Boris Pejović, secretary general of the Europe Now Movement and deputy speaker of Montenegro’s parliament, called the Euro model an investment in living standards in response to a European Commission warning about implementation risks. “The Euro model is an investment in a better living standard for citizens of a future EU member,” Pejović said.
The economic indicators cited in his response included a growth projection raised to 4% for this year from 3.1%. Budget revenue reached 2.32 billion euros in the first nine months, up 216.8 million euros, or 10.3%, from the same period a year earlier.
The Commission had also warned of risks when the Europe Now 2 programme was introduced. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund responded similarly to Europe Now 1 and 2, according to Pejović. He said the “fatalistic projections” in the organisations’ initial reactions had not materialised, adding that otherwise “we would not even be discussing the Euro model today.”
After Europe Now 1 and 2 were implemented, wages rose by more than inflation, and Montenegro became one of a few European countries to reduce public debt relative to GDP at one of the fastest rates, Pejović said. He also criticised opposition proposals for what he called populist increases, despite the opposition’s confidence that public finances would collapse.
