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Filip
Vujanovic was born in Belgrade, on September 1, 1954, where in 1978 he
graduated from the Faculty of Law and received his first position in the
First Municipal Court. He worked as an official associate in the District
Attorney’s Office in Belgrade and since 1981 he lives and works in
Podgorica. Before he started to work as a lawyer he was a secretary of
the District Court in Podgorica. He was registered in the Attorney’s
Chamber as the youngest member, and in 1989 he became a Chairman of the
Chamber. Mr. Vujanovic became known to the wider public in 1992 when he
defended Mr. Momir Bulatovic against personal indictment of Mr. Novak
Kilibarda, leader of the People’s Party and Mr. Danilo Burzan, journalist.
After that he was appointed Minister of Justice in the previous Government.
Following 1996 elections, he was appointed Minister of Interior in the
new Djukanovic cabinet. Those who know him say that he is well educated,
eloquent, very active and a disciplined person with numerous positive
characteristics that allows him to enjoy the confidence of President Djukanovic
as one of the most decisive and persistent people to carry out the President’s
vision and government policies. He is of Montenegrin nationality. Married
with Svetlana, he has two daughters, Tijana and Nina, and his son Danila.
Following the Federal elections last October, Montenegro's parliamentary
elections in April, and the lifting of international sanctions recently,
how has the landscape changed for Montenegro?
Montenegro is continuing
its path towards international and trans-Atlantic integration. The project
of reconstructing a Montenegrin state has received enough of support in
these elections, and I also believe that a consensus will be achieved
for economic reforms.
I am currently meeting
with representatives of opposition parties in order to listen to them
and determine their acceptance to embrace necessary economic and political
changes. So I expect to have the understanding and support of our opposition
parties for these reforms, as well as for further activities on the reconstruction
of a Montenegrin state.
On the economic
front, what are your plans for the privatisation process? I understand
that a list of companies has been announced – but what is the next
step?
We have to accomplish
our privatisation in two ways: privatisation of large companies and voucher
privatisation.
There will be a tender
for privatisation of large state companies. A tender has been announced
for Telekom Montenegro, and we are preparing tenders for the privatisation
of Jugopetrol, the national oil processing and distribution company, the
Port of Bar, and Electroprivreda of Montenegro, the national electrical
power company. Moreover, we are privatising some of our hotels, and I
believe that our tourism economy will be attractive for privatisation.
In regards to mass
voucher privatisation, we are halfway through its realization, which is
planned to be finished in 8 months, and we have already completed part
of this mass voucher privatisation through the distribution of vouchers.
Now we are in the phase of establishing privatisation funds and the distribution
of vouchers to family members or privatisation funds. Having in mind the
interest shown in establishing these funds, and the extremely high quality
of marketing provided, I believe that mass voucher privatisation will
have good results.
The transparency and
publicity of this process was good and I am also pleased to say that we
did not receive any negative feedback on this process from international
community.
The public also
has to support the privatisation, as well the labour unions. What are
you doing to make sure that there is public and labour support?
The process of privatisation
is going through the Council of Privatisation, which brings together the
Prime Minister, representatives of our state companies, representatives
of our business banks, the Chairman of our Chamber of Commerce, and the
President of our labour union.
Privatisation is completely
open to the syndicates, and all the activities of the council are going
to the syndicate. That is why I believe that we are providing full protection
of the workers.
In light of the
economic dependence on industry and aluminium in Montenegro, what is the
plan to diversify the national economy?
It is of great importance
for Montenegro to develop the aluminium industry as well as other productions
supporting it. Our mind wealth, closeness to harbour to the aluminium
factory and the excellent location of aluminium factory in regional area
gives a good chance for development of aluminium industry into Europe.
I believe that strategic
chances of Montenegro are in developing tourism, because Montenegro offers
attractive destinations in coastal and mountain areas, and agriculture,
because of the production and export of health foods.
I understand that
a new foreign investment law has also been passed in order to facilitate
foreign investment?
The foreign investment
law is very stimulating, and ensures very profitable investment conditions.
We are pleased that the experience of foreign investors has been very
good, and I believe that the stability in this region will provide more
investments this year.
You have now asked
Mr. Djindjic to resume negotiations on the federation of Yugoslavia. What
are you looking for now: a political solution to the issue, a democratic
solution to the issue, or both?
A combination of political
and democratic solution is the key to our future.
 Politically,
I believe that our responsibility and obligation is to determine the factual
economical and state condition of Serbia and Montenegro. A democratic
solution is to offer, after that, the possibility to citizens of Serbia
and Montenegro to decide on the future of their country.
I believe that any
serious state official will admit that economic systems of Serbia and
Montenegro are completely different and cannot be merged into one, because
our economic environment, our resources and our development projects are
completely different.
Regarding existing
economic conditions in the monetary field, Montenegro has adopted the
Deutsche Mark, which in January 2002 will be converted in Euro. We have
formed our own Central Bank, according to all standards of Central Banks,
with expertise and assistance and control from international experts from
monetary sphere. Now Montenegro can never return to the Yugoslav Dinar
or enter back into the system of the Central Yugoslav bank.
We have also performed
thorough reforms; we have completely liberalized exports and imports,
brought customs services to standards of European Union, performed reforms
of treasury and public expenditure, and entered the economic system with
high degree of reforms. There is no turning back – we must go forward.
Even if Serbia desires,
it cannot make the changes we have made in such a short period of time.
The economy of Serbia is in a very poor condition, and Serbia cannot abandon
the Dinar, from which they will service part of their public expenditure
and help their economy.
As a former lawyer
and Minister of Justice, you know better than anyone the importance of
having a constitutional and legal framework for separation. Is there a
referendum law that has been passed by the Parliament to legalize the
process towards independence?
The law was passed
in Parliament, and the essence of that law is that all citizens of Montenegro
can vote on the referendum. It is necessary for more than half of the
voting population to participate, and a majority decision is defined as
50%+1 of the vote.
The opposition wants
all of Montenegrin citizenship owners, including the ones living in Serbia
and elsewhere in the world, to participate in elections, and that a referendum
decision should be made by a qualified majority, which means that a positive
answer to the referendum question can be accepted only if it is 50%+1
of number of voters who participated in elections.
We are ready to adapt
our referendum law to maximal standards of the international community,
and of course we encourage all the opposition parties to participate in
elections and to make it basis of stability for Montenegro.
During your political
career, what has been one of your biggest challenges?
This project on the
reconstruction of Montenegrin state is one of my biggest challenges. I
do not see this reconstruction from an emotional or nostalgic aspect,
but as the instrument necessary to further develop Montenegro, and become
part of a modern European family.
What would be your final message to the readers of FORBES Global?
My final message is
to come and meet us in Montenegro. Once they have visited the country,
their impressions will be the best guarantee that their capital will stay
in Montenegro.
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