American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro (AmCham), in cooperation with the Communication team of the Council for NATO Membership, organized a round table entitled “NATO membership – an opportunity for the economy and business” in which participated Vladimir Kavaric, PhD, Minister of Economy, H. E. Margaret Uyehara, the U.S. Ambassador, H.E. Kristizian Posa, Ambassador of Hungary and Mr. Daren Evans, CEO of Stratex Development Montenegro,  with the presence of numerous representatives of the Government, state and local authorities and the private sector.

During the keynotes, our guest speakers presented key aspects relevant to the analysis of the economic benefits that the Montenegrin economy can achieve through NATO membership. In his opening statement, Mr. Marko Mirocevic, the Executive Director of AmCham, said that the received invitation to join NATO, as well as the participation of Montenegro as an observer at the recent NATO Summit in Warsaw, is seen as a significant boost to increasing the foreign direct investment, as it has sent a positive signal to investors that Montenegro is a stable and safe destination for business.

“A safe, stable and predictable business environment is the basis for economic progress of Montenegro, since only this kind of business climate guarantees retaining existing and attracting new foreign investors.” said Mirocevic.
 
Mirocevic pointed to the possibilities which will open up to the private sector through membership in NATO. “In fact, there are opportunities to participate in public procurement procedures in the NATO framework and export opportunities through the NATO program for codification of our potential export products. I emphasize that these are possibilities, not sure expectations, because it is essential that the business sector in Montenegro understands and strongly activates itself in the direction of using the benefits resulting from membership.” said Mirocevic.
 

U.S. Ambassador, H.E. Margaret Uyehara, stated that NATO membership means open possibilities that seek a proactive approach of the business sector and that NATO is a community of values ​​including the rule of law, transparency and good governance.

“Democratic governance, anti-corruption measures and a commitment to the rule of law are integral parts of society whose own door is open – including open for investment. In the long run, new investments set the scene for new jobs, infrastructure development, additional income and better standard of living for the citizens of Montenegro. NATO membership is an important step for Montenegro’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and raises the profile of Montenegro on the international scene.” said Uyehara.

The Ambassador also highlighted the work of AmCham, which, in her words, underscores the necessary linkages among business, government officials and media. AmCham seeks to foster NATO’s shared values throughout the Montenegrin business community. She said that President Obama passed the Senate the request for the United States to ratify the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to NATO.

Ambassador of Hungary, the contact country for Montenegro’s membership in NATO, H.E. Kristijan Poša, commented on the historical, political and economic aspects of accession to NATO, on the example of Hungary. Ambassador Posa said that Montenegro has made the biggest step ahead among the countries in the region. He said that Montenegro in 2017 has every chance to be a full member of NATO but, he added, by then there is still a lot to do. “You have an independent state, the institutions  are prepared and expect investors, but you still need to be a country which attracts foreign investors,” said Posa.

Minister Kavaric said that NATO membership is a long-term guarantee of the sovereignty and presented the key economic benefits of accession of Montenegro to the NATO Alliance. “With the Montenegro’s membership in NATO, Montenegrin companies are eligible to participate in NATO tenders, which has an annual budget of over $ 700 billion. Through a special procedure domestic enterprises should register interest in participating in public procurement, follow NATO tenders and submit their bids on time. By participating in these tenders and obtaining them, the Montenegrin companies will invest strongly in growth and development, which would in the long run lead to higher wages, new jobs, especially for highly educated personnel. When it comes to the codification of products, Montenegro has codified more than 70 products.” said Minister Kavaric.

 
Director of Stratex Development Montenegro, Mr. Daren Evans, believes that Montenegro’s membership in NATO creates a climate of expectations among foreign investors in terms of stability, development and growth. This climate of expectations fosters a layer of confidence in the rule of law – contract law, private property rights and anti-corruption systems. “Investments are protected,” said Evans. According to him, NATO membership represents a marketing campaign that Montenegro is open for business and new market opportunities. “Early entry into the new market means bigger returns for investors in the future.” said Evans.

Round table “NATO membership – an opportunity for the economy and business” was concluded with a discussion among the numerous assembled representatives of state and local government, the diplomatic corps and the business sector and an invitation to the private sector to make use of the opportunities that NATO membership provides to local companies.