The meeting took place on 12 December 2014, with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Network of Parliamentary Committees on Economy, Finance and European Integration of Western Balkans.
The meeting focused on three topics – equal regional development, policies, measures and results; trade relations of Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia - trade in goods, mutual payment of goods and services; and energy, parliamentary oversight in the field of energy policy and policy of investing in energy.
In the introductory part the participants were addressed by the Chairman of the Montenegrin Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget and member of the Board of the Network of Parliamentary Committees on Economy, Finance and European Integration of Western Balkans, MA Aleksandar Damjanovic, and the Chairperson of the Serbian National Assembly’s Committee on the Economy, Regional Development, Trade, Tourism and Energy, Dr Aleksandra Tomic.
The parliamentarians exchanged experiences relating to stimulation measures aimed at equal regional development policies and specific results. They stressed the need to strengthen cross-border cooperation for the purpose of stimulating the development of underdeveloped regions, particularly the south-western region of Serbia and northern region of Montenegro. They agreed that decentralisation, fiscal decentralisation in particular, is the key pre-requisite for an efficient implementation of regional development policies. The members of the two committees discussed the trade relations between the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro with a special focus on trade in goods and reciprocal payment of goods and services, and the need to strengthen the two countries’ economic cooperation. They pointed out that it would prove useful to set up a direct payment system between Serbia and Montenegro and that the committees should initiate activities to ensure direct mutual payments which would lead to lower prices and increased trade in goods.
Energy was also among the topics of the meeting, as well as parliamentary oversight in the field of energy policy and policy of investing in energy. Energy was noted to be a big developmental opportunity for all the countries in the region, especially Serbia and Montenegro, both as regards the valorisation of the existing and construction of new energy capacities. With that in mind, defining common energy priorities i.e. a coordinated approach toward big investors in the area, is crucial for development in the energy sector.
The parliamentarians also highlighted the importance of the two countries’ economic relations and the need for further cooperation through applying for joint projects, to which end they heartily endorsed the upcoming big investment summit in Belgrade between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Besides the Chairman of the Montenegrin Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget MA Aleksandar Damjanovic, the meeting was also attended by Committee members Damir Sehovic, Filip Vukovic, Strahinja Bulajic and Nik Gjeloshaj.
In addition to Committee Chairperson Dr Aleksandra Tomic, the delegation of the Serbian National Assembly’s Committee on the Economy, Regional Development, Trade, Tourism and Energy also comprised Committee members Jelena Mijatovic, Sasa Maksimovic, Dragoljub Zindovic and Zoran Pralica. The meeting was also attended by Nikola Ratkovic, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Montenegro.