Press release from the 73rd Cabinet session

The Montenegrin Cabinet held its 73rd session, chaired by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić. The Cabinet adopted the Draft Law on the ratification of the Agreement on access to higher education and admission to study in the Western Balkans. This Agreement ensures equal conditions for students from all signatory states when enrolling in higher education institutions. This means that students from one state can apply for enrollment at public universities and higher education institutions in other signatory states under the same or equivalent conditions as domestic candidates. This initiative reduces administrative barriers and enhances access to higher education across the region. Another crucial aspect regulated by the Agreement is the recognition of secondary school qualifications for further education. Each signatory state commits to recognizing diplomas and qualifications obtained in other member states, except in cases where significant differences exist in educational standards. This measure facilitates student mobility between institutions without additional bureaucratic procedures or prolonged diploma nostrification processes. A third key area addressed by this international agreement is the establishment of the Joint Commission for access to higher education and admission to study. This Commission is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Agreement, harmonizing common lists of recognized educational institutions, and resolving potential disputes or challenges in its application. It comprises representatives from each signatory state and convenes regularly to monitor the effectiveness of the Agreement’s implementation and propose necessary amendments. Additionally, the Agreement addresses transparency in admission procedures, the obligation of states to provide information on available study programmes, and the possibility of further developing joint study programmes between higher education institutions from different signatory states.

The Cabinet adopted the Draft Law on the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science, youth, and sports. Aimed at strengthening broad cooperation in these fields, the Agreement facilitates significant cultural exchange to foster knowledge acquisition in art, literature, history, and related disciplines. It also promotes various forms of collaboration across all educational levels, including schools and higher education institutions, to enhance language learning. The Agreement supports scientific research institutions, the exchange of scientists, the implementation of research projects, as well as doctoral and student exchanges through study and research stays, participation in scientific conferences, and symposia. It further fosters youth exchanges and encourages meetings between athletes, thus improving sports cooperation within educational institutions. The signing of this Agreement will establish a legal framework for drafting cooperation programmes in these fields in the coming period, thereby intensifying bilateral engagement.

The Cabinet adopted a Decision on determining the financial compensation for members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro participating in international forces within missions, operations, and other activities of NATO, the European Union, and the United Nations. Currently, the financial compensation for Montenegrin Armed Forces personnel engaged in international forces is determined by separate decisions for each mission individually. This fragmented approach has led to an excessive number of regulations governing the same area. Additionally, it has become necessary to standardize financial compensation, considering the similarity of duties and conditions under which these tasks are performed. Taking into account the increased cost of living in the countries where Montenegrin troops are deployed, as well as the security and geographical conditions of these missions, it has been proposed that the financial compensation for participation in NATO and EU missions be set at a net amount of 115 euros per day, while in UN missions, the rate is set at 70 euros per day for military observers and 115 euros per day for staff officers/non-commissioned officers. The funds for implementing this decision are planned in the Draft Budget Law of Montenegro for 2025.

The Cabinet adopted amendments to the Draft Law on amendments to the Law on financing local self-government. Four amendments have been introduced, three of which (1, 3, and 4) involve legal-technical adjustments, technical corrections, and renumbering. Amendment No. 2 modifies the legal provision concerning the percentage of revenue allocation from concession fees for the use of airports, ports, and roads to ensure fair distribution of these revenues. In the Draft Law on amendments to the Law on financing of local self-government, Article 1 is amended to read as follows: "In the Law on financing of local self-government ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 3/19, 86/22, and 5/24), Article 13, paragraph 1, is amended to read: 'The municipality is allocated 70% of the revenue from concession and other fees (hereinafter: fees) for the use of assets of general interest located in its territory, except for revenue from concession fees for the use of ports, roads, and airports, of which 20% is allocated to the municipality where the port, road, or airport subject to the concession is located.'"

The Cabinet adopted Information on the establishment of a new Operational Team for the Open Government Partnership. Accordingly, a Decision has been adopted to amend the Decision on the establishment of the Operational Team for the Open Government Partnership, whose primary task is to lead the process of developing the National Action Plan through inclusive consultations with all stakeholders. The Operational Team will be formed through a public call for the nomination of representatives from non-governmental organizations and the official delegation of representatives from relevant institutions. The team will be coordinated by the Minister of Public Administration and will include representatives from key ministries, relevant agencies, and NGOs specializing in anti-corruption, public participation in policymaking, digital governance, gender policy, civic space expansion, inclusion of vulnerable social groups, and public policy transparency.

The Cabinet adopted Information on the conclusion of an agreement between the Ministry of Tourism and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for the implementation of the project "Supporting the transition to Tourism Industry 4.0 in Montenegro driven by digital technologies." This project focuses on enhancing digital skills in Montenegro and their application in tourism, culture, and related economic sectors. The key objectives include:

• Diversifying tourism offerings through the implementation of digital technologies and the creation of innovative tourism products;
• Enhancing destination branding and promotion using new digital tools and interactive platforms;
• Supporting traditional and cultural industries through digital transformation in cultural heritage interpretation and preservation;
• Engaging new audiences and stakeholders through digital and hybrid tourism experiences;
• Increasing the competitiveness of Montenegrin SMEs in tourism and creative industries;
• Developing national cultural heritage and sustainable tourism in line with EU and UN sustainable development goals;
• Creating new sustainable jobs and increasing revenues in the tourism and cultural sectors.
• Establishing partnerships with EU institutions and international networks such as Europeana. Additionally, the project aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the tourism sector and related industries, enabling them to enhance their products and services in line with visitor expectations. This contributes to improving economic performance and the well-being of local communities. According to the project materials, the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovene Enterprise Fund, and UNIDO support the advancement of Montenegro's tourism industry through digital innovations. This initiative seeks to implement best practices from Slovenia, developed through the "Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage" (DICH) project, focusing on the digitalization of cultural heritage and the development of innovative tourism products. The project, valued at €298,680, is fully funded through donations, with a planned implementation period of 24 months from its commencement.

The Cabinet adopted the Sectoral Collective Agreement for Social Welfare. The agreement, reached between the Government and the Union of Social Welfare Employees, provides for salary increases for employees in this sector. The coefficients have been increased by an average of 14.5%, with specific increases ranging from 3.5% to 37.5% for social workers. The agreement aims to reduce wage disparities within the public sector and improve working conditions for professionals in social and child welfare services.

The Cabinet adopted a Decision on the transfer of property rights to the Podgorica Capital City for the purpose of constructing a temporary parking lot with traffic signage on a parcel of land located at the former Morača Barracks site, covering an area of 22,244 m².

The Draft basis for negotiations and conclusion of the Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on economic cooperation has been established, and the text of the Agreement has been accepted. As highlighted in the discussion, the Agreement will establish a legal framework for further enhancing economic cooperation in areas identified as mutually beneficial, including but not limited to: telecommunications, aviation cooperation, investments and investment promotion, infrastructure, construction, trade in goods and services, tourism, small and medium-sized enterprises, agriculture, e-governance, and other areas of economic, technical, and trade cooperation that will be mutually agreed upon. The specified areas of cooperation will be detailed through special protocols, agreements, programmes, arrangements, and/or various contracts between the competent authorities of both Parties. Key reasons for concluding the Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on economic cooperation include: taking necessary measures to strengthen economic cooperation, promoting cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises, encouraging a favourable investment climate, exchanging information on economic programmes, promoting and facilitating visits by business delegations, encouraging the participation of private sector individuals and entities in international fairs and exhibitions. Furthermore, strategic projects of public interest are recognized in the sense that, after joint discussions on economic development priorities and the well-being of their citizens, the signatory parties may identify and explore specific strategic projects of public interest deemed essential for achieving the objectives of the Agreement. The Agreement also provides for the establishment of a Joint Economic Commission composed of representatives from both sides, and when necessary, representatives of other public or private sector entities. This Commission will coordinate and promote economic, trade, and technical cooperation, monitor the implementation of the Agreement, develop cooperation in designated areas, and propose solutions if certain challenges arise. The Agreement is concluded for a period of five years and will be automatically renewed for successive five-year periods unless one of the parties decides to terminate it. Additionally, the parties may, by mutual agreement, supplement and amend the Agreement in the form of special protocols, which will form an integral part of the Agreement.