The defense of strategic resources is a matter of national security and dignity of a state, not market price, said the President of the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro (ASCG), Savo Kentera.
He said this at a roundtable discussion titled "Critical Infrastructure as an Instrument of Soft Power," organized by ASCG.
Kentera said that the defense of strategic resources is a matter of national security, not market price.
"It is a question of the dignity of a state," Kentera pointed out.
He said that small countries, like Montenegro, are particularly vulnerable, because they are often offered investments that essentially mean a loss of sovereignty.
"We must not allow what is the backbone of our state to become a tool in the hands of other people's politics. We must have a clear red line. Strategic resources are preserved, protected and developed in the interests of the citizens of Montenegro, and not sold under pressure or for short-term interests," Kentera said.
He emphasized that this is not just a question of economics, but a question of identity and freedom.
"If we give up control of our infrastructure, we have also given up control of ourselves," Kentera said.
He said that Montenegro is a geographically small country, but that it has something that many larger ones do not have.
"We have a clear awareness of who and what we are, where we belong and what we are fighting for. Our strength is not in size, but in a clear vision," Kentera stated.
He said that "our future is not in dependence, but in alliance with those who share our values."
"With true, sincere friends and partners. And that's why I want to say: Whoever controls our infrastructure controls our country. And Montenegro must never allow that to anyone," Kentera emphasized.
As mentioned, when talking about critical infrastructure, it is not just about power lines, ports, and telecommunications.
"We are talking about the heart of a country. If that heart stops beating, the country stops breathing," Kentera added.
Critical infrastructure, as he pointed out, is no longer just a technical issue, it has become a political weapon and an instrument of soft power.
"Today, the enemy doesn't have to send an army. It's enough to turn off the gas valve," Kentera said.
He added that he was not referring to Montenegro, but globally.
"It's enough to shut down the networks, it's enough to cut off the flow of information. And we remain automatically paralyzed," Kentera said.
He assessed that this is felt on multiple levels in Montenegro.
"We don't have gas, but we depend on electricity imports. True, in some months we also have it for export. But in general, we don't have stability. One disruption in the market and the entire economy becomes hostage," Kentera said.
He said that our digital infrastructure depends on global platforms, whose decisions are made far from Podgorica.
"Some further from Podgorica, some closer, and perhaps those that are closer are perhaps more dangerous. Our transport and energy network is often in the hands of actors who do not always share our interests," said Kentera.
As he stated, whoever controls the infrastructure controls the future, and that is the new reality.
Kentera said that there are three imperatives for Montenegro, the first of which is energy independence.
"We must build renewable sources, invest in the sun, wind, sea, water. Energy must remain in the hands of the state and its citizens," said Kentera.
He said that Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) is not just a company.
"It is the lifeblood of our economy and our society. If EPCG ever falls into the hands of foreign capital guided by other people's interests, we would lose the ability to decide for ourselves about our own future," Kentera said.
EPCG, as he pointed out, must never become a currency for political trading, nor the subject of short-term financial calculations.
Kentera emphasized that EPCG must remain a national pillar and guarantor of stability and security.
"Second, digital sovereignty. Whoever controls our data controls us. That's why we must protect our networks, develop capacities, and connect with partners we trust and who share the same values we stand for," Kentera said.
The third priority, he said, relates to the protection of strategic resources.
"Our waters, our ports, our energy companies - they are not just businesses. They are not commodities that are brought to market like any other," Kentera said.
He said that "this is the foundation of our survival."
"If ports and airports pass into the hands of foreign capital driven by other people's interests, we lose control over our seas and our economy," Kentera said.
He said that if energy companies become the subject of political games and foreign calculations, "we lose the ability to decide for ourselves about the light and heat in our homes."
"If we allow our water sources to become private property, one day our citizens may be paying the highest prices for resources that were born in our country," Kentera stated.
The Director of the Center for Strengthening the Resilience of Critical Infrastructure at ASCG, Zoran Keković, said that the concept of critical infrastructure first appeared in history during the administration of US President Bill Clinton as a result of the terrorist attacks on the federal building in Oklahoma.
He said that this was when continuous and intensive efforts by governments of Western countries, and primarily the European Union (EU), began to establish and strengthen a comprehensive framework for the protection of critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, as Keković stated, critical infrastructure and the approach to this phenomenon has evolved from protection to resilience.
He emphasized that critical infrastructure is not only an economic and security issue, but also a political, geopolitical, legal and socio-psychological one, meaning that the issue of protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening its resilience is a multidisciplinary issue, requiring a multidisciplinary approach.
"Without the symbiosis of social, natural and technical sciences, we cannot talk about a comprehensive approach to the protection of critical infrastructure and strengthening its resilience, at least in that academic sense," said Keković.
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