The government adopted the program for 2019: Priority "continuation of the dynamic process of European integration"

Today, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Government Work Program for 2019.

As priority goals of the Government, the program states "continuation of the dynamic process of European integration, strong economic growth, suppression of the gray economy and improvement of public services".

Vice President for Economic Policy and Financial System Milutin Simović said that the key commitment of the Government this year is to create conditions for the growth of citizens' living standards.

Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pažin told the press after the session that "the strong focus of the Government this year is on improving public services".

They expect the opening of the last negotiation chapter

He said that, when it comes to the first goal of the Government - the process of accession to the European Union - very specific and measurable goals have been set.

"This year, we expect to fulfill the conditions for opening the last negotiation chapter, receiving clear guidelines from the European partners for the final closure of negotiations in key chapters dedicated to the rule of law, and the gradual closing of negotiation chapters," said Pažin.

Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović said that expectations are based on "very successful two previous years". He added that the Government's ambition is to, despite the "raised ladder, continue with strong rates of economic growth in order to achieve the ultimate goal as soon as possible - achieving a high quality of life for citizens".

"He added that we base this goal on the achieved macroeconomic stability of the state, preservation of the stability of the financial sector, the implementation of large infrastructure projects, the sustainable valorization of resources and the implementation of the development program for admission to the citizenship of Montenegro for the purpose of investments," the Government announced.

In suppressing the gray economy, as the third priority of the Government, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System announced the launch of comprehensive activities against the informal economy in all its forms, full coordination of all competent institutions and through additional cooperation with interested actors, especially with social partners. "We think it should be a common platform," said Simović.

As a result of the realistic achievement of these goals, said Vice President Simović, it is expected that new jobs will continue to be opened and the quality of existing jobs will be improved, as well as an increase in the standard of living of citizens through clear and measurable indicators: through the minimum cost of labor, through further regularization of pensions, their harmonization, of space and for the eventual increase and reduction of labor tax rates, which increases the competitiveness of the economy and opens up space for the creation of new jobs.

"Citizens to feel the effects of reforms"

The Vice-Presidents of the Government of Montenegro, Milutin Simović and Zoran Pažin, emphasized the importance of improving public services to citizens, for which four million euros have already been provided by the European Commission, and another eight million are expected after the fulfillment of the criteria. At the same time, the negotiation process with the World Bank on support in the amount of 15 million euros has been delayed, the Government announced.

Pažin announced the Government's additional efforts to make citizens feel the effects of the reforms.

"And that is the measure of our overall success. The basic task is to adapt public administration to the needs of citizens and the economy".

Pažin also announced that the Government's plan is to determine the proposals for the law on media and the law on the national public broadcaster RTCG already in the first quarter.

"Both draft laws were prepared by a working group consisting of representatives of the media, the academic community, the civil sector and state institutions. We requested and received comments from experts from the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The draft media laws are currently under public discussion. After we listen once again interested public and we look at the suggestions from the public discussion, the drafts will be sent for another expert reading and submitted to the European Commission for its opinion", Pažin said.

In the second quarter, he announced, the Government plans to establish the Draft Law on Freedom of Religion.

"In this sense, the Government tasked the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights to prepare a draft law that will regulate relations between the state and religious communities in Montenegro, in a way that guarantees full freedom of religion, in accordance with European standards."

In the third quarter, it is planned to establish the Draft Law on Internal Affairs.

"This will create normative conditions for the continuation of the reform of the Police Administration, the conduct of the police in accordance with European standards, as well as issues of internal organization and strengthening of personnel capacities."

In the fourth quarter, it is planned to pass the Draft Law on Alternative Dispute Resolution. This law, as claimed by Pažin, will provide citizens and the economy with a much faster and cheaper way of resolving disputes, outside of lengthy court proceedings, according to the Government announcement.

"By adopting this law, citizens will have better access to justice, and the business community will have a more reliable support for creating new value in society," he said.

The two-year EU accession program was also adopted

At today's session, the Government adopted the Program for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union for the period 2019-2020, which represents a two-year plan of legislative, strategic and administrative reform activities of the Government of Montenegro in the field of European integration and implementation of obligations from the negotiation process.

"Implementation of obligations from the Program leads to the adoption and application of European standards in all areas and the improvement of the quality of life of our citizens," said Dragana Marković, adviser to the chief negotiator, on the occasion of the adoption of that document.

According to the Government, Marković said that by implementing this document, the Government will intensify reforms that lead to a better standard of living and quality of life for citizens.

As she announced, with the Accession Program, in the next two-year period, the adoption of 108 laws and 254 by-laws, 112 strategic documents, as well as the strengthening of administrative capacities in institutions that are the bearers of reform activities are planned.

"The most obligations in the legislative part await us in chapters: 24 - Justice, freedom and security, and the largest number of by-laws in chapters: 1 - Freedom of movement of goods, chapter 12 - Food safety, veterinary medicine and photosanitary supervision, chapter 14 - Traffic policy and Chapter 27 - Environment and climate change. The largest number of strategic documents is planned within chapters 14 - Traffic Policy, 24 - Justice, Freedom and Security and 27 - Environment and Climate Change. The greatest need for strengthening administrative capacities is within Chapter 23 - Justice and Fundamental Rights, 24 - Justice, Freedom and Security, 27 - Environment and Climate Change, and Chapters 1 - Freedom of Movement of Goods and 19 - Social Policy and Employment," she announced. is Marković.

She pointed out that the departments of economy, finance, agriculture and rural development, and transport and maritime will have the most obligations in the implementation of PPCG.

Bearing in mind the importance of Chapters 23 and 24 for progress in the accession negotiations, Marković pointed out that the Accession Program planned activities with the aim of fulfilling temporary standards in these areas, the Government announced.

Marković explained that in these chapters, the adoption of several laws is planned, such as the Law on Internal Affairs, the Law on the Media and the Law on Amendments to the Law on the National Public Broadcaster Radio and Television of Montenegro, the Law on Amendments to the Law on the State Prosecutor's Office, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Courts and the Law on Amendments to the Law on Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters with EU Member States.

She said that the high-quality and efficient implementation of the Accession Program will ensure the improvement of the results of the negotiation structure, the maintenance of good dynamics of the accession process and the achievement of internal readiness for the temporary closure of the chapter.