Montenegro's Cabinet meeting

Podgorica, Montenegro (11 February 2016) – At yesterday’s sitting, the Montenegrin Cabinet approved the 2016 Programme of construction, maintenance, reconstruction and modernisation of the railway infrastructure. The funds approved by the programme for priority works, maintenance and construction of electrical infrastructure and financing management and regulation of traffic are prescribed by the Budget of Montenegro in the amount of EUR 6.8 million.

In order to conform with the new Law on Administrative Procedure, the Government adopted draft laws amending the Law on pension and disability insurance, Law on social and child protection, Law on war veterans and disability protection and the Law on professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities.

The Cabinet also endorsed the Regulation on collecting taxes by levying upon the taxpayer's property. The regulation enables taxpayers to relieve the tax debt in order to avoid account suspension and allow operation in harsh conditions due to the overall economic situation and insolvency. In parallel, this will ensure more efficient collection of budget revenues. The regulation stipulates that the tax debt relates to liabilities which exceed EUR 100,000, and that residential and commercial buildings, residential units and office building are considered the taxpayer’s property.

At yesterday’s session, the Montenegrin Government also adopted the Action plan for implementing Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for 2016. The plan contains concrete actions, deadlines, carriers and partners, indicators of success and sources of funding. Among other things, It envisages strengthening multidisciplinary approach in combating human trafficking, intensive regional and international cooperation in detecting and prosecuting these crimes, protection of victims and implementation of agreed policy to combat this phenomenon.

Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Zorica Kovačević informed the Cabinet about the return of the Montenegrin citizens who were denied requests for asylum in Western European countries. The Government tasked the competent bodies and institutions to ensure effective exercise of the returnees’ rights and issued an appeal to local governments to take part in solving the citizens’ problems.

The Prime Minister reiterated the neccessity of urgent and complete overview of the situation in companies with the Government as shareholder. In that regard, the Deputy Prime Minister for economic policy and financial system said that the documentation on that subject will be prepared for the next Cabinet meeting.