October 1, 2020 - A new government is being formed in Montenegro. The prime ministerial candidate of the three winning coalitions with the majority in the parliament, Zdravko Krivokapić, believes that politicians should not burden citizens with the  distribution of roles until the parties reach an agreement.

"It is primarily a matter for the political entities to reach agreement on all important details. Something like that is not played out in the media. The government's composition proposal, the plan, and the program are presented only when an agreement is reached, and the goals and priorities are articulated. Everything else is rather inappropriate and an unnecessary burden for all of us," stated Krivokapic in a guest editorial for Podgorica's Vijesti.

According to Krivokapic, the most crucial challenge at the moment is the economy, and "partisans and Chetniks, whites and greens" should be left to "drive through the forests of history."

"Let's return them to the literature from whence they were dragged by the politicians of the failed economy. This was only done to cover their economic incompetence and bad intentions in the legal sphere, using issues that are not the concern of  the majority of the Montenegrin population," Krivokapic said.

The current economic situation in Montenegro far from positive. Krivokapic says that it reminds him of "a large, safe ship that the previous rulers broke up so that everyone could float on their own, on as large a piece of wood as possible."

However, Montenegro has so many opportunities for economic recovery that, as he points out, it seems to him that the change of government came at the final, but the still the right moment.

Montenegro is an ideal place for digital nomads, writes Krivokapic. "Work and travel opportunities need to be understood and methodically accepted. Agriculture is simply crying out for real support, and a serious plan must be made and implemented as soon as possible," he said, adding that he can promise that he will monitor the work of each ministry on a daily basis.

"I will follow the flow of money to the last cent. That is why I have already started with the IT sector, "wrote Krivokapic, pointing out that all political parties must recognize this new moment.

"It is time for those who want power or who think they are incapable of doing anything else to not enter politics," Krivokapic wrote, adding that "in the government, we need people who perceive this task as a great sacrifice, ready to spend a significant amount of time, being aware of how much, to every detail, they will be controlled by both domestic and international factors," he said.

Krivokapic points out that vanity, love of power, and love of glory will prove to be the wrong motives for this kind of work, and the future minister, instead of fame and money, could easily end up with a prison sentence if he acts illegally.

"No one in Montenegro, nor in the international community, of which we are a real part, will tolerate corruption, crime or incompetence any more. After all the conversations we have had, I am sure of one thing: there is no going back! Those who hope for a different outcome will be very disappointed," said Krivokapic.

Source: Vijesti

Post-election atmosphere

SOC and elections

The situation in the region

September 25, 2020 - The European Union (EU) recognizes Montenegro as a leader in the integration process, stated the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Oana-Cristina Popa, stating that a significant proportion of the work has already been completed. Today, she was received by the President of the Assembly, Aleksa Becic, who said that he was satisfied with his first meeting with Popa after taking office.

Becic thanked her for the support that the EU has provided to Montenegro so far in the process of reforms and democratization, which, as he said, confirmed that the Western Balkans is still a major focus for the EU.

Becic emphasized that the EU's assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic was far greater than that provided by other international organizations.

"Having in mind the complex socio-economic and epidemiological situation, it is imperative that the new government is constituted as quickly and efficiently as possible." Significantly, minority parties supported my election, and I hope that they will be part of the new Government. Our common goal is to strengthen the civil state," Becic said.

He reiterated that the agreement signed by the representatives of the coalitions in the new parliamentary majority confirms that the new Government will be pro-Montenegrin, pro-European, pro-Western, civil, and conciliatory.

Becic mentioned that he would strengthen cooperation within NATO and accelerate European integration, which unites Montenegrin society.

He emphasized that the Assembly will remain open for project cooperation in the coming period, especially in supervisory and control roles, transparency, and efficiency.

Speaking about Chapters 23 and 24, Becic pointed out that stagnation in the integration process is not an option, that the new model of negotiations will give an additional boost to those who are efficient in implementing reforms, and that victory in the fight against organized crime and corruption is the only guarantee of a prosperous and stable Montenegro.

He pointed out that he sees the future of Montenegro and the Western Balkans as part of the EU and that this path has no alternative for the entire region.

Popa said that she was looking forward to excellent and efficient cooperation with Becic and the Assembly's new convocation to jointly lead Montenegro more swiftly towards EU membership.

Speaking about the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic, she emphasized that the EU has operational mechanisms to support Montenegro.

Popa said that the European Commission would publish two important documents on October 6 - the Enlargement Report for 2020 and the EU Investment Plan.

"The EU recognizes Montenegro as a leader in the integration process. A significant part of the work has already been done. That is why you have a great responsibility as a model for other countries in the region. The issue of integration of the Western Balkans countries is still on the table, and the European perspective is something we take very seriously," Popa emphasized.

She congratulated Becic on his election as President of the Montenegrin Parliament and said she was pleased with the peaceful transition of power.

September 13, 2020 - The parliament to be constituted after the elections on August 30 will be dynamic with a strong influence on the decision-making and the work of the executive power, believes the Director of the Center for Civil Liberties, Boris Marić.

He told MINA agency that the agreement, signed by the leaders of the three coalitions that won the majority of votes in the recent parliamentary elections, is a sign that Montenegro is maturing politically.

"The agreement is the result of a political compromise, which, on the one hand, tells us that Montenegrin society could be moving towards a greater degree of political rigour. On the other, we should be careful in concluding that every political compromise usually encounters various levels of resistance," Maric said.

According to him, it is necessary to wait to implement the agreement to see how the Montenegrin political system and institutions will function.

"In any case, we can expect a very dynamic parliament with a strong influence on decision-making and the character of decisions and work of the executive branch," Maric said.

He said that the new government could be expected to be formed relatively soon.

Of course, as he stated, it is not a simple process, and it will not be a surprise that the list holders encounter problems.

"But the public's expectation that a new government will be formed is dominant, and I believe that any attempt to interfere, with specific interests or obstruction, will be overcome," Maric said.

He pointed out that the new government's expectations are the strengthening of institutions, especially those involved in fighting corruption, a package of economic and social measures, full transparency of work and public finances, and a focus on inclusion in Montenegrin society.

Speaking about the relations between Serbia and Montenegro, Maric said that the relations between the authorities of those two countries followed the "warm-cold system."

"These move from the very best, as they defined them at one point, to a covert or even open conflict, primarily over the Law on Freedom of Religion and the identity policy derived from it," said Maric.

He believes that the aggravation of relations between Serbia and Montenegro has consequently spilled over into Montenegro's electoral process.

"We have indeed seen the influence of either the official Serbian position or the media from Serbia on the election result in Montenegro. It resulted in the homogenization of the pro-Serbian electorate, "Maric said.

He added that it remains to be seen whether this was a temporary strategy for the protection of Serbian interests in Montenegro or a long-term strategy based on identity policies for future processes.

Maric said that what lies ahead is a critical period for Montenegro. And that relations in the region must be built with full respect for sovereignty and building good neighborly relations.

"With the first announcements, the winners of the elections affirm democratic principles and guarantee full state sovereignty, which they will have to prove to part of the Montenegrin public," Maric believes.

Speaking about the possible participation of minority parties in the new government, Maric said that these parties have a place in the government because there they will be able to articulate their needs to the extent necessary.

He believes that no matter how the minority parties' representatives decide, that should be respected, and the door of the executive power should be left open.

Maric stated that the issue of regional relations has a special significance, and it will take a period of time for the new Montenegrin government to prove its commitment to good neighborly relations.

"Concerning the guidelines expressed by the signed platform and, of course, with their implementation, we can hope for good development of relations with neighbors," concluded Marić.

Vijesti

September 12, 2020 - "Corruption and the perception of corruption are significant problems in the Montenegrin public and private sector. Citizens' concerns about corruption are usually significant in opinion polls, and corruption is also cited as a risk by foreign investors. Despite legal improvements, corruption remains a major problem in the Montenegrin economy, according to the annual State Department reports designed to help US companies make business decisions.

"Corruption and the perception of corruption are significant problems in the Montenegrin public and private sector. The level of citizens' concern about corruption is usually high in public opinion polls, and foreign investors also cite corruption as a risk, "the part of the report dedicated to the prevention of corruption points out, RFE reports.

It is highlighted that since gaining independence in 2006, Montenegro has adopted a legal framework that encourages privatization, employment, and exports.

"The implementation of the framework, however, lags far behind the legislation," the report says, noting that Montenegro is still in the process of establishing a liberal business climate that encourages foreign investment and local production.

"The country remains dependent on imports from neighboring countries, despite significant potential in some areas of agriculture and food production," the report states.

It adds that, although the political transition has not yet eliminated all structural barriers, the government generally recognizes the need to remove obstacles in order to reform the business environment and attract foreign investment.

The ratio of public debt and gross domestic product in Montenegro is one of the largest in the region - notes the State Department.

"Public debt is currently at 76.9 percent of GDP, with the forecast that it will increase to over 80 percent after the repayment of the loan to the Chinese Exim Bank, for the construction of a billion-dollar highway," it is noted.

As government priorities, the State Department singles out infrastructure development, "including another highway section that will better connect the developed southern part of the country with the underdeveloped north."

It is noted that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are assisting the government in implementing debt control measures.

"The economic growth rate in 2019 was one of the highest in Europe at 3.5 percent, while the unemployment rate rose slightly from 15.2 to 15.3 percent. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have a significant economic impact on the Montenegrin economy in 2020," the report highlights.

There is a reminder of the IMF forecast from April this year, according to which Montenegro will face a nine percent decline in the economy.

The economic downturn is said to stem from the Montenegrin economy's heavy dependence on tourism.

The tourism sector accounts for a quarter of gross domestic product (GDP).

As a candidate country on its path to joining the European Union (EU), Montenegro has opened 32 of 33 negotiation chapters. Three have been temporarily closed, the State Department says, noting that the Montenegrin government hopes to open the last chapter on competition in 2020.

It is added that Montenegro has been a member of NATO since 2017.

"On January 1, 2019, Montenegro began implementing its economic citizenship program. The program will last for three years and will be available for up to 2,000 applicants," the State Department's report highlights.

The Montenegrin economy is focused on three sectors, with the government mainly focusing its efforts on developing tourism, energy, and agriculture.

"Due to its 300-kilometer-long coastline and spectacular mountain region in the north of the country, a successful tourism sector accounts for almost 25 percent of GDP."

No country dominates foreign direct investment, the most significant being investments from Italy, Hungary, Russia, and Serbia. At the same time, the State Department notes that new interest in investing comes from the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, China, Turkey, and the United States.

Projects in the energy sector include a submarine cable to Italy for electricity transmission and the Montenegrin government's intention to consider importing US liquefied natural gas through the port at Bar.

"Also, there are several ongoing conventional energy projects across the country, including the controversial environmental reconstruction of the existing block of coal-fired thermal power plants in Pljevlja and a series of projects to build small hydropower plants," the report said.

Mention is also made of the concession agreements for offshore oil and gas exploration, which the Government of Montenegro signed with two consortia - the Italian-Russian consortium Eni / Novatek and the Greek-British consortium Energean Oil / Mediterranean Oil and Gas.

Source: PCNEN