained the same. Everything else is different.
“Anybody who comes to Montenegro for the first time remain breathless, fascinated with the nature and its beauty. Those who are interested in the social spheres can easily notice that Montenegro is the archetype of a country where people of different nations and confessions live in harmony, and that’s unique. I’d say that is what has remained the same during my three-decade long professional career. Montenegro used to be tiny, least developed Yugoslav republic, but it managed to convert into a regional leader in the integration process, economy and development”, said the PM.
Montenegro is the country with the highest net foreign direct investments per capita.
“We have got some of the most prestigious resorts along our coastline. We’ve started off the construction of the winter tourist center which is going to be among the leading ones in the region. I could count many economic indicators, but without changes in the behavior matrix, economy alone doesn’t mean much. I’d even say without the change of awareness”, says the PM.
It would be appropriate to recall how many people asked if we could ever survive as an independent country.
“We’ve answered that nonsense question: not only can we survive, but we can also be a very successful country. Finally, Montenegro is NATO Member and the next EU Member State. Today, Montenegro is where it has belonged for centuries – European and Mediterranean, integrated and developed, determined, powerful, brave, tough from the inside, recognizable from the outside”, said Mr Marković.
Montenegro is becoming more and more compatible with the EU
The Prime Minister said that Montenegro had become member of the greatest security alliance and en equal partner of the most powerful most developed states in the world. Also, it is now closer and more attractive to the investors from ally countries
“Joint security framework builds deeper trust of the investors and that’s one of the most important advantages we’ve got. The fact that Montenegro is NATO members now is a signal for the investors that this is a destination that shares the highest standards from the aspect of safety and that it shares values with the partner countries. Our successful European integration is a proof that Montenegro is changing and getting closer and closer to the EU. We’re harmonizing our entire system with the European, we are adopting new standards and in that way, we are preparing society for the moment we become EU member. What does all this mean for the investors? It means that we are a stable country, society that does not meander but sticks to its strategic direction. Predictability is essential for investments. As far as Montenegro is concerned, everything is predictable – no surprises”, said PM.
Prime Minister also spoke about our competitive tax system, stimulating programs adopted by the Government in order to attract investments even more, as well as about numerous infrastructure projects.
“What we are doing on physical infrastructure is creating strategic assumptions for even more intense investments. First section of the highway nears completion, we’re improving airports by choosing high-quality foreign partner, we’re finishing submarine energy cable. We are making Montenegro more accessible and energy-safe”, said Mr Marković.
Speaking about space, as a very important resource, Prime Minister stressed the importance of the new Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Structures, which regulates appropriately and comprehensively this area.
No more “concrete-ation”
“As many other societies, Montenegro is in transition, but also ca country of developed capitalism, and it definitely went through the “concrete-ation” phase – construction of structures without prior examination of space and consideration of sustainability factors. Now, we‘re doing differently. We’ve made a fundamental change: the Government has adopted the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Structures which regulates this area very thoroughly and treats our space as our resource. The objective is careful treatment of our spaces, with an emphasis on sustainable development and not particular interests of specific groups or individuals. In that context, we’re offering to investors a clear and open strategic framework where everybody can find their place”, said PM.
We don’t deal with historical myths
PM said reminded that we knew exactly what we wanted – creating better environment for our children.
“Two great poets who wrote about Montenegro. Ivan Mažuranić saw Montenegrin men as fighters-martyrs and knights. Njegoš saw Montenegro as craggy rocks, bathed with tears and blood. Although we are proud of our history, we tend to change that concept and leaving that narrative behind us. We aren’t dealing with historical myths but rather with developing and raising living standard. We don’t want to be hailed as fighters and knights, but rather as successful people who are going to create better environment for our children. We see Montenegro as Mediterranean jewel. We are very committed to our objectives and we are constantly making progress. The best message for our investors would be – Montenegro is a successful story, a high-quality story. It’s safe and reliable investment port, the safest in the region and wider. Come into it”, concluded the Prime Minister.
