The Government of Montenegro, during its 98th session chaired by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, adopted several key decisions affecting the public sector, capital projects, visa policy, and diplomatic representation.
Public sector severance pay:
On the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and following negotiations with representative unions, the government amended the severance pay regulation for public sector employees. Under the new rules, employees retiring will receive severance equal to three times the minimum wage for positions requiring level VI or higher qualifications.
Reallocation of capital budget funds:
The government approved a report on unspent funds in the Capital Budget of the Transport Administration for 2025. Due to unforeseen circumstances, several planned capital projects will not be fully realized, leaving €7.365 million unspent. These funds will be redirected to other capital projects.
Visa policy harmonization with the EU:
In line with the Reform Agenda 2024–2027 and the final benchmarks of accession Chapter 24, Montenegro is taking steps to fully harmonize its visa policy with the EU by the end of next year. The government suspended temporary visa exemptions for citizens of Armenia, Uzbekistan, and Egypt to align with EU requirements.
Additionally, amendments to the visa regulation remove Kuwait from the list of countries exempt from visas while adding the Republic of Nauru. Changes were also made to reflect Bulgaria and Romania’s full Schengen membership, eliminating the need to list them separately.
Diplomatic missions:
The government decided to open Montenegrin embassies in India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, as well as a Montenegrin embassy office in Belgium, headquartered in Luxembourg.
Personnel matters:
The session also addressed various human resources and administrative issues within the government.
These decisions collectively demonstrate Montenegro’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public sector policies, harmonize with EU standards, and expand its international diplomatic presence.
