MP of the Democratic Party of Socialists, Milutin Simovic, asked the Prime Minister how this obstruction of the implementation of development projects influences financial, economic and general social trends in Montenegro.
“Despite knowing everything that has happened, obstruction of development projects continues, examples fresh as the past few days. The epilogue, alongside hundreds of millions of euros of investment and hundreds of new jobs lost, will surely be losing of generous long-term budget revenues”, said Simovic.
Commenting his question, Djukanovic said it became common practice in Montenegro for some parties, NGOs and even part of the public, to undertake destructive activities to challenge the implementation of some projects, and cited the Queen’s beach as an example.
“The Queen’s beach is an example where months of campaign led investors to abandon the project. This is literally the loss of 220 million euros of planned investments, the loss of new job, a missed opportunity to build a quality resort which would contribute to the promotion of Montenegro as a tourist destination”, Djukanovic stressed.
Another example of obstruction, he continued, is the lease contract for Sveti Stefan in Miločer.
“Obstruction prevented building of a new hotel which should have rounded the complex in Milocer. This endangered the chance to open 300 new jobs, and this investment would also fill the budget”, Djukanovic added.
In the past few days, said the Prime Minister, we are witnessing obstruction regarding investments in Buljarica and on the island of Mamula.
“When it comes to Buljarica 10.350 workers, 1.850 in the activities regarding supply. Island Lastavica did not receive clearance from the Economy Committee. If this project fails, we face the possibility of cooperation with a renowned company that is Orascom, but our country also loses plenty as a tourist destination. Having only political interests, blinded by desire to change the government, some do not care for the consequences of such actions”, Djukanovic addressed the Assembly.
In his opinion, the activities of the parliamentary majority oppose sane logic to creates only new difficulties for the budget of Montenegro.
“It is a transparent and irresponsible intention to thwart sustainability and filling of the budget. If you do not have a better government, at least allow it to freely perform its function and take responsibility for its decisions. Otherwise, we risk greater systemic damage, because serious consequences are happening”, Djukanovic added.
KAP, Steel Factory and Pobjeda successful examples of guarantees
Independent MP Mladen Bojanic asked the Prime Minister of the stage in the process of determining individual responsibility for damage to the budget of Montenegro in the amount of 181,124,519 euros incurred on the basis of guarantees issued for loans to eight commercial companies: KAP, Steelworks, Pobjeda, Bauxite mines, Melagonija Primorka Bar, Mi-Rai Niksic, Electrode Plant Plužine and Lenka from Bijelo Polje.
Djukanovic responding by explaining that Montenegro, in the period from 2014 to 2008, issued guarantees for loans to legal entities in the amount of about 624.7 million euros.
As examples of successful guarantees, Prime Minister cited KAP, Steelworks and Pobjeda. He said KAP last year contributed to Montenegrin GDP with a hundred million euros, and is expected to double this result next year.
“We could resort to political maneuvering, trying to deceive the laymen in public about the validity of those arguments. All guarantees were issued in accordance with legal procedures. It is not realistic to expect individualization of responsibility, just as it would not be possible to individualize merit for successful guarantees which contributed to the prosperity of certain sectors in Montenegrin economy. In 90 percent of cases, the guarantees were introduced to pay wages to workers, which meant socially taking care of the people. It is my firm belief that all these were good investments on the part of the state”, said Djukanovic.
He told Bojanic he should not link seven cents of tax to fuel levied for construction of the highway, with any other losses in the budget.
“It is fairer to introduce such a measure than to levy all taxpayers, those who will and those who won’t use the highway”, Prime Minister concluded.
