At a business lunch organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro (AmCham Montenegro), Uyehara said that American investors are interested in starting businesses in Montenegro.
She thinks that foreign investors do not only open job positions but with their specific knowledge, will bring positive practice and hire people from the local community.
Uyehara pointed out the problem of inefficient bureaucracy because the decisions are being made at an operationally middle level.
“I think that the progress has been made in the regulative and legal framework, but there are still plenty of things to be done. It is necessary to have less bureaucracy and give authorization to people to make decisions at the middle level”, stated Uyehara.
Regarding the grey economy, she said that it is a phenomenon not only in Montenegro but many other countries.
“There has to be a continuous collaboration between the state’s authorities and the business community, and everybody should think in a wider range about the ways of improving the conditions in this area. Tax structure needs to be arranged well, we need to decrease the number of non-registered companies, and enforce control at the boundary crossings”, said Uyehara.
She estimated that it is essential that the Government and the business community collaborate as partners at all levels.
PHOTO: Boris Pejović
Related to the issues which can be improved by AmCham in the future, she said that the Chamber is doing an excellent job, especially emphasizing the quality of the program - Partnership for a better business environment.
Uyehara invited all members to be more active in the Chamber’s labor.
The President of the AmCham Management board, Katarina Bulatovic, reminded that the Association marks the tenth anniversary of its foundation this year.
“In the last ten years, the Chamber has actively participated in the improvement of the business environment and positioned itself as a successful mediator in communication between the private sector and the state management,” said Bulatovic.
This, as she said, is witnessed by the collaboration which the Chamber accomplished last year with the Ministries of Economy, Labor and Social Care, Finance and Health within the program 'Partnership for a better business environment', which has been active since April last year.
According to her, the priority of AmCham this year is combating the grey economy.
“Repression of the grey economy is an important step in establishing a stable, successful environment and an equal game on the market. AmCham will especially focus on the further improvement of the Laws on labor and the Law on public tenders to create conditions to start a business in Montenegro closer to the world’s standards”, said Bulatovic.
She estimated that bringing the new investors as well as keeping the existing ones is only possible by improving the business environment and added that the critical assumption is timely and continuous communication between the decision makers and the business community.
Bulatovic expressed gratitude to the Embassy of the USA in Podgorica as well as to Uyehara, for the support of AmCham in efforts to create a favorable business environment in Montenegro.
Text by Mina Business on March 29th, 2018, read more at Vijesti
