Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – Prime Minister Dusko Markovic has said that a strong economic growth across all sectors shows that Montenegro is on the right course of development and that the Government has a good vision.
Opening the 4th Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) in Budva, he said that this vision included Montenegro as a regional energy hub, with a submarine power cable to Italy or renewable energy sources, as well as a balanced regional development that would be strategically strengthened by the construction of the first motorway in the country.
“Montenegro, by its development, confirms European values in the best way, as a future member of the European Union and a responsible neighbour and actor in the region and beyond,” said Markovic.
According to a press release issued by his Office, he said that Montenegro was ending its one-year chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region.
At the same time, the University of Montenegro is ending its one-year chairmanship over the UniAdrion Association, which brings together 38 universities and research centres in the region.
“The Adriatic-Ionian region is a home to over 70 million people sharing the same challenges, but also the same, exceptional potentials. Although we have different economic indicators, we all have to bear in mind the same goal that the European Union’s strategy promotes for this region – a uniformly developed, competitive area and a region characterised by economic and social growth,” said Markovic.
According to him, an accelerated economic development and job creation, as well as the creation of business opportunities through concrete activities in the sector of blue growth, transport and energy networks, sustainable tourism and environmental development, must remain the backbone of the Government’s work.
“Montenegro is the first non-EU member state to chair the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian region. We have accepted the chairmanship as a challenge, but also as an additional responsibility, aware that the Strategy is a mechanism for strengthening the process of European integration,” said Markovic.
He said that Montenegro’s participation in the cross-border and transnational cooperation programmes was a key factor enabling the use of potentials in the best possible way, and preparation for the use of structural and investment funds once it became an EU member state.
Over next several days, the EU Forum for the Adriatic-Ionian Region will be held in parallel with the conference of the forums of the Adriatic-Ionian Chambers of Commerce, Cities and Universities, which is an exceptional potential for linking hundreds of representatives of state institutions, local authorities, business people, civil sector and all stakeholders recognising the importance of promoting and improving the close cooperation among the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian region.
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