The 44th Cabinet session – 16 March 2023

The Montenegrin Cabinet, at today's 44th session chaired by Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, adopted the Information on the "Stop inflation" programme. The aim of this programme is to bring inflation under control and protect the purchasing power of citizens. In order to mitigate the negative impact of rising prices on the standard of living, the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism, in agreement with representatives of retail chains, created this programme which defines the basket of anti-inflation groceries.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on temporary visa waivers for citizens of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Uzbekistan. In order to support the tourism industry and provide a significant emissive market, citizens of these three countries will be able to enter and stay in Montenegro for up to 30 days without a visa, with a valid travel document, as an organised tourist group that jointly enters, stays and leaves the territory of Montenegro by direct charter flight. In addition, it is necessary that they have a proof of paid tourist arrangement, an invitation letter from a tourist agency from Montenegro that is the organiser of the trip and proof of return to home country.

The Report from the joint session of the governments of Montenegro and the Republic of Albania was adopted.

The Cabinet adopted the Railway Infrastructure Construction, Maintenance, Reconstruction and Modernisation Programme for 2023.

The Information on the need to provide a loan for the implementation of three thematic strategic projects within the Interreg IPA CBC Italy – Albania – Montenegro programme was adopted. As stated in the Information, these are the projects "Smart Adria Blue Growth ITALME360"; "DUE MARI -Next Generation Tourism Development ITALME358", as well as the project "Cross-border exchange for the development of Cultural and Creative industries - 3C ITALME354". In order to successfully implement these three projects, it is necessary to finalize due payments, in order to create conditions for full refund sought by the donors of the Management Body of the Interreg IPA CBC Italy – Albania – Montenegro programme in the coming period. On this occasion, the Ministry of Finance is in charge of redirecting funds in the amount of 180,795 euros.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on activities on the implementation of priority projects in the field of agriculture in the second half of 2022.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on the signing of Appendix No. 8 to the Memorandum of Understanding No. 4 on the operational use of NAVSTAR Global Positioning System, a US space based worldwide navigation system, and accepted the Appendix. This Appendix refers to amendments to the validity period of the Memorandum, which extends it until 31 December 2024, and is expected to be signed by all NATO allies. Due to the efficiency in the work, it has been suggested that the aforementioned appendix can be signed by an authorised national representative to NATO.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on the need to sign the Convention on the International Protection of Adults.

Full press release in Montenegrin is available here.