Podgorica, (MINA) – The defense of strategic resources is a matter of national security and the dignity of a country, not market prices, said president of the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro (ASCG), Savo Kentera.

He said this at a round table discussion “Critical Infrastructure as an Instrument of Soft Power”, organized by ASCG.

Kentera stressed that small countries, like Montenegro, are particularly vulnerable, as they are often offered investments that essentially amount to a loss of sovereignty.

He said that Montenegro’s future “must not lie in dependence on others, but in alliance with those who share our values”.

“With true, sincere friends and partners. And that’s why I want to say: Whoever controls our infrastructure controls our country. And Montenegro must never allow that to anyone”, Kentera pointed out.

Critical infrastructure, as he pointed out, is no longer just a technical issue, but has become a political weapon and an instrument of soft power.

According to Kentera, there are three imperatives for Montenegro, the first being energy independence, which requires building renewable energy sources, and keeping energy assets in the hands of the state and its citizens.

The second one, according to him, is digital sovereignty, meaning control over the country’s data, while the third refers to the protection of strategic resources.