Podgorica, July 7 – Better cooperation between state authorities and the economy with the aim of creating a predictable business environment that affirms equal conditions for all market participants is necessary for the successful realization of existing as well as attracting new investments, agrees the President of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce, Svetlana Vuksanović and Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanović. They signed a Memorandum of Cooperation as part of the American Chamber of Commerce’s “Rule of Dialogue” program.

Through the “Rule of Dialogue” program, emphasis is placed on establishing coordinated cooperation that will help solve complex problems in a clear and structured way.

“In their daily activities, our members face numerous challenges, and it is precisely through cooperation and continuous dialogue that we want to identify them and help solve them. We believe that the timely involvement of the business community is particularly important when designing regulations of importance for the business environment, especially in the domain of the financial system and technologies, public revenues and procurement. In addition, we offer help and experience to our members when creating policies and measures aimed at predictable and transparent tax and customs policy. We want to work together to suppress illegal trade and create a predictable business environment that affirms equal conditions for all market participants,” Vuksanović said.

The Minister of Finance said that the signing of the Memorandum is a confirmation of the Ministry’s intention to improve and make concrete the cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce, as a credible and important partner.

“I am convinced that we can still count on the support of the Ministry of Finance in implementing development policies. Our commitment is transparent, stable and sustainable public finances. One of our main aspirations is to reduce the rate of the gray economy to the smallest possible extent, to finance important infrastructure projects in transport and energy, and to create a favorable overall environment for attracting credible investors. I am sure that the American Chamber of Commerce can help us to increase the level of American investments, and we, for our part, strive to remove obstacles in business and create a more favorable business environment, while respecting legal frameworks. The Ministry of Finance strives for predictable and consistent management of public finances, and the weight of the tasks before us is further complicated by current geopolitical events and the accompanying challenges we face at the macro and micro level. Therefore, the continuation of cooperation with reliable partners certainly gains additional importance in the development economic perspective, in these challenging times”, concludes Damjanović.

Vuksanović adds that the gray economy limits the possibilities of attracting quality investments and deprives every society of serious resources for progress.

“Less gray economy, I believe, means more foreign investment. In the fight against the gray economy, not only the measures of the state apparatus can help, but also new technologies, knowledge and human capital. All this is brought together by the American Chamber of Commerce and we are ready to work in cooperation with the Government and relevant ministries to ensure that the Montenegrin society and economy progress,” said Vuksanović.

The signing of the Memorandum with the Ministry of Finance is a continuation of the cooperation between the American Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Montenegro that began on June 6 at the “Open with the Prime Minister” event, when the umbrella Memorandum on Cooperation on the “Rule of Dialogue” program was signed. The American Chamber of Commerce has already signed special Memorandum with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism. In the coming period, the plan is to sign a Memorandum with other relevant ministries.

The goal of the “Rule of Dialogue” program of the American Chamber of Commerce is to contribute to a predictable and transparent business environment based on the rule of law. Such an environment creates a good basis for attracting renowned investors from the USA and Western European countries. Their arrival on the Montenegrin market not only provides capital, but also knowledge and experience, and a value system based on socially responsible business.