Response from the Prime Minister to the representatives of the student group “Kamo śutra” regarding the demands submitted on 23 January 2025

Student Group “KAMO ŚUTRA”

Dear representatives,

I have carefully reviewed the demands you presented on 23 January 2025, which were also voices during the protests held in January.

I take this opportunity to recall that on 3 January, an extraordinary session of the National Security Council was convened, during which numerous conclusions and recommendations were adopted in response to the tragedy in Cetinje. These conclusions and recommendations largely align with the demands you have put forward.

Accordingly, and in line with the measures already undertaken in response to your specific requests, I would like to inform you as follows:

1. As you yourselves have noted, resignation is an act of moral and objective responsibility. As is well known to the public, all members of the Government are subject to change following an evaluation of their performance and a detailed analysis of their effectiveness, upon which final decisions will be based.

2. Regarding the request for more proactive and timely action by the relevant institutions on the issue of firearm possession, I inform you that, in accordance with the conclusions of the National Security Council, a Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Firearms and Ammunition (Marko and Mašan Law) has been prepared.

As this draft was submitted for public consultation on 24 January, and no proposals from your group have been recorded thus far, I invite you to review the proposed amendments and submit any suggestions before the consultation period ends on 24 February.

For your information, the key amendments include:

• Raising the minimum age for firearm permit applications from 18 to 25 years (with exceptions for police officers, military personnel, security guards, and members of sports shooting organizations);
• Reducing the validity period of firearm permits from 10 to 5 years;
• Expanding the list of criminal offenses and misdemeanors that disqualify individuals from firearm possession—specifically, any offenses involving violence;
• Establishing a commission under the Ministry of Health as the sole authority responsible for issuing medical certificates for firearm possession, including continuous psychological and psychiatric assessments;
• Implementing stricter criteria for recreational and sports firearms;
• Centralizing the decision-making process for firearm possession and carrying permits.

Additionally, to enhance security and legal protection for citizens, the Ministry of Justice has prepared a Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code, which has been open for public consultation since 23 January. The key amendments include:

• Stricter penalties for illegal possession and carrying of firearms—ranging from 1 to 10 years in prison;
• Increased penalties for gender-based aggravated homicide (femicide)—ranging from 10 to 40 years in prison;
• Recognizing attacks on medical and education professionals as a criminal offense;
• Strengthening measures against hate speech.

I encourage you to contribute to the quality of this legal framework by submitting your suggestions before the public consultation ends on 12 February.

Furthermore, in response to this request, I inform you that the “Respect Life –Return the Weapons” campaign has been intensified. Between the beginning of the year and 27 January, citizens voluntarily surrendered:

• 1,535 firearms,
• 50,534 rounds of ammunition,
• 147 hand grenades,
• and hundreds of firearm parts and explosive devices to the Police Administration.

Additionally, as part of police operations across Montenegro aimed at preventing illegal firearm possession and reducing criminal activities, authorities have confiscated:

• 126 firearms,
• nearly 7,500 rounds of ammunition,
• and 5 hand grenades during the same period.

3. Regarding the reform of police structures, I inform you that this was also one of the conclusions of the National Security Council. Accordingly, on 16 January, a recruitment call was issued for the hiring of 815 police officers into the Police Administration. (The application period is open until 5 February, and approximately 550 applications have been received so far.)

Furthermore, 49 police officers who graduated from the Police Academy have been employed, and since 16 January, seven officers have been assigned to the Security Department in Cetinje.

Parallel to these activities, the Ministry of Interior is carrying out an intensive reform of police structures, which has so far resulted in the suspension of several dozen police officers.

Additionally, following an initiative by the Old Royal Capital Cetinje and a proposal from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation, the Government has decided to introduce security personnel in all educational institutions in Cetinje starting in February.

This measure has been extended to other municipalities, with the Government adopting a decision on 30 January to implement it in all urban schools (42 secondary and 65 primary schools) with a significant number of students. The Government will allocate €800,000 from the budget reserve for this purpose, covering the period from 15 February until the end of the school year.

4. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation remains fully committed to promoting the values of civic education and a democratic society at all levels of education.

Minister Anđela Jakšić Stojanović has publicly supported the initiative to reintroduce Civic Education as a mandatory subject. In collaboration with UNICEF and with the support of the European Commission, the Ministry is finalizing the Education Strategy for the period 2025–2035. This document was subject to public consultation, and its adoption is planned for the first quarter of this year.

The strategy clearly defines curriculum reform as a priority measure, including the introduction of Civic Education as a dedicated subject, the integration of certain civic topics into other subjects, and the incorporation of these principles into primary school curricula. The strategy and its accompanying Action Plan are in their final stages of preparation.

Furthermore, special attention has been given to the importance of media literacy within the education system, particularly concerning the enhancement of human rights, democratic processes, and critical thinking.

5. Immediately after 1 January, through multi-sectoral cooperation, a continuous psychological and social support programme was established for the citizens of Cetinje. A national SOS helpline (1555) has also been activated, which has handled 400 calls and 200 interventions to date.

Following consultations with representatives from the health sector and professional associations of psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists, concrete steps have been agreed upon to systematically improve the National Mental Health Programme.

The Ministry of Health has developed a Mental Health Programme aimed at strengthening prevention, rapid diagnosis, and adequate treatment of mental disorders within the next two years. Key initiatives include: expanding the capacities of Mental Health Centers within Primary Healthcare Centers, increasing the number of psychology positions in health centers (e.g., in Budva and Rožaje), supporting 8 psychiatry residents, 3 child and adolescent psychiatry residents, and 3 medical psychology residents currently in training, allocating additional psychiatry and psychology specializations in the 2025 training plan.

In addition, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, specialized training sessions on post-traumatic stress recognition have been conducted for teachers, parents, and first responders in Cetinje.

Furthermore, the Public Broadcaster has committed to addressing mental health topics more extensively within its programming.

In the spirit of fostering dialogue and achieving the best solutions for our society, I emphasize the importance of collaboration between institutions and citizens on all vital issues.

The Government will continue its dedicated efforts across all sectors and remains open to dialogue to ensure that, together, we build a more resilient and safer society for all citizens of Montenegro.

Respectfully,

PRIME MINISTER

Milojko Spajić