Marković: There are mechanisms for the state to begin forced collection of tax debts and verification of criminal responsibility

I believe that there are mechanisms for the state to start forced collection of tax debts and to start checking the criminal responsibility of all those who were heads of companies that are on the black list, Nikola Marković, director of RTV Nikšić, said in Boja jutra.

He states that the black list listing all the companies that owe huge amounts of tax is published every year, but that the institutions have never raised this issue.

"Why was the debt allowed to reach 300 million. This is because of the non-functioning of the rule of law. In serious democratic societies, you can do anything, but you have to pay taxes. The huge companies that we were convinced were working well until yesterday are on this list. example of Plantaža, they convinced us that they were doing great business and that's why their salaries were so high. The media had been buzzing about the Možura Affair for years, the former government said that everything was fine, but all you see is the tax debt," Marković enumerates.

He believes that the problem is that the public is not familiar with the names of private persons and public officials who owe money.

"Many officials have various businesses, both formal and informal. Why can't we see what their tax obligations are. We must be much more transparent. I believe that there are mechanisms for the state to start forced collection and to start checking criminal responsibility. Apart from Plantage there are also Airports, Montenegro Airlines... Let's see how this situation came to be. Is anyone who managed it bear responsibility for it or did they end their mandate, take severance pay and leave. The state must be rigorous, especially when it comes to companies like the ones in question," says Marković.

When it comes to the Open Balkans, Marković believes that an open debate must be held on this issue in order to see what are the advantages and what are the disadvantages. whether or not Montenegro should accede. We haven't had a real debate about it so far, to see what are the advantages of OB, to see what we get, what are the disadvantages".

He points out that OB must not be a substitute for our EU integration.

"We see that we have dissonant tones in the Government itself, so I think that it must be approached seriously. Regional cooperation in itself is very good. But let's not forget that this region is very sensitive and we are witnesses that from love to hate is a very small step and we are aware of what we have survived in the last 30 years," says Marković.