The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (PCCG), Nina Drakić, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce, Eurochambres, at a meeting of associated members in Podgorica.
As announced by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro, Vjekoslav Vuković, Vice President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Giorgi Pertaia, President of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Gennadiy Chyzhkov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, were elected to the Board of Directors from the associated members of Eurochambres.
Drakić emphasized that through her work on the Board of Directors, she will strive to make the Montenegrin economy a more active partner in shaping the business environment, and that she wants to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of our economy and its full integration into the European market.
"Montenegro, as a leader in the EU accession process, is in an excellent position to show how enlargement can work in practice, especially when the private sector is fully involved, and the Chamber of Commerce is ready to play an active role. That is why we are already supporting our companies by providing targeted services and training aligned with EU standards, facilitating access to finance and EU programs, as well as strengthening public-private dialogue so that reforms reflect the real needs of businesses," said Drakić.
According to her, Montenegro, as a small but dynamic economy, is committed to European integration and the development of a competitive, sustainable and innovative economic system. In this process, the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro recognizes the importance of international cooperation, and especially the value of membership and active participation in the work of Eurochambres, which represents a strong voice of the European economy and a key platform for connecting economies and improving the business environment of Europe.
As she stated, the meeting was another confirmation of the shared commitment to a stronger and more connected economy in Europe.
"A Europe in which chambers play a key role as a bridge between institutions and businesses, but also as bearers of ideas, initiatives and concrete solutions," said Drakić.
Eurochambres Vice President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stressed the importance of strong interconnection between chambers of commerce, as well as the continuation of EU integration in challenging times for the entire world, characterized by wars and unstable economic conditions. He emphasized that in challenging times, the role of chambers of commerce becomes more important than ever.
"We are faced with growing protectionism, trade wars and regional conflicts. In such times, the role of chambers of commerce becomes more important than ever. Because chambers represent a bridge between business, governments and society. We defend open markets, advocate for fair competition and provide businesses with the tools they need to do business. We are the voice of entrepreneurs, large and small," he said.
He pointed out that advocacy is one of the key roles of the chamber network.
"This role should be complemented by solidarity and knowledge exchange. Chambers that stick together, learn from each other and speak with one voice in the face of global challenges. That is why we need platforms like this – to come together, share concerns, views and best practices," said Hisarcıklıoğlu, who is also the chairman of the World Association of Chambers of Commerce and the president of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Stock Exchanges of Turkey TOBB.
Eurochambres President Vladimír Dlouhý, who joined the meeting yesterday, emphasized that this association brings together not only chambers from the EU but also countries outside it.
"We represent the interests of all our members, including those outside the EU. We equally try to support you in the processes and challenges, especially those related to EU accession. We cannot overdo it with such support, because we must contribute to solving long-term problems that affect the EU's competitiveness on a global level," said Dlouhý, who announced that, if he receives another mandate at the head of Eurochambres, he will contribute to simplifying European procedures and improving the business environment for businesses both in the EU and outside it.
According to him, peace is a key prerequisite for this and Europe is certainly committed to it.
During the meeting, candidates for members of the Eurochambres Board of Directors presented themselves, and the association's executive director, Ben Butters, informed the participants about Eurochambres' current and future activities.
"The enlargement process is one of the key priorities of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce. We want to help the national chambers of the member states to prepare their business communities for the European Union in the future. In this regard, we are working closely with the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro and the chambers of other candidate countries. We expect inputs from the chambers so that we can convey a strong message to the European institutions about the opportunities and challenges of the business communities in the candidate countries as they prepare for the European Union in the future," said Butters.
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