Pierre Dartout, Monaco’s second highest authority, has given his annual address to the main players in his government, commending how the Principality has been able to maintain its quality of life despite the international upheavals.
The traditional new year address was held on Thursday 12th January. Surrounded by members of the Prince’s Government, Pierre Dartout gave a message of optimism and vigilance to the senior officials of his administration, speaking of a particularly “anxious” international context due to the war in Ukraine and its consequences, particularly on inflation, as well increasingly frequent climatic events.
“In this context, the Principality of Monaco has been able to maintain its level of quality of life and the competitiveness of its economy,” said the Minister of State. “This dynamism has resulted in the continuation of our policies which are shaping the Monaco of tomorrow, with a special mention of the delivery of state housing ahead of the schedule announced in 2019.”
The minister talked about the transport challenges within Monaco and the State’s determination to “open up” the Principality and make the movement of residents and commuters more fluid. “This has a direct impact on our attractiveness, but in this area, unfortunately, we do not have a magic wand and the solutions will have to be found in consultation with France,” he said.
On the international level, 2023 will be “a decisive but not definitive year for the negotiations of the association agreement with the European Union,” continued Dartout. “We are conducting these discussions, guided by the higher interests of the Principality, in compliance with the lignes rouges laid down by the Sovereign Prince.”
The minister touched on the “essential and timely” budget reform, and the implementation of a new status of civil servants.
After setting out the educational, health and security missions of the State that he wished to be reinforced in 2023, Pierre Dartout concluded the annual meeting with a call to action: “I am happy to be able to count on your availability, your motivation and your commitment, which are essential for the cohesion of the country. Alongside a dynamic private sector, we need a strong State that knows how to regulate and implement major public action policies. I know I can count on you”.
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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department