Page 69 - Monaco Economy 117
P. 69

1 – Governance and transformation   3 – Recovery                    5 – Youth and sport
          of the country                    2021 is dependent upon the development of   The state’s strategy does, of course, include
          The governance and transformation of the   Monaco’s economic and commercial dynamism   youth, sport and culture. Amongst the subjects
          country scheme notably includes a return to   and the state’s recovery strategy. €90 million   mentioned by ministers during the debates
          balanced budgets, the modernisation of public   has been dedicated to this, representing 5%   was the wearing of masks by schoolchildren.
          accounts and the optimisation of the credits   of state budget. The national recovery plan is   Ministers expect the government “to allow
          invested in structuring projects. Analytical   based around four axes: “An ecological recovery   students in primary school classes to hold
          budgetary accounting will be implemented   through the existing National Green Fund, which   lessons without masks, considering that there
          on 1 January 2023. “This accounting entry,   will be supplemented to finance, in particular,   are few students per class and, therefore, social
                           by major public   work promoting the energy transition; a digital   distancing is possible.” The government has
                           policy,  will  allow   revival through a Blue Fund dedicated to the   provided teachers with transparent masks,
                           everyone a better   transition initiated in 2018 and the acceleration   particularly for those teaching reading, which
                           understanding of the   of which appears necessary following the lessons   are essential for deaf and hard-of-hearing
                           state’s action and its   learned from the confinement period; a revival   students. The National Council will launch
                           cost,” said Balthazar   of public procurement through a White Fund   its junior version in 2021 in consultation with
                           Seydoux.  Another   geared towards Monégasque SMEs, in particular   secondary school students. “The objective
                           announcement is that   by entrusting them with construction work on   is to enable our young people to become
                           the proposed law on   public buildings; and a revival of consumption in   more involved in the institutional life of their
                           the establishment of a   the Principality through a Red and White Fund,   country by offering them the possibility of
                           final budget result law   with the implementation of measures intended to   participating, in a lively and collaborative way,
                           “which will allow an   promote local trade.” This state financial support   in a communal project.”
                           accurate assessment   for the economy is deemed essential by ministers:
                           of the state’s balance   “Even though, in terms of health, it is likely that the   6 – Digital Security
                           sheet” will be made   worst is now behind us, with the hope generated   Another priority: the pursuit of a high-level
                           tranformed into a bill.   by the massive deployment of different vaccines,   security policy for the Monégasque state,
                           The government also   at the global level as in Monaco, the economic and   including issues of digital security and the
                           this year intends “to   social consequences will be lasting, unfortunately   protection of privacy and personal data.  It
                           identify new sources   for us, as we all know,” remarked the President of   notably includes the costs of maintaining the
                           of revenue and   the National Assembly, Stéphane Valeri.  national trust infrastructure (identity card,
                           contain the trend in                               resident card, signature, stamps and so on).
                           spending in order   4 – National housing plan
                           to regain budgetary   Another strategic priority for 2021, according   7 – Clean transport
                           stability from 2021,”   to Balthazar Seydoux, is “maintaining our social   Given the Principality’s commitment to the
                           but with a caveat   excellence which encompasses the National   sustainable development of its urbanisation,
                           issued by the National   Housing Plan,” and this is no surprise. “Housing,   the development of clean mobility solutions and
                           Council: there is no   at the heart of the concerns of Monégasques,   the pursuit of energy transition objectives are
                           question of creating   remains the absolute national priority, with   priorities in 2021. “Everyone can see that traffic
                           new  taxes:  “The   more than €200 million devoted to it in 2021.”   density in Monaco remains very high, even in the
                           National Assembly   Balthazar Seydoux estimates that “the need   current period when activity is more restricted,”
          is not in favour of the multiplication of taxes   for housing is increasing at the rate of around   say ministers. There will be an increase in the
          that would be borne by residents.”  100 requests for additional new apartments per   frequency of city buses, a new fleet of electric
                                            year.” Ministers warned that they will remain   buses, park and ride comes to the Exotic
          2 – International cooperation     “attentive to the delivery times on which the   Garden in 2023 and later to Saint-Roman at
          The government is banking on the development of   government has committed for the various   the Monte-Carlo Country Club and a maritime
          international relations and enhancing the appeal of   state-owned projects in progress - in particular   shuttle service will be launched in summer 2021
          the Principality, in particular with the Dubai World   the Testimonio II and II bis, the Grand Ida and the   between Nice and the Port of Cap-d’Ail, as the
          Expo postponed to 2021. This area now includes   Palais Honoria, which include much affordable.   State Minister explains: “We are now faced with
          international cooperation in the fight against the   “The new version of the Grand Ida project (three   the need to make strategic choices, which we
          Covid-19 pandemic. In terms of figures, official   buildings instead of one) provides for nearly 140   will soon present to the Sovereign and which
          development assistance amounts to €20.9 million.   housing units, a nursery, as well as a community   we will then discuss with you.”
          An envelope of €1.1 million is allocated to the   centre and some 5,000 square metres of retail
          United Nations’ Green Climate Fund.  and service areas.


                                                                                                             69
   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74