“Check against delivery”
Dear Prime Minister Spajić,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished guests,
It is such a pleasure to return to this beautiful country. Only a year after my last visit. And to be in this amazing place beside the Sea in Tivat. This region has been trading for thousands of years. And as we gather here in this amphitheatre, you can feel history is still being made. Montenegro is a country with such incredible potential. You sit at the heart of our continent, at a crossroads between Central and Southern Europe, between East and West. You are home to a young and dynamic population. You have adopted the euro and now joined our Single Euro Payments Area. And you are well on track to join our Union. But investment is still not matching the countrys potential. And I am talking in particular about European investment. We should not wait for accession to invest in Montenegro. We should not miss the opportunities that are already here. This is why I have made it a priority to attract more European investment to the Western Balkans, already before you join our Union. And I am pleased to see so many significant investors here today. Institutional investors like the European Investment Bank, the EBRD, and private investment banks. European companies as well as local firms – energy companies, engineers and agribusiness. Your presence here today is a real vote of confidence in Montenegro.
So what does this incredible country have to offer? With its beautiful landscape and coastline, tourism is a huge part of the economy. And todays projects have a strong focus on making this industry sustainable. For instance, through agritourism. But the economy of Montenegro is diversifying into many other areas. Just look at todays announcements. In clean energy, we will see floating solar farms, high-altitude wind power, and Montenegros first battery storage facility. In transport, the port of Bar will be the first Zero Carbon facility on the Adriatic. And in technology, Montenegros first innovation campus can create thousands of jobs. These 14 projects unite investors from Montenegro and across Europe – with strong backing from us. They help retain young talent in the country. They will encourage more of the diaspora to return home. And they represent millions of EUR in cutting-edge investments. It is proof of what can be achieved when European and Montenegrin businesses work together.
But these investments are also a vote of confidence in the governments ambitious reform agenda. There has been great progress in many areas. Like modernising the judicial systems. Several important laws were adopted before the summer. Including significant electoral reforms in areas like political financing. But the months and years ahead will be even more consequential. If Montenegro keeps on this path, the goal of joining our Union is truly within reach. This is the moment to move forward at maximum speed. With reforms on the rule of law, and transparency in public procurement. This will also send a clear signal that Montenegro means business. And that Montenegro is a great place to do business.
Ladies and gentlemen,
My message to investors is – do not delay. There are incredible opportunities here. And a wealth of potential. Let us make sure that both European and Montenegrin businesses are the ones that benefit.
Long live Europe.
