Montenegro rises faster than any other European country in the World Economic Forum 2010-2011 Global Competitiveness Index.
Montenegro’s economy ranked more competitive than many European Union members Montenegro’s scores for corruption and organized crime are lower than nearly any other Balkan nation's.
Montenegro, the Adriatic republic that aims to become a candidate for EU membership by the end of the year, is ranked as the most competitive nation in the Balkans in the World Economic Forum’s 2010-2011 Global Competitiveness Report.
Montenegro placed 49th out of 139 countries in the survey, 13 places better than its 2009-2010 rank. This represents the biggest year-to-year increase of any European country. Montenegro also beat out several EU member states in the competitiveness stakes:
(Rankings from 1 to 139) Rank Score:
Switzerland 1 5.63
Bulgaria: 71 4.13
Montenegro: 49 4.36
Croatia: 77 4.04
Malta: 50 4.34
FYR Macedonia: 79 4.02
Hungary: 52 4.33
Greece: 83 3.99
Slovakia: 60 4.25
Albania: 88 3.94
Romania: 67 4.16
Serbia: 96 3.84
Latvia: 70 4.14
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 102 3.70
The survey data also indicates that Montenegro is making strides in its battle to roll back corruption and organized crime. Montenegro has the second-lowest rank for organized crime among the nine Balkan nations, and fewer survey respondents named corruption as “the most problematic factor for doing business” in Montenegro than in any other Balkan country except Romania and FYR Macedonia.
The survey data also indicates that Montenegro is making strides in its battle to roll back corruption and organized crime. Montenegro has the second-lowest rank for organized crime among the nine Balkan nations, and fewer survey respondents named corruption as “the most problematic factor for doing business” in Montenegro than in any other Balkan country except Romania and Macedonia. (See tables below)
The positive assessment follows Montenegro's "Guillotine of Regulations” initiative, which reduced the opportunity for bribery by cutting state bureaucracy. Business people are no longer tempted to "grease the machinery" of government in order to obtain their permits in a timely manner.
The results pay testimony to Montenegro’s success in building Western-style institutions on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration. A country’s institutional environment is the first of 12 “pillars” that the World Economic Forum uses to determine the index rankings. Montenegro once again topped its neighbors:
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index 2010-11
First Pillar: Institutions
(Rankings from 1 to 139)
Montenegro: 45 Croatia: 86
Albania: 63 Bulgaria: 114
FYR Macedonia: 80 Serbia: 120
Romania: 81 Bosnia and Herzegovina: 126
Greece: 84
The World Economic Forum, based in Geneva, Switzerland, has published the Global Competitiveness Index every year since 1979. Researchers compiled the index by determining the key factors that underpin a country's economy. Policymakers and investors use this information to assess a country's potential for productivity. The rankings are based on information from international organizations, national sources and a detailed Executive Opinion Survey distributed to respondents in all countries.
http://www.weforum.org/documents/GCR10/index.html