By Filip Vujanović
The Government of Montenegro’s request to the European Union’s Commission for help to repay the debt to the Chinese ExIm bank for the highway building serves as a new cause for accusations of China’s internationally important Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Numerous media renew and even strengthen the critique of this globally useful project, groundlessly accusing Chinese foreign policy of its alleged intentions to create a “debt trap.” Reportedly, the country can become economically dependent on China, making the space for its political dependence on China.
Qualifying these accusations as unfounded, I have already expressed my opinion on the value of the BRI. I see it as a globally valuable, as an essential affirmation of multilateralism, as a chance for strengthening regional connectivity, and as a development opportunity for all the countries participating. I consider President Xi Jinping’s initiative to implement and affirm this project as a huge chance for participating countries to use attractive and competitive financial potentials of the BRI.
Thanks to this, they can foster their development in the strategically important infrastructure projects, and do more regarding regional connections. Additionally, through links with and within the regions, participants can also affirm a noble mission of multilateralism and intensify closer cooperation in the economy and beyond.
Through its banks, China has provided the most favorable and competent loans, has offered reputable infrastructure contractors, and has given the possibility for domestic contractors as partners in these projects, allowing local enterprises to be involved. Through credits and contractors building along and with local companies, this initiative is an excellent opportunity for the economic development of participating countries using its benefits.
I am sure that Montenegro has recognized and properly utilized these benefits. To implement the most important road infrastructure project, the highway connecting its coast with the northern region, up to the border with Serbia, Montenegro selected the loan from the Chinese Exim bank. At the same time, it chose the Chinese Road and Bridge Corporation CRBC (one of the leading Chinese companies for bridges and road construction) as a contractor for the implementation. These Chinese companies were neither the first nor the only ones with whom the Montenegrin government negotiated.
Montenegro had been interested in building this highway for decades, rightfully qualifying it as a “project of the century.” The road shall connect Bar, the Montenegrin biggest coastal town and harbor, with the Serbian capital Belgrade, the biggest and economically strongest city in the Western Balkans. This highway will enable traffic connectivity of the most excellent quality, better economic, and overall cooperation between Montenegro and Serbia. It will also boost connectivity between citizens of Montenegro and Serbia and reaffirm close ties between the two friendly states.
Bearing in mind the strategic importance of the project, Montenegro has carefully prepared its implementation. It decided to build the most important, the most complicated, and the most expensive section as a priority. This part of the highway connects the Montenegrin capital Podgorica with Matesevo, a place in the northern part of Montenegro, i.e., central and north Montenegro. By building this section, Montenegro will significantly benefit by enabling more accessible and faster development of the northern region, which has huge natural resources, and which utilization is limited by inadequate road connectivity.
This section of the highway shall increasingly slow the internal migration of the citizens from north to the more developed center and south regions and creates a precondition for bringing back those who left the country searching for a better economic environment. Additionally, the existing 70km-long road will be replaced by a modern highway, which will provide its customers with the most outstanding traffic security.
It is important to emphasize that the existing road has beautiful landscapes, but it is extremely dangerous and rightfully known as the “road of dead.” Though, apart from economic and demographic reasons, this section has its equally important security priority.
To provide financing and building for this highway, the government of Montenegro had accepted an initiative by then leading road and bridges construction company from neighboring and friendly Croatia, which offered to secure implementation of the project. It was also an opportunity to strengthen and intensify the overall relations between two countries. But this company could not meet the standards and secure funds, so the government of Montenegro has started to carefully and responsibly search for a new partner for financing this great, not just an infrastructural project.
–The Daily Mail-Global Times News Exchange Item
