Montenegrin municipalities could use unused capital-budget funds carried over for years to provide money needed for the Euro model, analyst Predrag Zečević told Televizija Podgorica. He also proposed state subsidies for vulnerable small and medium-sized enterprises.
Municipalities have transferred tens of millions of euros in unused capital-budget money over the years, Zečević said. He said the funds the capital returned from the previous year could cover wage shortfalls of 800,000 euros at Gradska televizija (City Television) and 4.3 million euros at the municipal company Čistoća. He expects municipalities in the north to face less pressure.
Zečević proposed that the state pay affected small and medium-sized businesses 30% of the minimum wage, at an annual cost of 49 million euros. In 2021 and 2022, the state paid around 250 million euros to support vulnerable companies, helping firms in tourism, hospitality and other affected sectors, he said.
Other interviewees on Televizija Podgorica did not expect municipalities to face long-term financial problems. They said consumers with higher incomes could boost the market and return more money to the state through VAT.
