Montenegro tops EU funding
Montenegro will receive more European Union funding per capita than any other country in the world in the next few years.
Some €131.3 million has been earmarked by the Eu r opean Comm i s s ion for Monte negro b e tween now and 2010, according to European Pu lse, an online publication tracking th e country’s move toward European in tegration.
Of the money allocated for 2008, most of the funds will go towards “strengthening the in frastructure and management of the transportation sector.” Th is will include a by-pass ro a d in Podgorica, the capital, and reinforcing the administrative capacities of the Ministry of Transport. The projects will cost €4 million and €2 million, respectively.
Montenegro became a recipient of the EU funding through a new mechanism, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, or IPA.
Along with other candidate countries, Montenegro will be allowed to claim funding for transition assistance and institution building, as well as regional and cross-border coo peration. Other larger goals of the IPA include supporting the rule of law, human rights, and greater economic and social development.
In its next proposal, Montenegro plans to allocate €4.5 million for local government reform, as well as for improvements to the Agency for Environmental Prote c tion. The same amount will also be allotted for smaller infrastructural projects relating to environmental conservation.
Read more on : The Montenegro Times website