The Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, announced that Montenegro is launching a space program for the first time in its history.
"I am sure that this information will cause some ridicule, for some it will even be a subject of humor, but it is a serious matter and I am happy to inform you about this," he said during a Government meeting.
He said that the development of the "Luça" satellite, which must be launched into space, is taking place. "Hopefully our 'Luça' will be released in the future, hopefully in 2023-2024".
Abazović talked with Nino Drakulić, Nikola Perović and Filip Jovičević, Montenegrin innovators, at the same time representatives of the Space Research Organization of Montenegro, who initiated the project for the first launch of the Malaysian satellite, "Luça".
The Prime Minister of Montenegro said that the executive, through the Innovation Fund, wants to encourage young people to create innovative things.
Last October, there were also talks that Montenegro will test a satellite. Representatives of the Space Research Organization of Montenegro have informed Abazović about the details of this project.
The project will be financed by a "civic economy" grant.
"The Innovation Fund will support this project. It is not about big funds, but it requires a lot of work. "Montenegro will open new perspectives, to participate in various activities with other countries and develop in this direction", said Abazović.
"Civic economy" is a project that started in January 2019 and has brought in 310 million euros so far.
Of this amount, 188 million euros are in a special account where foreigners who want a Montenegrin passport can buy it with money, while the rest has been sent to the accounts of the state and investors who develop projects in the field of tourism, said in the end of 2022, the director of the Investment Agency, Mladen Gërgiç.
The European Union has advised Montenegro to stop the practice of granting citizenship to investors after saying it poses a risk for money laundering, tax evasion, terrorist financing, corruption and infiltration into criminal organizations./REL