Business News
Business News
Business News Cheaper roaming prices should apply to the EU candidate countries
Government: Companies on the white list will receive benefits
FYR Macedonia, in coordination with Serbia and Montenegro, will approach the European Commission to secure lower prices for roaming services, announced the President of the Electronic Communications Agency of the Republic of Macedonia (ECA), Robert Ordanovski.
Not later than 1 July this year, the government will publish a white and a black list of companies which will be based on those who pay their taxes to the state, and the others - who are the biggest tax debtors.
“Accepting this initiative would provide lower prices for services offered in roaming with European Union member states, which will help the citizens as end-users of telecommunications services, said Ordanovski. The European Commission has been trying for years to make telecommunication companies operating in the EU reduce their roaming costs. The EC announced earlier that it was willing to consider inclusion of the EU candidate countries under the law regulating the wireless communications industry. Under these rules, mobile operators must limit roaming prices for internet transmission to 70 cents per megabyte, not later than 30 June 2017. Pricing for phone calls must be reduced up to 29 cents per minute while text messages cannot exceed 9 cents per message. Executive Director of British company Vodafone, Vitori Colao, asked the EU not to cut roaming prices as this will lead to an investment reduction. However, the attitude of the EC is that lower prices will boost market opening. Source: www.pobjeda.me
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How many companies will be in this list is not known yet, but it is certain that the State will try to reward those who regularly pay their taxes. Criteria for ranking will be regular payment. - The criteria upon which the ranking of companies will be made is regularity of service to the State, and, in this regard, the companies will not be selected by economic activities. The very presence of the “white list” would mean certain social recognition, and it will have a motivational component to other subjects – said Ministry of Finance spokeswoman Marija Radenovic. She explained that the state wants, in this way, to show respect to regular taxpayers. Source: www.gov.me
Montenegro 36th on the list of hospitality Montenegro is ranked 36th on the list of local population hospitality to visitors from abroad with a score of 6.5, made by the World Economic Forum. Better positioned than Montenegro are Macedonia (fifth place and 6.7), Bosnia and Herzegovina (eight place
and 6.6), and worse are Croatia (65th place and score 6.3), Slovenia (73rd place and score 6.2) and Serbia (87th place and score 6.1). The possible score range is from 1 to 7, with 1 being inhospitality and 7 an absolute hospitality. Most hospitable countries 1. Iceland 6.8 2. New Zealand 6.8 3. Morocco 6.7 4. Macedonia 6.7 5. Austria 6.7 6. Senegal 6.7 7. Portugal 6.6 8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6 9. Ireland 6.6 10. Burkina Faso 6.6
Least hospitable countries 1. Bolivia 4.1 2. Venezuela 4.5 3. Russia 5.0 4. Kuwait 5.2 5. Latvia 5.2 6. Iran 5.2 7. Pakistan 5.3 8. Slovakia 5.5 9. Bulgaria 5.5 10. Mongolia 5.5
Source: www.pobjeda.me
A high human development in Montenegro Montenegro is ranked 52th out of 187 countries according to the Index of human development (HDI), which as they say in UNDP is a category of high human development. The Index of Human Development (HDI) is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. “Montenegro shares this position with the Republic of Palau. Between 2005 and 2012, the value of HDI for Montenegro increased from 0.756 to 0.791, which is an increase of five per cent, “ it was announced by UNDP. HDI position of Montenegro in 2011, based on data available from 2012, and
methods that were used in 2012 – was 50th place out of 187 countries. “The HDI for 2011 ranked Montenegro in 54th place out of 187 countries. However, it is wrong to compare the values and positions with those published in previous reports, because the basic data and methods changed, “explains the UNDP. Source: www.undp.org.me
The World Economic Forum: Montenegro holding 48th position According to the new report by the World Economic Forum on competitiveness in the field of information and communication technologies, Montenegro dropped two places to 48th position, among 144 countries ranked. The 12t h Glob a l R ep or t on Information Technology, to which Mina-business agency had access, covered two countries more than the previous year. In last year’s report, covering 142 countries Montenegro ranked 46. Finland, Sweden and Singapore continue to be leading countries judging by the network readiness to use ICT. Network Readiness Index, on which the survey is based, includes four subindices – environment, preparedness, use and impact, all divided into ten areas. These relate to the political and regulatory, business and innovative environment for ICT, infrastructure and digital content, acceptability and skills. Sub-index use includes the willingness of individuals, businesses and governments for greater use of ICT, while the fourth sub-index refers to the economic and social impact of ICT. Looking at results in the ten areas under consideration, Montenegro achieved its best result in the field of economic impact of ICT, taking 39th place. Considering mobile phone subscriptions in proportion
to the population, Montenegro occupies fourth position, while by the individual use of the Internet holds 72nd place. In areas such as political and regulatory, and business and innovative environment, Montenegro is ranked 72nd and 41st. As for the readiness of individuals, businesses and government, it holds 56th, 71st and 47th place, respectively. Within the region, the best positioned country is Slovenia, in 37th place. It is followed by Croatia in 51st place, Macedonia 67th, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has achieved a significant improvement from 84th to 78th position and Serbia in 87th place. The last place in this year’s report is assigned to African country Burundi. The study was jointly developed by the World Economic Forum and a leading international business school INSEAD.
is planned that the pipeline connecting the Albanian Fiera with Split, passes through the territory of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Energy Strategy of Montenegro recognized the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline as a leading option for gasification of Montenegro. IAP is not only a chance for the gasification of Montenegro, but also the opportunity to place its own gas, which is expected to be discovered in the Montenegrin coast. Montenegro gave principle approval for the intended route of the IAP through its territory. Montenegro also received an additional grant for the preparation of the Gasification Master Plan, whose findings will enter the study on building the IAP. Source: www.gov.me
Source: www.weforum.org
A Draft of the Memorandum of Trans-Adriatic and Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline Adopted The Government adopted a draft version of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between Montenegro, Albania, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for the support and cooperation in the implementation of the Trans Adriatic and Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline. - The MoU provides support to each Party in the development, financing and implementation of the TransAdriatic and Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline, preparation of the internal markets to receive gas from Azerbaijan and the Caspian region, and the interconnection of IAP with TAP – states the Information about the Conclusion of a Memorandum that the Government considered. The Ionian-Adriatic gas pipeline project aims at connecting gas networks in the Balkan countries. It
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