Vuković: Since the Government changed the law, I believe that there may be some corruption hidden in the debts

As the state borrows, we may not be allowed to inform you anymore because the Government is threatening strict fines for publishing information about the issuance of government securities, which is, by the way, one of the main ways in which Montenegro has borrowed in recent years.

The ruling PES party announces that it will vote for these changes to the law, while the opposition, the NGO sector, and economic analysts call the decision insane and see it as an attempt to hide the poor state of public finances.

The government of Prime Minister Milojko Spajić plans to amend the Capital Market Law to prohibit the publication in the media and at public meetings of information, data and assessments related to the issuance of government securities, which is one of the main ways of borrowing from the state, from the beginning to the conclusion of these issuances. "Vijesti" reported that the reason is that the publication of this information could sway potential investors from buying these securities, although such a ban does not exist in other countries.

"Who wants to hide how much we will borrow and how much money is missing from the budget? You know that we have three very intensive years ahead of us in terms of borrowing, and no one will be allowed to write about that. This is an immediate sign that there is panic in the Government, that the budget is being filled at a slower pace," said the director of Fidelity Consulting, Miloš Vuković, at today's session of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro.

Vuković claims that budget revenues are already below plan, and expenditures are 60 million euros, or 10 percent higher than in the same period last year, while the trend of declining tourism revenues continues.

"As of today, since the government changed the law, I believe that perhaps there is some corruption hidden in the debts," he added.

The ruling PES party told us that they have not yet considered the articles of the law relating to the secrecy of borrowing, but that in principle they will vote for the law, due to its importance in the integration process. They say that they will discuss the details at the main committee for the economy.

The opposition URI, on the other hand, says that the story is repeating itself, as with the Agreement with the Emirates, and that this is the matrix by which the government behaves.

"We have to change this, or we will get used to and agree to these crazy solutions," said Miloš Konatar from the Civic Movement URA.

Media outlets that write about the conditions under which the Government borrows could be fined from 5 to 40 thousand euros, and citizens from 5 thousand to XNUMX thousand. The civil sector dealing with the media considers this intention of the Government to be scandalous and unconstitutional.

"It shows that Milojko Spajić, as Prime Minister, does not belong to politics, he belongs to the business sector and does not understand what his role and that of the Government are, and that he is accountable to the citizens. And that everything that this Government does is subject to the scrutiny of the media, their controlling role which must be and is protected by all acts, from the Constitution onwards," said Goran Đurović from the NGO "Media Centar".

Montenegro has already borrowed 850 million euros this year, precisely by issuing government bonds, and it can borrow another 550 million. We will find out soon whether we will be allowed to inform citizens about this.