The entire Lazovic’s response is following:
Firstly, I would like to point out the obvious lack of logic in your media announcement referring to your claim that the proposal A2A rejected was the Government’s proposal. Specifically, in yesterday’s statement you said that this proposal was yours, the one that we waited for ten days. It is very easy for the public to check this. You even boasted that this proposal was better than the government’s one. However, after A2A rejected it – the proposal became OURS? Whose proposal would it be if A2A accepted it? It would be good for the public to clarify this dilemma.
The public is well informed about the proposals that the Government of Montenegro have negotiated with A2A. The interests of Montenegro are protected, among other things, by the put option (an option to sell stock at an agreed price in the future), the pre-emptive right, agreement on the most important projects and waiver of arbitration rights. This kind of protection of state interests does not exist in any of the proposal that you submitted to the Government of Montenegro and A2A
As for the claims that the Board of A2A has already reviewed and approved the draft contract that was reached between the two negotiating teams, they are true. Do you really think that anyone from the Government of Montenegro would propose the draft contract with the company that is not considered and approved by the board of directors of this company to the highest executive and legislative bodies? On the other hand, it does not mean that these proposals are mandatory, as you are trying to imply. Until the proposals are approved by the Parliament of Montenegro and signed, they can be changed.
So, do not try to find an alibi in the government because your proposals are rejected by A2A and do not try to make the government responsible for that. From the very beginning of the process, the government has shown the intention to formulate your modalities in a legally valid and acceptable way. You have chosen a solution that is neither legally valid nor acceptable.
For the sake of the public access to objective facts, I repeat once again that by rejecting the government’s proposal on shareholding agreement, the opposition “troika” has rejected:
1. The pre-emptive right, meaning that A2A may sell its shares to anyone it wishes;
2. The waiver of arbitration right;
3. The minority shareholder’s approval regarding the implementation of the Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja second block project, thus blocking the implementation;
4. The waiver of dissenting shareholder’s rights under the Law on Enterprises;
5. The possibility of acquiring EPCG’s shares held by A2A for €250m in 7 annual instalments.
If this is not true, I expect you to deny the facts.
