Association of Transporters of Montenegro: The Government has not shown willingness to protect the transport sector

The Montenegrin Government has not shown any willingness to protect its own transport sector for years, while Croatia protects its transporters even from competition from a country that has yet to become a member of the European Union, the Montenegrin Transporters Association announced.

The President of the Association of Transporters of Montenegro, Đorđije Lješnjak, said that the concerns of Croatian transporters, from the aspect of protecting their own market, are fully justified, in response to media allegations that the Croatian Government and Croatian transporters are expressing concern about the possible increased competitiveness of Montenegrin transport companies after Montenegro's accession to the European Union and that this could be the reason for challenging the closure of Chapter 14.

"Unlike Montenegro, Croatia thinks strategically, years in advance, and protects the interests of its transporters, who are among the strongest and most organized in Europe, even from competition from a country whose transport sector has been fighting for mere survival for years," Lješnjak said in a statement.

He said that, unfortunately, the Government of Montenegro is doing exactly the opposite. For years, it has been oppressing domestic transporters, ignoring their problems and treating them as second-class businessmen. While European countries are developing and protecting their transport sectors, our transporters are left to their own devices, without serious support and without a clear strategy for survival and development.

"Because of such a state attitude, we are convinced that a large number of Montenegrin transport companies will not even see Montenegro enter the European Union. Those who manage to survive will not enter the single European market as strong and competitive companies, but as companies that will fight for mere survival," said Lješnjak.

He stated that Montenegrin carriers will offer themselves to the European market at significantly lower prices than their competitors. Not because they want to disrupt the market or jeopardize anyone's business, but because years of negligence by their own state will force them to seek the only salvation in a more competitive price for their services.

"If we want to save our companies, jobs and families who make a living from this business, we will fight for every job. We will work for minimal margins, we will accept jobs that others may not and we will use every opportunity allowed by European Union legislation, including cabotage transport in accordance with European Union rules. It will not be a question of ambition, but a question of survival," Lješnjak said.

According to him, no one can expect a Montenegrin transport company, which has been neglected in its own country for years, to enter a market where companies operate that are many times stronger in terms of capital, fleet, and support from their countries, while refusing the only means by which it can be competitive - lower labor costs.

"At the same time, Montenegrin transporters have the right to ask one question: is it possible that the Government of Montenegro is truly at the level of European governments when it comes to its attitude towards its own economy," asked Lješnjak.

He stated that if the Croatian state believes that its carriers should be protected even from the weakest on the European market, then we wonder why the Montenegrin state does not believe it is worth protecting its own carriers, who have been warning about problems and seeking dialogue for years, and in return receive repression, torture, intimidation, a demonstration of force or silence.

"Because of all the above, we believe that the Government of Montenegro, instead of expecting domestic carriers to shoulder the burden of European integration themselves, should finally take responsibility and create conditions in which they will be competitive thanks to quality, modernization and greater efficiency, and not solely the lowest price of the service," believes Lješnjak.

Instead of Montenegrin transporters preparing for equal participation in the single European market, they will enter the European Union burdened by the consequences of years of neglect by domestic institutions, additional administrative burdens and the consequences of the introduction of the EES (Entry/Exit System).

"All of this puts our companies in an unequal position compared to competitors from countries that have been systematically preparing their transport sectors for these changes for years. The EES will further prolong delays at the external borders of the European Union, increase operating costs, reduce vehicle and driver utilization, make it more difficult to meet delivery deadlines, and further reduce the competitiveness of Montenegrin transport companies," said Lješnjak.

According to him, instead of the state already working today to mitigate these consequences and prepare the sector for new European procedures, domestic carriers are left to their own devices in this matter.

"Because if anyone in Croatia is afraid of Montenegrin transporters today, then that fear is not a consequence of our strength, but of the fact that those who manage to survive the long-standing negligence of their own state will be forced to fight for their place on the European market by all legally permissible means. For us, it will not be a fight for profit, but a fight for survival," the statement concludes.