The Montenegrin Employers’ Association (CUP) stated after a roundtable discussion at the Faculty of Economics on the topic: “Boycotting Trade – Who Wins and Who Loses” that the association maintains its position that boycotting harms the country and its economy.
- The arguments presented at the roundtable, along with the analysis of the retail price formation scale and the explanation of factors influencing retail prices, invalidated calls for boycotts and attacks on the Voli supermarket chain and other Montenegrin traders. The analysis of high taxes, excise duties, and other levies clearly confirmed the findings of a study from the Faculty of Economics, which showed that Montenegrin retailers operate with the lowest gross margins and net profit rates in the Adriatic region. This is not the case with state-imposed fees that increase final prices, as stated in CUP’s announcement.
They acknowledge that consumer demands for price reductions are fully justified but argue that targeting the wrong parties is not appropriate. They emphasize that the government is the responsible party for the business environment, not the traders.
- However, our government often tends to resolve major economic and social issues through populist tweets, which is the wrong approach, while social dialogue is non-existent. Therefore, we call on the government to urgently return to genuine dialogue with the economy. It is necessary to establish a framework for constructive cooperation based on arguments and a shared ambition to improve the business environment, which will, in the long run, facilitate lower prices and strengthen the Montenegrin economy, the statement continued.
Through this announcement, CUP clearly stated that attempts to undermine the domestic economy without considering real economic arguments are detrimental to all citizens and the future of the economy. They call on those behind such plans to abandon them.
