Montenegrin Government Enacts Set of Measures to Support Population and Economy 

Government of Montenegro

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic has presented a set of economic measures aimed at combating the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which include benefits and subsidies for various categories of the population and economy, and particularly agriculture. The new proposed measures include subsidies for closed activities for April and May 2020, in the amount equaling 70% of the minimum monthly salary and 100% of contributions and taxes on the minimum salary for each registered employee in the sectors that had to be shut down due to measures for curbing the epidemic. 

Subsidies are planned for endangered activities for April and May, in the amount equaling 50% of the gross minimum salary for each registered employee whose work was jeopardized due to the anti-epidemic measures. 

The list also includes: subsidies for the salaries of employees on paid leave for April and May in the amount of 70% of the gross minimum salary for each employee forced to stay at home to look after a child under the age of 11; subsidies for the salaries of quarantined or self-isolating employees, also for April and May 2020, in the amount of 70% of the gross minimum salary for each employee who had to be quarantined or self-isolate; subsidies for new employment in the amount of 70% of the gross minimum salary for a period of six months for entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises which register new employees in April, who were previously registered as unemployed in the records of the Montenegrin Employment Agency. 

The government will task the Investment and Development Fund with designing new credit lines in such a way that they supplement these government measures. All energy entities will be released from the obligation of paying the fixed part of the electric bill for April, May and June, as will companies the activities of which have been banned by order of the Ministry of Health. In parallel, power company EPCG will double the amount for electric bill subsidies for socially endangered households, for the duration of the measures. 

The government will also earmark one-time aid in the amount of EUR50 for all unemployed individuals registered with the Employment Agency who do not receive any kind of fee or material compensation. Where aid to agriculture is concerned, commercial fishermen are to receive one-time aid, while those insured on grounds of agriculture will have their contributions paid. 

One-time support is also envisaged for users of senior benefits, support for the purchase of domestic products, support for the payment of products to domestic producers within 15 days, favorable loans for the procurement of working capital and payment of interest of the users of those loans during the grace period, as well as the advance payment of 80% of certain premiums.