First step towards new investments – Montenegro presents two strategic projects to US

Montenegro has sent two projects to America, which formally began the implementation of the intergovernmental agreement.

Economic analyst Predrag Zecevic expects that both projects will be accepted, but also that the United States of America will send its own for the construction of gas infrastructure to transport gas to European countries.

Ines Mrdovic from the Action for Social Justice believes that investors from credible world economies would arrive in Montenegro, but warns that Montenegro must strongly protect its interests because, as she says, it is entering into an arrangement with an economically stronger one.

RTCG’s interlocutors are of the opinion that the intergovernmental agreement with the US will not cause political tensions.

The Americans were submitted, according to the executive branch, two strategic projects - for the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor, and the national integrated cargo scanning system and the modernization of border control.

In the meantime, it was clarified that a call for expressions of interest had been published for American companies.

Economic analyst Predrag Zecevic believes that an important economic event is on the scene because American investors have not had any significant investments in the country so far. He emphasizes that Montenegro has sent two proposals to Washington, of which the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor alone is worth 2 billion and 800 million euros. He believes that they will be accepted and expects the US to now send its own proposal.

– The construction of gas infrastructure in Montenegro and an LNG terminal in Bar, where the Americans would have the Port of Bar as a point from which they would export gas to all European countries in order to reduce dependence on Russian gas – says Zecevic.

If there were a concrete implementation of the projects, Montenegro would benefit because investors from credible world economies would appear. This is the position of Ines Mrdovic from the Action for Social Justice.

– I simply believe that it is better to have investors from the USA, or from some developed European democracy, than to have investors from countries that are questionable democracies. On the other hand, one should not be naive. Every foreign investor, wherever they come from, has one key goal, which is to make a big profit – Mrdovic assesses.

Interstate agreements, Mrdovic is categorical, carry risk because, as she says, the weaker party enters into an arrangement with the stronger one.

– And when you are the financially weaker party, then of course the one coming from the other side will be in a much better position to take as much profit as possible, and that is something that the citizens of Montenegro pay for, of course – she warns.

The interlocutors are of the opinion that due to the implementation of the interstate agreement with the USA there will be no political tensions, which was the case when it was signed with the United Arab Emirates.

– At this moment, I do not believe that there will be any excessive political upheaval precisely for this reason, because America is a country that you cannot hold much against – Mrdovic emphasizes.

– As for whether there will be any political upheavals due to these projects, I do not believe so, especially because the Americans could very easily, if someone in Montenegro dares to be against these projects, declare them to be acting in a hybrid manner, either Russia or Iran – believes Zecevic.

Both Mrdovic and Zecevic are of the opinion that Montenegro will firmly protect its interests in the coming period, and that citizens, if necessary, will defend their resources in the best way possible. We also tried to get a comment on the beginning of the implementation of the intergovernmental agreement with America from the relevant minister Majda Adzovic, but there was no response to our calls.

Action for Social Justice

Port of Bar

LNG terminal in Bar

Predrag Zečević

Ines Mrdović