11 May 2019 - The Government of Montenegro is determined to support every spark of development in Montenegro, Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the opening of the 9th International Stock Market of Entrepreneurial Ideas, organized at the University of Donja Gorica.
The Prime Minister said that our society is still characterised by the dominant desire of the working population to gain employment in the public sector, which is often followed by the absence of creativity and innovation, which results in a state administration that is often part of the problem rather than the service to entrepreneurs as holders of economic development.
"That is why it is very important that we continue our efforts, which result in events like this, to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture in Montenegro. To build a system based on the values of creation, that is, the values of the entrepreneurial society. This is the best way for accelerated economic development! And the best way to improve the quality of life of all our citizens," PM Marković stressed.
In Montenegro, the Prime Minister noted, today we do not have a more important job but to improve the quality of life of all our citizens. We need new ideas, creativity, and much more work and a more responsible relationship towards the resources we have.
Prime Minister Marković said that the most important task of all our educational institutions is to help the future generations to liberate their creative energy: "The field does not matter - there is room for improvement in each of them."
"Organising the International Stock Market of Entrepreneurial Ideas is of particular importance. As an initiative of the University of Donja Gorica, it is an integral part of the vision and effort to develop an entrepreneurial attitude towards life and work among young people. It is a reflection of focused development and investment in young people," the Prime Minister emphasised.
He added that this is an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to be creators of new jobs, new products and services. The opening of the "Entrepreneurial Nest" at the University is a step forward, PM Marković noted.
Addressing the participants at the gathering, the Prime Minister said that they were able to give an actual contribution to our joint efforts to make the Montenegrin economy more competitive and help its economic growth and development.
"It is very encouraging and commendable that today we had a presentation of the extraordinary ideas of young people in the field of the digital economy, food technology, design, and social entrepreneurship," PM Marković said.
Commenting on the establishment of the "Entrepreneurial Nest", Prime Minister Marković said that he encourages the focus on the business in its wider sense. Apart from technological innovations and informatics, there will also be opportunities for research in biology, anthropology, health, education, social sphere, logistics and other fields.
Through the reforms it is implementing, the Government is working to improve the overall education system, greater flexibility of the labour market and the competitiveness of the tax system. We also work on the development of social policy in a way that motivates citizens to work and create rather than to expect from the State to solve all problems and provide lasting social assistance or livelihood through a secure job in the state administration.
"The Government recognised the importance of start-up companies as a form of accelerated growth in entrepreneurship, based on innovation and creativity through teamwork. We are focused on supporting young entrepreneurs, and we are also seeing the possibility of introducing an optimal tax relief model for their work," the Prime Minister highlighted.
Furthermore, he spoke about numerous possibilities and means for implementation of entrepreneurial ideas and their sustainability, increasing competitiveness and innovation in small and medium enterprises.
"Guidelines of the 2019-2024 Smart Specialisation Strategy identify the priority areas of development of our country: from energy transition, through agriculture and health tourism, with information and communication technology, as a horizontal platform. We will pay special attention to these areas in the coming period," the Prime Minister said.
He pointed to the parameters of a successful economic policy, but added that the reduction of current public spending and the strengthening of the role of the private sector are necessary to improve the standard of living of citizens further.
