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Montenegro Should Reopen CIP Argues EU-Accession Negotiations Coordinator · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: In an interview with Bancar, Boyan Bougarin, a former coordinator of Montenegro's visa liberalization process with the European Union, strongly advocates for relaunching Montenegro's citizenship by investment program with appropriate adjustments.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: He argues that processing the remaining applications could inject over 1 billion euros into the country's economy.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: The government launched the initial CIP in 2019, capping it at 2,000 applications for citizenship.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: However, the government has only approved 850 applications according to Bugarin.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: He emphasizes that this leaves room for more than 1,000 additional applications that Montenegro can approve through a renewed program.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: He reveals that before the program's implementation, the European Commission and then Chancellor Angela Merkel gave Montenegro the green light to approve 2,000 applications.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: The Commission determined that this number did not pose, quote, significant risks and challenges to the interests of the European Union and its member states, end quote.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Despite its early conclusion, Bugrin highlights the program's substantial impact.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Authorities had approved 850 applications as of September 2024.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Special funds and the Innovation Fund received 84.5 million euros.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: The state budget gained 43.5 million euros.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Investors poured 243.7 million euros into development projects, including luxury hotels.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Bugarin estimates the CIP's total contribution to Montenegro's economy was 500 million euros.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: He says that, quote, ordinary citizens could feel the benefits through economic growth, job opportunities, better social services, improved infrastructure and education, end quote.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: He outlines several benefits of relaunching the program.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Strengthened fiscal stability and economic growth.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Increased inflow of investments.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Enhanced competitiveness and economic sustainability.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Greater autonomy and reduced dependence on foreign loans.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Improved ability to direct national resources where most needed.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Bugarin, however, acknowledges potential risks, primarily political concerns over how the European Commission and member states would react to the program's relaunch and what repercussions it could have on the European Union negotiation process.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: To mitigate these risks, he suggests implementing, quote, proper international due diligence checks on applicants carried out by reputable European agencies in this field, and potentially involving specialized European agencies, end quote.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Bogarin believes this approach would prevent potential misuse and ease the fears and concerns of the European Commission, and member states that anyone would use the program for abuse or money laundering.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Addressing concerns about the program's potential impact on Montenegro's European negotiations, Bogarin notes that the European Commission closely scrutinized the previous program, despite initial approval.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: He attributes this scrutiny to, quote, a lack of proper professional communication between successive Montenegrin governments and the European Commission, end quote.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Bougarin reveals that inexperienced government actors and lack of transparency in implementation led to certain doubts and concerns and suspicions within the European Commission.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: This resulted in the Commission perceiving the program as a potential money laundering scheme.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: To support his argument for relaunching the program, Bugrin draws comparisons with other European practices.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: European countries, mostly Malta, process only a few hundred investment citizenship applications annually, conducting thorough international background checks.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Eurostat reports European countries grant over 700,000 citizenships yearly based on naturalization and ancestry, often without detailed background checks.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: The European Union accepts around 600,000 undocumented migrants annually, plus millions of Ukrainian refugees.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, it is therefore absurd to think and believe that a few hundred citizenships granted by Montenegro under its program would pose a security threat to the European Union or open doors to criminal elements in the European Union, end quote, Bougarin argues.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: He points to Malta's ongoing legal battle with the European over its citizenship program as a potential precedent.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Bougerin notes that Malta's program has raised billions of euros for the local economy over the past 10 years.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Maltese politicians recognize its crucial importance, firmly defending their sovereign rights.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Malta has engaged top lawyers and European experts in this field and expects to win its case before the Court of Justice of the European Union.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Bougerin's personal experiences with program applicants have been exclusively positive.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: He describes them as very high-quality and successful professionals who have substantially invested in Montenegro.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: He says the Montenegrin program attracted top-tier global entrepreneurs and investors, including prominent figures from the tech industry, including top management from Google, major cosmetic and fashion industry chains, bankers, and doctors working in the world's most prestigious clinics.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: The quality of applicants best illustrates the program's success, Bugrin states.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, any country in the world would wish for such individuals as its citizens, and that is the essence of such programs, to bring in valuable individuals who will contribute to and enhance the country's development in the long term, end quote.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: While acknowledging that Montenegro must meet its European accession obligations, Bougarin maintains that decisions on citizenship remain a sovereign right under both international and European law.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: He believes a well-managed CIP could coexist with Montenegro's European aspirations, potentially even accelerating development to meet accession criteria.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Montenegro's path to the European Union remains stable, Bougerin asserts.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, however, a country has the sovereign right to decide on all matters regarding its citizenship, both under international law and European law.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: The European's rule of law principle itself dictates that each country makes this decision independently, end quote.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: Bougerin concludes by emphasizing the need to convince European partners that the program is not a scheme for money laundering or attracting suspicious capital, but a genuine opportunity for Montenegro's development.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: He advocates for intensive cooperation with the European Commission on International Checks of All Future Applicants to ensure only credible investors participate in the program.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: This episode first appeared as an article by Ahmad Abbas on IMIDAily.com.
• 7:02
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• 7:09
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