Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – According to senior official of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and representative of the European Alliance Mirko Stanic, the Government plans to take €4 million of taxpayers’ money to fund a detrimental project that could interfere with Montenegro’s national security.

Stanic said at a press conference that the project in question is highly controversial and is planned to be implemented in the coming months. He described it as economically harmful to Montenegrin citizens.

“Its implementation under this model could significantly jeopardize the national security of our country,” Stanic said.

Explaining the project, Stanic said that fuel marking is not unknown in the European Union (EU) and is applied in several countries to prevent the use of tax-exempt fuel (mostly for farmers) for other purposes.

For this reason, the fuel is often coloured differently; for example, in France, there is blue diesel for farmers, and roadside inspections monitor vehicles, with substantial fines for misuse.

“This means that in the EU, only fuel with a reduced VAT rate or exempt from excise duty is marked, so this intention is not in line with EU rules, as noted by the Delegation of the European Commission. In Montenegro, the plan is to mark fuel on which excise and VAT have already been paid. What is the purpose, then, since such fuel cannot cause financial harm to Montenegro?” Stanic asked.