Press release of the 4th session of the Government of Montenegro

At its 4^th session held today, chaired by Prime Minister MEc Milojko Spajić, the Cabinet adopted the Decision on amending the Decision on the number of students admitted in the first year of master studies at study programmes of the University of Montenegro, financed from the Budget of Montenegro, for academic year 2023/2024. At the proposal of the University Senate, the Decision approved additional enrollment of 23 candidates who meet the required criteria, i.e. who passed the entrance exam, as an additional requirement of the enrollment process, thus, 1,783 students will be enrolled at master studies of the University of Montenegro. The following additional enrollments were envisaged: one candidate at the Faculty of Biotechnology (study programme Food Safety), 17 candidates at the Faculty of Economics (study programme Business Economics 15 and study programme Management 2 candidates), and five candidates at the Faculty of Medicine (study programme Applied Physiotherapy). In the process of establishing the additional number of students, particular attention was paid to standards of teaching quality, number of teaching staff, economic basis for implementation of single study programme, as well as appropriate relation between the number of students and teaching staff.   

Implementation Strategy for the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security and its pertaining resolutions for the period 2024-2027 with Action Plan for 2024-2025 was adopted. It is the third strategic document in the process of implementation of liabilities arising from Montenegro’s membership in international organizations. Its implementation on national level will strive to improve the state of affairs in the field of gender equality in security sectors, and primarily in the segment related to the increase in the number of women both in total representation in institutions and participation in humanitarian and peace-keeping missions. Apart from that, activities will be taken on the improvement in fields recognized as the ones that require additional actions. Based on analysis of the state of affairs, proceeding from good international practice, in order to improve the field of gender equality in security sector, a strategic objective was set: to improve the position of women and girls in all processes aimed at keeping and promoting peace and security. Action Plan for the implementation of Strategy 2024 – 2025 envisages 32 activities within seven operational objectives.   

The Cabinet was informed about Draft of Chapter 5 – Structural Reforms ERP 2024 – 2026, and gave its consent to send the Draft to the European Commission for comments. The Draft envisages the implementation of six structural reforms and nine special measures. Structural reforms are as follows: improving the business environment and formalisation of economy, improving the governance of state-owned enterprises, increasing energy resilience by applying the Green Agenda, digitalization aimed at sustainability of the economy, improving the framework for better youth employability and higher quality of education, and increasing the effectiveness of the social and child protection system.

Information on activities on implementation of the project related to the connection of electric power systems of Montenegro and Italy via submarine power cable was adopted. Based on concluded agreements, the project of interconnection of electric power systems of Montenegro and Italy has been implemented by the Government, CGES and Terna, Italian distribution system operator. The construction of direct current submarine cable with capacity 1.000 MW is an investment worth more than 758 million euros and it is the liability of Terna, while the Government assumed obligations related to issues of adopting spatial plan, expropriation, issuing building permits, and providing support to CGES and Terna in order to implement the project. In the meantime, one submarine power interconnector with capacity of 600 MW was put into operation, and substation Lastva was connected to 400 kV network at the beginning of April 2019. The submarine interconnection between Montenegro and Italy was officially put into commercial operation on 28 December 2019. As at 24 December 2023, activities on design documentation development and delivery of equipment were 100% completed, and approximately 89.2 % of works was performed. Conditions for performing works were provided at 97% of pole positions. The Information also states that the implementation of the Project was followed by numerous issues, which were partly expected, taking into consideration the scope and type of works to be done (about 125 km of transmission lines and about 90 km of access roads), and also the status of cadastre data (census cadastre or temporary cadastre in the majority of cadastre municipalities), and as a result alternative solutions had to be sought, which required additional time and funds. In that regard, the relevant ministries were assigned to submit the proposals for actual solutions to the Government in order to finalize all remaining liabilities as a priority.  

The Cabinet adopted the Information on the implementation of the construction project Solar Power Plant Briska gora in Ulcinj Municipality. Within the procedure conducted under the public call published on 19 May 2018, the bids were submitted by three bidders, and the Tender Commision made a Decision on establishing the rank-list according to which the Consortium “Fortum and EPCG” held the first-ranked status, the second-ranked bidder was Consortium “IREDL”, while the bid submitted by Consortium “Montesolar” was evaluated as formally incorrect. In legal proceedings that followed, the Administrative Court made a decision which accepted the claim filed by “Montesolar” and annulled the decision of the Tender Commission. In order to enforce the court decision and solve existing problems in the implementation of this important project, the Cabinet assigned the Ministry of Energy and Mining to form a new Tender Commission to evaluate the documentation submitted within the public call.

Information on the need to provide funds for the project of general overhaul of the railway, rehabilitation of steel bridges and tunnels, as well as modernization of depots and workshops was adopted. In that regard, the Cabinet agreed that the shortage of funds in the amount of 8 million euros, necessary for the implementation of the project for general overhaul of the railway, rehabilitation of steel bridges and tunnels, and modernization of depots and workshops, the implementation of which is envisaged via loan arrangement with the EIB, will be provided from additional loan arrangement or from the State budget.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on the need to provide an armoured vehicle for needs of the Chief Special Prosecutor. The Information states that the security issue of state-prosecutors, and in particular the Chief Special Prosecutor and State Prosecutors in the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, represents a necessary requirement for ensuring the efficiency of work of this State Prosecutor’s office and is of vital importance for effective fight against organized crime and corruption. Considering the fact that the vehicle currently used for the needs of the Chief Special Prosecutor does not guarantee the adequate level of personal security, as informed by the security assessments of the National Security Agency, the Cabinet assigned the Ministry for Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, in cooperation with relevant authorities, to undertake activities on providing an armoured vehicle for the needs of Chief Special Prosecutor, which would greatly improve the implementation of future activities of this Prosecutor’s Office in fight against organized crime and corruption.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on FAO Programme Framework for Montenegro (Country Programming Framework-CPF) 2023–2027, and accepted the draft of Programming Framework. Under the new FAO Country Programming Framework 2023 – 2027 for Montenegro, several interventions supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture will be implemented with a particular focus on promoting a Blue Transformation Plan in Montenegro. Within this Programming Framework, as stated in the Information, the FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management will work on enhancing national forestry policies and forest management models to address the issues of unrecorded cuttings, forest fires and biodiversity conservation. Also, one of the priorities of the support will be focused on a more efficient and effective management of state-owned agricultural land, through enhancing land policy and establishing land consolidation programme. As a rule, the FAO support will always have access to “Leave no one behind”, which puts gender equality, youth and poverty reduction at the centre of its interventions. The total amount of financial funds required for implementation of the Country Programming Framework is estimated at 2,162,531 USD, of which 1,430,031 USD is available from FAO technical programme support, and 732,500 USD to be mobilized via development partners.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on issuing Treasury Bills, in order to provide the part of funds that lack for financing the budget for 2023 and building up fiscal reserve. According to the Law on Budget and Fiscal Responsibility, and the Law on the Budget of Montenegro for 2023, the Cabinet assigned the Ministry of Finance to undertake all required activities related to issuing Treasury Bills in the amount up to 50 million euros by the end of 2023.

Decision on amending the Decision on National Investment Commission was adopted. The amendment to Decision was subject to the change of organizational structure of the Government of Montenegro. That authority is in charge to prepare, based on proposals from line ministries, proposal for a comprehensive list of priority infrastructure projects, on the basis of which the EC will make further decisions on the selection of projects that would be financially supported in accordance with the specified priorities at the State level.