The Chamber of Commerce (PKCG) will continue to contribute to the creation of a stable and stimulating business environment, with a special focus on improving the economic system through the design of economic policy measures, said the president of the association, Nina Drakić.
In an interview with the PKCG Gazette after her re-election as president, she said that the chamber of commerce of every country, including Montenegro, is as strong as its members are involved in its work.
"Therefore, in the coming period, my goal will be to make the economy an even more active partner in creating a business environment through activities that will ensure that the business community recognizes the importance of unity and connection within the Chamber, all with the aim of strengthening competitiveness and preparing for the European market," said Drakić.
She thanked Montenegrin businesspeople who assessed that the results they achieved together during their first term were worthy of trust.
"The trust shown represents an additional obligation, but also a motivation to continue with dedicated work. In Montenegro, there are institutions whose duration is not tied to a single mandate, project or moment - they are the pillars of society. I believe that the PKCG belongs to that category, and I am extremely honored to have been given the opportunity to be at its head for the next four years," said Drakić.
She said that they will continue to implement activities that contribute to the creation of a stable, predictable and stimulating business environment, while strongly representing the interests of members before competent institutions. A special focus will be on improving the economic system through the design of economic policy measures.
"In this process, the intensive participation of business people in the work of the Chamber will play a key role - because it is they, as direct market actors, who know best what challenges they face, and what the potential is for growth and development. Their engagement in sectoral committees and other bodies, as well as the Board of Directors and the Chamber Assembly, will be of crucial importance for creating initiatives that bring concrete results," said Drakić.
In the next four years, as announced, the Chamber will focus on three key goals: representing the interests of the economy before decision-makers, strengthening competitiveness and promoting the economy, and modernizing services and harmonizing them with modern requirements.
"We will achieve this by proposing measures that contribute to improving the business environment, educational, promotional and internationalization-oriented activities, through inter-chamber cooperation, the implementation of projects and public authorizations, the work of the courts at the chamber, information, and the modernization of the Chamber's operations," Drakić stated.
According to her, the second term is an opportunity to complete long-term projects that have already been started, but also to start implementing new initiatives that will influence the future of the Montenegrin economy.
"Also, in 2028 we will celebrate 100 years of the existence and work of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro. Therefore, strengthening the influence and role of the Chamber in the period ahead, along with further upgrading its historical reputation, modernization and adaptation to current trends - is the best preparation for marking this great and significant jubilee," Drakić assessed.
When asked what the most significant activities and results she achieved during her previous term at the helm of the Chamber were, Drakić replied that the business community considered the results achieved in the previous term important and valuable, expressing this with the support it gave her for the coming period.
"The Chamber's branch associations and groups held over 200 meetings at which economic trends were analyzed and regulations of importance to business were discussed. The focus was on regulations on companies, labor, profit tax, value added tax (VAT), excise duties, internal trade, solidarity contribution, tourism and hospitality, water services, spatial planning, construction of facilities, legalization of illegal facilities, utility services, forests, and games of chance," Drakić stated.
It is important, he believes, to point out that more than 60 initiatives have been sent to decision-makers with the aim of eliminating barriers to business and improving the legislative framework. All this means that economic trends have been continuously monitored, research on the business environment has been conducted and numerous analyses have been prepared.
"Considering education and the alignment of education policy with the needs of the economy as extremely important, we organized over 300 educational activities attended by around 12 thousand participants, financed training for shortage occupations and awarded 131 allowances to students involved in dual education. The Road Transport Education Center conducted 47 exams for acquiring professional qualifications for managers and drivers, in which 1,3 thousand managers and drivers obtained certificates of professional qualifications," said Drakić.
The Chamber, as she stated, has successfully implemented 32 projects funded by the EU and other international donors, and is currently implementing 25 of them. Through project activities, businesspeople had the opportunity to improve their knowledge about the green and blue economy, entrepreneurship development, digitalization and other current topics, and were given opportunities to connect with foreign companies.
"As part of international activities, 33 business forums were held in the country and abroad, and the participation of the economy at 26 fairs was organized, where representatives of almost 500 companies had the opportunity to present their products and services. Among others, these were fairs in Belgrade, Tirana, Pristina, Paris, Barcelona, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Cologne, Milan, Lisbon and Istanbul. I would especially highlight the successful appearance of the ICT sector at the joint stand at the GITEX fair in Berlin, since it was the first appearance of our businessmen at fairs in EU countries," Drakić reminded.
All of this, she assessed, confirms that they have paid special attention to the promotion of the economy, and the achieved results represent a good basis for further institutional and marketing support for the domestic market and consumption. They launched a promotional campaign called "The Strength is in All of Us", aimed at promoting the Montenegrin economy, with the aim of spreading awareness about the potential of the economy, the opportunities it offers through synergistic action and its importance for the overall development of the country. With the aim of better promoting domestic products and services, raising awareness about the importance of purchasing them, in the first half of the year a prize game "For our development, let's buy ours!" was organized, which was well received by the economy and citizens.
"The Chamber has issued almost five thousand documents based on public authorizations, and in the future it will also conduct professional exams for agents in real estate leasing and sales," Drakić added.
Speaking about the modernization of the Chamber of Commerce's operations, she said that it is a permanent process. It is dictated by the demands of the economy and the rapid changes in the technological and business world in general.
"Guided by this, we decided to develop the eChamber project, which represents a digital platform that will enable business people to access services 24/7, in addition to direct communication via eBox, document exchange and more efficient administrative processes. A Business Registry with interactive search will also be developed, and all companies will have their own virtual space for communication," Drakić specified.
In addition to the planned connection to state institution databases and enabling the digital issuance of certificates and solutions, artificial intelligence tools will also be developed for specialized services intended for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, she explained. This will include, among other things: interactive info-centers available at all times, real-time business and sector statistics, legal and financial advisory tools based on artificial intelligence, with the possibility of personalized recommendations.
"One of the strategic priorities will be to systematically address barriers to business, primarily the grey economy and the lack of qualified labor. We will enable members to have insight into the status of the Chamber's proposals/initiatives through the PKCG Initiatives Map platform - from submission to implementation, along with the monthly newsletter Initiatives and Outcomes," said Drakić.
She announced that she will also launch a permanent platform, Business MeetUp, which is intended to connect the economy, financial sector and innovators across Montenegro, with the aim of networking and easier access to financing.
"In addition, the Chamber will provide support to young people and business beginners, through practical guides, readiness tests for business ideas, and tools for self-assessment and growth planning," Drakić added.
When asked how the Chamber plans to support the Montenegrin economy in the process of preparing for the single European market, Drakić replied that EU accession opens up numerous opportunities, but also brings specific obligations to the economy during the process of harmonization with European standards. In this process, the Chamber has an important role to play in preparing their companies for the single market.
"Going further than what has been done on this topic so far, the EU Info Desk platform - The Road to the Single Market will be launched, which will offer practical information, tools and advice related to EU regulations, customs procedures, standards, as well as access to financial programs such as Horizon Europe, COSME, Erasmus+ and LIFE," said Drakić.
She said they plan to introduce a digital tool, EU Ready, which will allow companies to assess their readiness for the EU market, with recommendations for improvement and referrals to specific training and services. Through a monthly EU newsletter, sector-specific workshops, guides and interactive materials, companies will have access to knowledge and examples of good practice from EU member states.
"In this way, the EU Info Desk will become a central point of information, advice and networking, empowering the Montenegrin economy to enter the European market as readily as possible, improve its competitiveness, and turn challenges into development opportunities," said Drakić.
She stated that her vision for the future of PKCG is clear.
"A Chamber that connects. An economy that thrives. A future that we build together. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montenegro remains open to membership, more proactive in representing interests, agile in recognizing opportunities and reliable in providing support. Respecting almost a century of tradition, the Chamber will set the standards of modern association, relying on knowledge, dialogue and shared responsibility," concluded Drakić.
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