12 April 2019 - We consider the cooperation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe with China within the 16+1 Mechanism as successful and significant and it has potentials that should be used, Prime Minister Duško Marković said in Dubrovnik.
At the Eighth Summit of Heads of Governments of Central and Eastern European Countries and the People's Republic of China, PM Marković pointed to significant economic parameters of development and stressed that Montenegro is committed to fulfilling the European agenda, adding that it is conducting advanced negotiations with the EU.
"As a country that joins the EU, we are following the strategic dialogue and cooperation between the EU and China with diligence and appreciation," the Prime Minister said.
He recalled that a significant part of Montenegro's development policy is based on the improvement of infrastructure and connectivity, direct foreign investments, development of energy based on renewable sources, tourism, agriculture, and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
"We consider cooperation in these fields within 16+1 as valuable and significant," Prime Minister Marković stressed.
Talking about infrastructure and connectivity, the Prime Minister emphasized the Port of Bar. The potential of this strategic resource of Montenegro should be used and available for trade exchange between Europe and Asia, i.e., the EU and China.
"This port represents a huge economic and investment opportunity and can be a very usable maritime and traffic hub in achieving goals in what we recognised in the "Dubrovnik Guidelines "- the importance of the "Belt and Road" initiative and the EU Strategy for Connecting Europe and Asia and increasing synergy among them," the Prime Minister of Montenegro emphasised.
Furthermore, he referred to the most important infrastructure project in Montenegro, the completion of the first section of the motorway, which we are implementing with Chinese partners. The Prime Minister said that we are in the final stage of construction of this segment and that the Government of Montenegro creates the preconditions for a quick continuation of the development of the motorway, towards the border with Serbia.
Alongside the current works on the priority section, PM Marković added, we intensified the activities to begin the implementation of the following two sections, for which, through the Investment Framework for the Western Balkans, grants have been provided for EUR 5.49 million. This money is intended for development of preliminary projects and report on accompanying environmental impacts, and the implementation of these activities is in progress.
"Let this be an invitation to companies from your countries to express their interest in the implementation of this project in partnership with the Government of Montenegro through the model of private-public partnership, as we have the interest of Chinese companies," the Prime Minister said.
He thanked the participating countries for supporting the initiative of the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro to discuss the possibility of opening 16+1 creative industries hub in Montenegro.
"The main goal of this initiative is to create conditions for the work and accommodation of artists from 16+1 countries, which will enable them to create new creative products within a kind of residential platform in one of the Montenegrin cities, in an inspiring atmosphere of exchanging ideas and cooperation," Prime Minister Marković said.
The Heads of the Governments of CEEC and China welcomed the cooperation achieved so far through the 16+1 Mechanism and expressed strong interest in continuing and strengthening mutual relations. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of collaboration in the fields of energy, infrastructure, transport, tourism, as well as finance and digitization.
President of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang, with whom Prime Minister Marković will meet later today, said that the importance of cooperation within 16+1, and especially collaboration between the EU and China, was confirmed. He expressed the belief that cooperation within 16+1 will contribute to a greater balance of development in Europe and that a target of 100 billion dollars in trade exchange will be achieved by next year.
Greece was greeted at the gathering as a new full participant in the Mechanism of Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe.
