What Burdens the Serbian-Montenegrin Cooperation and Where Are the Opportunities?

The trade of goods between Serbia and Montenegro increases with each year, and last year it amounted to EUR 1.3 billion. There is much more room for the economic cooperation between the two countries, and many administrative and customs barriers need to be solved in order for this to be achieved, it was said at the meeting between the associations of employers of Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade.

Within the CEFTA, Montenegro is the second most important economic partner of Serbia, after Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last year, exports to Montenegro amounted to EUR 1.1 billion. However, the cooperation could be even more successful.

– We are burdened by many barriers, many double costs, many unnecessary delays and the hampering of functionality for the carrying out of activities – says Slobodan Mikavica, the president of the Montenegrin Employers Federation.

More than 6,000 companies from Serbia have realized external goods trade with Montenegro.

– There are imports and exports from both sides and similar products, by which I primarily mean food products, and even pharmaceutical products. However, what’s most important is that we get certain quantities of raw materials from Montenegro and energy sources, by which I primarily mean coal, and we have a good cooperation when it comes to strategic products – by which I mean the extremely successful acquisition of MTS – said Milos Nenezic, the president of the Serbian Association of Employers.

The Port of Bar could be used more, and this requires an improvement of the road infrastructure.

– We invite business entities from Serbia to invest in the infrastructure of the port itself, that is, in some construction projects that we can offer: the construction of grain silos, there is the possibility of the construction of silos, a plan oils refinery, the construction of warehouses – says Marko Maras, the deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port of Bar.

The majority of tourists in Montenegro come from Serbia.

– The majority of the employees at Budvanska Rivijera comes from Serbia. I can say that it changed a bit last year, perhaps, considering some new trends, where people from Serbia are increasingly going to EU states – said Milena Raickovic of Budvanska Rivijera.

The education systems of the two countries are also compatible and very well-linked.

Unija poslodavaca Srbije Beograd

Unija poslodavaca Crne Gore UPCG Podgorica

Luka Bar a.d. Crna Gora

Budvanska rivijera a.d. Budva

associations of employers of Serbia and Montenegro

Montenegrin Employers Federation

Serbian Association of Employers

Port of Bar

Budvanska rivijera

Slobodan Mikavica

Miloš Nenezić

Marko Maraš

Milena Raičković

trade of goods between Serbia and Montenegro

economic cooperation of Serbia and Montenegro

CEFTA

exports of Serbia to Montenegro

investments in the Port of Bar