DJUKANOVIC TALKED WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF ECONOMIC COUNCILS OF THE STATES FORMED ON THE TERRITORY OF EX YUGOSLAVIA
RESTORATION OF ECONOMIC RELATIONS

Podgorica – The President of the Republic of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, talked yesterday with the representatives of the economic councils of the states formed on the territory of ex Yugoslavia, who are attending a several-day meeting in Montenegro dedicated to restoring and strengthening of the economic relations.
A firmer regional interconnection on a new basis will also contribute to a quicker implementation of the European standards and to a progress of economic and political reforms in the process of harmonization with the system of the European Union (EU) – Djukanovic said. He also underlined the importance of strengthening of the economic cooperation on the territory of ex Yugoslavia.
Montenegrin Premier Filip Vujanovic as well received the businessmen from the territory of ex Yugoslavia yesterday.

MONTENEGRIN PREMIER FILIP VUJANOVIC:
THE MANNER OF ELECTING REPRESENTATIVES IN THE JOINT STATE PARLIAMENT CAN NOT BE STATED PRECISELY WITH THE CHARTER

Podgorica – The draft constitutional charter adopted by the Presidency of the ruling Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) is in harmony with the draft of the Governments of Montenegro and Serbia – said Montenegro's Premier Filip Vujanovic in his interview to Television Montenegro.
Vujanovic said that the manner of electing representatives for the joint state parliament could not be stated precisely with the constitutional charter, because that would represent the revision of the document. He also said that it was beyond any dispute that the Constitutional Commission was the organ authorized for proposing draft texts of the constitutional charter.
Premier Vujanovic and Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic signed yesterday a statement that Montenegro and Serbia were ready to meet all the conditions necessary for entering the Council of Europe.

THE MONTENEGRIN DELEGATION COORDINATOR IN THE COMMISSION FOR DRAFTING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER, DRAGAN KUJOVIC, ABOUT THE NEW DOS PROPOSAL:
NEW SLOWDOWN IN THE ADOPTION OF THE CHARTER

Podgorica – The proposal of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) is significantly different from the draft charter coordinated by the Governments of Montenegro and Serbia – concluded the Coordinator of the Montenegrin delegation in the Commission for drafting the constitutional charter of Serbia and Montenegro, Dragan Kujovic.
The proposal introduces immediate elections, which is completely contradictory to the Belgrade Agreement and it changes the position of the two member states, because the state union is not a union of citizens, but a union of member states – Kujovic said.
A complete novelty with regards to the agreement we made in the Constitutional Commission is that the DOS proposal implies the adoption of a special charter on human and minority rights on the level of the state union – Kujovic said. He expressed again his concern that the new DOS proposal was yet one more slowdown in the adoption of the constitutional charter.
That is not in the interest of neither Montenegro, nor Serbia, nor of the future state union – concluded Kujovic.

STEVE HENKE - ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO MONTENEGRO'S PRESIDENT MILO DJUKANOVIC:
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO OUGHT TO SEPARATE

Podgorica – A quiet separation would benefit both to Serbia and Montenegro – said the economic advisor to Montenegro's President Djukanovic, Steve Henke.
Montenegro and Serbia would thus get rid of the economic ballast, such as the debate on sovereignty, and could continue with the modernization of their economies – said Henke to Radio Free Europe.
As for the European Union's (EU) ideas on uniting, they are overly simplified and bureaucratic – Henke said, adding that "the political elite in Brussels has denied freedoms on a local level".
The EU is interfering by force into the politics of Serbia and Montenegro – Henke said. He also stated that both of the republics should be allowed to "choose freely their political course, and to take over the responsibility for its implementation".