According to him, this was a very successful year for Montenegro, noting that all implemented reforms are of great value, especially progress in the rule of law.
Djukanovic said that the invitation for NATO membership crowned the success of not only state bodies, but all responsible social subjects, after many years of continuous efforts in achieving the standards of developed European countries.
“The privilege of being among the 29 most developed democratic and economic countries does not mean just membership in a powerful military alliance, but it is, above all, the affiliation to a new system of values for Montenegro and for other Western Balkan countries”, Djukanovic said.
He said Montenegro identified the need and defined its determination to alienate itself from long historical wanderings which were characterized by instability and lagging behind in terms of economic and democratic development.
“Economic growth this year is significantly above the projected, more than double compared to the growth in the region and the euro area; growth is finally in a preferred zone of four to five percent annually, and it is a confirmation that we have available development resources, knowledge and experience to design a sustainable and dynamic economic growth”, said the Prime Minister.
He said he hopes this would help alleviate the burning social problem – unemployment – especially of young and educated people. “And that we will overcome the gap in terms of quality of living standards in relation to the developed Europe.”
Djukanovic believes that the quality and dynamic process of negotiation with the EU is validation of a living process of emancipation of Montenegrin society, and growing of its capacity as a society in all respects.
“All the reforms that have been implemented are of great value, and particularly valuable is progress achieved in the rule of law, bearing in mind that this is one of the fundamental deficits of all Balkan countries”, he said.
According to the Prime Minister, this is how authorities in Montenegro showed that they do not dress up reality.
“We are not masking the inherited social problems, we are observing them openly and unswervingly following solutions that will lead to overcoming these deficits and to making of prerequisites for long-term, stable development”, he added.
The Prime Minister said he does not see achieved results primarily as satisfaction, but as a chance, a foreseeable horizon of a better life that gives reason for real optimism that in the near future, Montenegro’s economic and democratic development would make it an organic part of the developed democratic society.
He said the following year will be equally challenging.
“We’ll make sure to exercise continued commitment to reforms to make things easier for our partners from the Alliance to quickly conclude accession negotiations and create conditions for ratification of our membership. We’ll make sure to exercise a responsible attitude towards domestic political tasks and that all relevant political parties act responsibly, in order to overcome the current lack of confidence in the political arena, to strengthen stability and create conditions for further dynamic and harmonic relationship in the process of negotiations with the EU”, he said.
He reiterated the need to work diligently on the most important task – implementation of development projects, which will enable Montenegro to develop at a desirable rate of economic growth of four to five percent per year, in a mid-term period of time.
“We are going forward on the basis of results achieved in 2015, with reinforced confidence in our capacities and with faith in the values that we have chosen as a reference for our future development”, he said adding that the government will be forgiving and friendly towards both traditional and new friends.
He thanked everyone for the committed engagement on the results achieved, during what he evaluated as a very successful year.
Djukanovic especially thanked the diplomatic corps for the great efforts made to mobilize all resources from their countries, to help Montenegro overcome the inherited problems and find itself in the ranks of developed societies.
Today’s event will also be remembered as the first Government’s New Year’s reception to which the President of the Parliament, Ranko Krivokapic, failed to appear for the first time in 17 years.
