Post by radovic on Aug 25, 2008 9:49:57 GMT -5
Montenegro ‘Wavering’ in Commitment to EU
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Podgorica21 August 2008 Opposition leaders and influential think tanks say the Djukanovic regime has no real desire to embrace the EU and so come under the closer scrutiny of the Brussels bureaucracy.
By Nedjeljko Rudovic in Podgorica
Opposition politicians in Montenegro say the government is paying only lip service to the goal of EU membership, while the real goal of Milo Djukanovic is to stay out of the club and become an offshore banking centre.
The Texas-based private intelligence agency, Stratfor, has also suggested that Montenegro would prefer to stay an EU hopeful because joining the EU might reduce the cashflow into Montenegro on the part of those who see it as a new offshore banking destination.
The government has dismissed such claims saying it is remains committed to join the EU and will formally apply for membership by the end of the year.
Nebojsa Medojevic leader of the opposition Movement for Changes, PzP, claims Podgorica has no real desire to further European integration, as that might endanger its positions and interests.
“Montenegro is ruled by a small group, which is afraid of changes leading to closer ties with the EU,” Medojevic said.
He insisted a powerful anti-European lobby in Montenegro, which had emerged through an irregular transition process, wars, smuggling and crime, had no desire to come under EU scrutiny.
Any examination of the implementation of EU laws would soon reveal “that the laws do not apply to a close circle of powerful men,” he said.
“The idea of the authorities is to turn Montenegro into a country that will geographically be closer to Europe, but will have offshore status and serve as a refuge for money launderers”.
For its part, the government denies any intention of slowing down the process of EU integration.
Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, stresses that only last year Montenegro signed a key agreement with the EU, marking the first step to membership.
However, some important experts agree with at least some of the opposition claims.
The Texas-based private intelligence agency, Stratfor, has said it believes Montenegro may give up its hopes of membership of the European Union, keeping the status of a “permanent candidate”, instead.
The highly regarded agency, which supplies intelligence data to clients all over the world, predicts that Montenegro will continue to insist it wants closer ties with the EU, but that this will be mainly for show.
Stratfor says Montenegro may be hoping to fill an offshore void in Europe that was created when Cyprus joined the EU.
“Montenegro is a banking centre that offers its clients (many of whom are extremely rich) services which could not be available under strict supervision of the EU,” it said in a report published on August 6.
“Such a Montenegro, however, would have no use from formal membership in the EU. This dilemma may explain why Montenegro has not yet officially applied for the membership. Even when it finally does, Montenegro could remain a permanent candidate.”
After it quit the State Union with Serbia in 2006, Montenegro signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, SAA, with Brussels last October. It has said it will formally apply for membership by the end of the year.
Before that, the European Commission will issue a report on Montenegro's progress. In previous reports, the Commission was deeply critical of Montenegro, complaining of high levels of corruption and a weak judiciary.
Gordana Djurovic, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European integration, says Montenegro's European perspective is obvious, and recalls the adoption of a National Programme for integration into the EU.
She emphasises that Montenegrin legislation, institutions and procedures are being put into harmony with EU regulations and standards.
“All of this is being done extremely efficiently and under short deadlines,” Djurovic said.
“Montenegro’s European perspective is obvious and an application [to join the EU] will be announced by the end of year. That in itself is enough to rebut the claims being made by the Strafor agency.”
Djurovic went on to say that Montenegro had abandoned any lingering ambitions of becoming an offshore investment zone long ago.
“In the mid-1990s, Montenegro wanted to attract foreign investment through offshore projects, but this never took off and in the meantime Montenegro gave up the idea,” the minister said.
“Montenegro since clearly demonstrated to all interested investors that its model of future economic development would be… based on the legal concepts of other European countries – especially EU members. No one wants Montenegro to become an offshore destination, but instead they count on it only as an EU destination.”
However, doubts about the government’s goals remain. One DPS source told Balkan Insight that he thought forcing the pace with Brussels could slow down the inflow of capital to Montenegro from countries outside the EU.
“What European Union? What do we need it for?” this source asked.
Meanwhile, Professor Veselin Vukotic, until recently the vice-chairman of the government's Council for privatisation, has made frequent statements that appear at odds with his official pro-EU stance.
Two years ago, Vukotic’s associate, Maja Drakic, published a study in which she said Montenegro should first determine whether it was profitable to go for EU membership and only then make a decision.
Professor Vukotic is close to Prime Minister Djukanovic. The two men are founders of the Univerzitas company, which owns the Donja Gorica university, launched last year.
Momcilo Radulovic, secretary general of the European Movement in Montenegro, is also sceptical of the government’s intentions when it comes to EU membership.
“Reformist activities are not being carried out,” he said. “We are passing laws and making decisions that we do not implement; we create institutions which do not exist.” According to Radulovic, “Reforms exist only on paper.”
Claiming that the work of EU integration was being pushed more and more into the political background, Radulovic said the authorities were worried about Brussels increasing its control over their affairs.
“I’m not sure the government wants that kind of control, at a time when large investments are ahead of us and major privatisations are being announced,” Radulovic said.
Nedjeljko Rudovic is editor of Podgorica daily Vijesti. Balkan Insight is BIRN`s online publication.
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Podgorica21 August 2008 Opposition leaders and influential think tanks say the Djukanovic regime has no real desire to embrace the EU and so come under the closer scrutiny of the Brussels bureaucracy.
By Nedjeljko Rudovic in Podgorica
Opposition politicians in Montenegro say the government is paying only lip service to the goal of EU membership, while the real goal of Milo Djukanovic is to stay out of the club and become an offshore banking centre.
The Texas-based private intelligence agency, Stratfor, has also suggested that Montenegro would prefer to stay an EU hopeful because joining the EU might reduce the cashflow into Montenegro on the part of those who see it as a new offshore banking destination.
The government has dismissed such claims saying it is remains committed to join the EU and will formally apply for membership by the end of the year.
Nebojsa Medojevic leader of the opposition Movement for Changes, PzP, claims Podgorica has no real desire to further European integration, as that might endanger its positions and interests.
“Montenegro is ruled by a small group, which is afraid of changes leading to closer ties with the EU,” Medojevic said.
He insisted a powerful anti-European lobby in Montenegro, which had emerged through an irregular transition process, wars, smuggling and crime, had no desire to come under EU scrutiny.
Any examination of the implementation of EU laws would soon reveal “that the laws do not apply to a close circle of powerful men,” he said.
“The idea of the authorities is to turn Montenegro into a country that will geographically be closer to Europe, but will have offshore status and serve as a refuge for money launderers”.
For its part, the government denies any intention of slowing down the process of EU integration.
Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, stresses that only last year Montenegro signed a key agreement with the EU, marking the first step to membership.
However, some important experts agree with at least some of the opposition claims.
The Texas-based private intelligence agency, Stratfor, has said it believes Montenegro may give up its hopes of membership of the European Union, keeping the status of a “permanent candidate”, instead.
The highly regarded agency, which supplies intelligence data to clients all over the world, predicts that Montenegro will continue to insist it wants closer ties with the EU, but that this will be mainly for show.
Stratfor says Montenegro may be hoping to fill an offshore void in Europe that was created when Cyprus joined the EU.
“Montenegro is a banking centre that offers its clients (many of whom are extremely rich) services which could not be available under strict supervision of the EU,” it said in a report published on August 6.
“Such a Montenegro, however, would have no use from formal membership in the EU. This dilemma may explain why Montenegro has not yet officially applied for the membership. Even when it finally does, Montenegro could remain a permanent candidate.”
After it quit the State Union with Serbia in 2006, Montenegro signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, SAA, with Brussels last October. It has said it will formally apply for membership by the end of the year.
Before that, the European Commission will issue a report on Montenegro's progress. In previous reports, the Commission was deeply critical of Montenegro, complaining of high levels of corruption and a weak judiciary.
Gordana Djurovic, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European integration, says Montenegro's European perspective is obvious, and recalls the adoption of a National Programme for integration into the EU.
She emphasises that Montenegrin legislation, institutions and procedures are being put into harmony with EU regulations and standards.
“All of this is being done extremely efficiently and under short deadlines,” Djurovic said.
“Montenegro’s European perspective is obvious and an application [to join the EU] will be announced by the end of year. That in itself is enough to rebut the claims being made by the Strafor agency.”
Djurovic went on to say that Montenegro had abandoned any lingering ambitions of becoming an offshore investment zone long ago.
“In the mid-1990s, Montenegro wanted to attract foreign investment through offshore projects, but this never took off and in the meantime Montenegro gave up the idea,” the minister said.
“Montenegro since clearly demonstrated to all interested investors that its model of future economic development would be… based on the legal concepts of other European countries – especially EU members. No one wants Montenegro to become an offshore destination, but instead they count on it only as an EU destination.”
However, doubts about the government’s goals remain. One DPS source told Balkan Insight that he thought forcing the pace with Brussels could slow down the inflow of capital to Montenegro from countries outside the EU.
“What European Union? What do we need it for?” this source asked.
Meanwhile, Professor Veselin Vukotic, until recently the vice-chairman of the government's Council for privatisation, has made frequent statements that appear at odds with his official pro-EU stance.
Two years ago, Vukotic’s associate, Maja Drakic, published a study in which she said Montenegro should first determine whether it was profitable to go for EU membership and only then make a decision.
Professor Vukotic is close to Prime Minister Djukanovic. The two men are founders of the Univerzitas company, which owns the Donja Gorica university, launched last year.
Momcilo Radulovic, secretary general of the European Movement in Montenegro, is also sceptical of the government’s intentions when it comes to EU membership.
“Reformist activities are not being carried out,” he said. “We are passing laws and making decisions that we do not implement; we create institutions which do not exist.” According to Radulovic, “Reforms exist only on paper.”
Claiming that the work of EU integration was being pushed more and more into the political background, Radulovic said the authorities were worried about Brussels increasing its control over their affairs.
“I’m not sure the government wants that kind of control, at a time when large investments are ahead of us and major privatisations are being announced,” Radulovic said.
Nedjeljko Rudovic is editor of Podgorica daily Vijesti. Balkan Insight is BIRN`s online publication.