For more than five decades, the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro has served as a pillar of support and a space of trust, enabling municipalities to grow, improve their policies, and consistently place the needs of citizens at the forefront, it was stated at the celebration marking the 53rd anniversary of the Association’s establishment and work.
The Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Mišela Manojlović she stated that the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro has gone through challenging periods, but has also achieved results that testify to the strength of local governments when united by common goals and shared interests.
“When we look back on the path the Union has travelled over the past five decades, the results clearly reflect our efforts to shape, strengthen, and protect the system of local self-government, adapt it to the needs of citizens, foster civic awareness, and uphold the fundamental values enshrined in the European Charter of Local Self-Government,” Manojlović stated.
She emphasized that for more than half a century, they have been steadfastly building unity among municipalities in pursuit of their common interests.
“For more than half a century, we have also been strengthening our partnership with the central authorities as a healthy foundation of a democratic society in which all voices are heard, understood, and able to contribute. As early as 2006, we signed a cooperation agreement with the Government of Montenegro, followed by a cooperation agreement with the national Parliament in 2016. These agreements opened new pathways for the faster development of municipalities,” Manojlović said.
She believes that this anniversary therefore stands as a testament to the strength of partnership, strategic vision, and collective commitment.
Presenting the most significant achievements of recent years, Manojlović stated that the Union had worked on, proposed amendments to, or initiated proceedings before the Constitutional Court regarding more than 180 laws and secondary regulations.
“Through some of these initiatives, we restored long-withheld local government competences; through others, we created conditions for increasing local revenues or preventing multimillion-euro expenditures. We also addressed staffing and other municipal challenges, while helping to build a more effective framework for delivering high-quality services and improving the quality of life of citizens in local communities,” Manojlović said.
She recalled that the Union had been a key partner of the Government and the Parliament of Montenegro in the adoption of some of the most important pieces of legislation, including the new Law on Local Self-Government, laws governing spatial planning, construction and legalization, local government financing, taxation, and communal services.
“In doing so, we are guided by the ambition to work together with our partners, ministries, and members of the Montenegrin Parliament to contribute to the rule of law and a coherent legal system, as fundamental principles upon which Montenegrin society must be built,” Manojlović stated.
As she further noted, the voice of the Union was also heard during this period in the preparation of 62 national strategies and analytical documents.
“In the area of local strategic development, we have expanded the portfolio of services available to municipalities. Upon completion of the tender procedure, we will offer them a study that will enable them to shape their local policies towards sustainable development based on health and rural tourism, organic agricultural production, environmental protection, and healthy lifestyles. Such a development path provides all local communities with an opportunity to enhance their competitiveness and visibility within the European context. It has also been reflected in the new national Smart Specialisation Strategy, as well as in the new Spatial Plan of Montenegro, which sets out guidelines for the protection of areas designated for spa and wellness tourism,” Manojlović said.
She recalled that, in recent years, the Union has also been a key actor in the process of decentralization.
“At the initiative of the Union and with the full support of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, a Council of Europe monitoring mission was organized in Montenegro at the beginning of 2023. The mission accepted all of our arguments and recommendations concerning the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The decentralization process effectively began in 2024, when the Council of Europe adopted the mission’s report. We are already seeing the effects of that report, particularly in areas such as spatial planning, the management of the coastal zone, and social and child protection,” Manojlović said.
She believes that decentralization can achieve its full effect only if it is accompanied by fiscal decentralization, which remains a matter of particular focus and attention for the Union.
“Over the past years, we have continuously supported municipalities in the preparation and implementation of donor-funded projects. The results of this support are reflected in the fact that, in the last three years alone, more than 90 projects with a total value exceeding €25 million have been approved for municipalities. Furthermore, thanks to the Union’s efforts, a Fund for the Pre-financing of Donor Projects was established in 2019, significantly facilitating access to resources from European and other international funding programmes,” Manojlović recalled.
She also highlighted that the Union is directly involved in a number of European projects that provide various benefits to municipalities.
“The most significant of these is the ‘Municipalities for the EU’ project, which we are implementing in partnership with the EU Delegation to Montenegro to help prepare municipalities for European integration. The project is valued at €1 million. In addition, just a few days ago, a new €2 million project was submitted in partnership with NALAS, which will provide funding for infrastructure development in all municipalities,” Manojlović said.
“Over the past two years, the Union has also provided direct financial support to its member municipalities for the preparation of technical documentation for local infrastructure projects. More than €800,000 has been allocated for this purpose, and we intend to continue providing such support in the future,” she stated.
“We also established the Union’s Training Centre and organized more than 60 training programmes for over 720 participants. In addition, we created 15 professional networks of municipal officials as a new form of inter-municipal cooperation, knowledge and experience sharing, and harmonization of administrative and legal practice,” Manojlović said.
She stated that, at the international level, the Union has strengthened the position of municipalities through the active participation of its delegations in the European Committee of the Regions, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, ARLEM, and NALAS.
“In this way, Montenegro has become an example of successful local-level involvement in the European integration process,” Manojlović emphasized.
The President of the Governing Board of the Union of Municipalities Radoš Žugić he stated that when an institution endures for so many years, it not only demonstrates its functionality, but also confirms its relevance and purpose.
“Functionality means successfully fulfilling its mission and objectives, while legitimacy means that we, its members—the municipalities—recognize those objectives and use them to improve our work and increase efficiency. Independent institutions are a key pillar of every democratic state. The Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, with its 53 years of existence, has through its work and independence withstood numerous changes—state-building, political, and legislative,” Žugić said.
According to him, the Union’s motto, “Only united can we achieve our goals,” is reaffirmed in practice every day.
“Within the Union, municipalities communicate regularly, articulate their needs and challenges, and through a common approach our voice is heard more strongly, more clearly, and with greater focus, often resulting in concrete and positive outcomes,” Žugić stated.
“Today, as we move ever closer to membership in the European Union, whose core values include solidarity and support from more developed communities to those less developed, our cooperation through the Union of Municipalities is fully aligned with European principles,” he said.
“European programmes require partnerships among multiple municipalities, as well as cooperation between different levels of public administration and the education, research, private, and civil society sectors. In this way, the Union of Municipalities actively contributes to our European integration process,” Žugić said.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro for the period 2025–2029 defines the organization’s mission through nine key objectives.
“These objectives include formalizing and enhancing cooperation between municipalities and central authorities in the development and implementation of national legislation and strategies; reducing centralization through the strengthening of municipal competences; ensuring the financial autonomy and sustainability of municipalities; and developing human resources at the local level, with a particular focus on preparing projects for EU and other international funding programmes,” Žugić pointed out.
“The objectives also include supporting balanced regional development through coordinated initiatives and investments; encouraging inter-municipal cooperation to address shared challenges more effectively; promoting digitalization in order to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility of services for citizens; actively contributing to the reduction of corruption through good governance and accountability mechanisms; and providing logistical support and resources to help municipalities and their citizens achieve common goals,” he added.
The President of the Assembly of the Union of Municipalities Jelena Borovinić Bojović “For more than five decades, the Union of Municipalities has served as a pillar of support and a space of trust, enabling municipalities to grow, improve their policies, and consistently place the needs of citizens at the forefront,” she emphasized.
“We are fully aware that local governments in Montenegro face numerous challenges—from limited financial resources and the need to modernize public administration, to increasing demands for transparency and greater citizen participation in decision-making. It is precisely through the strength of mutual cooperation and the sense of shared responsibility within the Union of Municipalities that these challenges can be more easily overcome through the exchange of experience and the development of high-quality solutions applicable across all local communities,” Borovinić Bojović said.
“During the previous term of the Assembly of the Union of Municipalities, numerous panel discussions were organized across Montenegro on a wide range of topics—from decentralization, waste management, and public policy, to the improvement of local public services,” she recalled.
“It is particularly important to emphasize that these discussions were often held in smaller municipalities, yet they brought together representatives of local governments from across the country, demonstrating that every community matters and that every experience has value,” Borovinić Bojović stated.
“The Union of Municipalities has also proven to be a reliable partner in implementing important initiatives in cooperation with international organizations,” she pointed out.
“The Assembly of the Capital City and the Union of Municipalities consistently nurture their partnership with the NALAS, which, through its activities, provides valuable support in strengthening the capacities of local authorities, facilitating the exchange of experiences, and advancing sustainable development in our communities,” Borovinić Bojović said.
“The importance we attach in the Assembly of the Capital City to cooperation with other municipalities was also demonstrated through the organization of the First Conference of Municipal Assembly Presidents, at which a Declaration was signed, committing us to strengthen mutual cooperation, exchange experiences, and uphold the principles of good governance in the interest of all our citizens,” Borovinić Bojović stated.
“I would also like to emphasize the importance of the awards for best practices in local self-government, which the Union of Municipalities presents as an incentive to promote successful solutions and further improve policies for the benefit of citizens. These awards demonstrate that every municipality has valuable examples that can serve as inspiration and motivation for all of us,” Borovinić Bojović emphasized.
The Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj “Throughout the years of its work, the Union of Municipalities has been a reliable interlocutor for state institutions and an important partner in shaping policies that influence the everyday lives of citizens,” the Minister of Public Administration emphasized.
“The Ministry of Public Administration recognizes local self-government units, as well as the Union itself, as partners in public administration reform. This partnership is not merely declaratory—it is concrete, based on dialogue, mutual respect, and joint projects. Every public policy developed within the public administration sector is shaped through cooperation with the local level of government, because we are aware that it is the level closest to citizens and the one that must lead change in practice,” Dukaj stated.
“The reform of local self-government is one of the key priorities of the Ministry I lead,” he stated.
“We are building this reform on the principles of decentralization, digitalization, and democratization—the pillars of a modern, functional, and accountable public administration. To that end, we are working intensively on the legislative and strategic framework: we have prepared a new Law on Local Self-Government, developed the concept for a Law on Local Elections, and, for the first time, are drafting a dedicated Law on Local Government Civil Servants and Employees,” Dukaj stated.
“At the same time, we have launched numerous development projects in the field of digitalization. A particularly significant step forward is the initiative to establish a local government performance evaluation system, which will enable the development of public policies based on reliable data, measurable results, and the actual needs of citizens,” he added.
“Today’s anniversary is not only an opportunity to reflect on past achievements, but also to set ambitious goals for the future. In that endeavour, as always, the Ministry of Public Administration counts on the full support of the Union of Municipalities and all local leaders,” Dukaj said.
The Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro Johan Satler “Local communities are a key pillar of the European integration process,” the Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro stated, emphasizing their crucial role in implementing reforms and raising standards at the local level.
“Municipalities are the level of government closest to citizens. You know better than anyone the challenges people face in their daily lives. Without you, there can be no genuine reforms or effective implementation of European standards on the ground,” Satler stated.
“Montenegro is making tangible progress on its European path,” he emphasized, recalling that the chapter on public procurement was closed in June and announcing that the closure of five additional negotiating chapters is planned by the end of the year.
“This is a momentum we must not miss. It is now crucial that we continue to provide strong support for European integration and the strengthening of democratic dialogue in the country,” Satler said.
“Environmental protection is one of the greatest challenges facing Montenegro, but also one of its greatest opportunities,” he said.
“We launched the major ‘Protect It, So It Protects You’ campaign in partnership with the Ministry of Ecology and numerous organizations. This campaign has demonstrated that meaningful results are possible when everyone gets involved,” Satler said, pointing to the clean-up of the illegal landfill at Ćemovsko Polje as an example of good practice.
“I also call on other municipalities to join the campaign, organize similar initiatives, and appoint environmental ambassadors. Three months ago, I sent an official letter to all local governments, but only half of them have responded so far,” Satler said.
“Satler pointed to the frequent presence of waste along intercity and rural roads, noting that it has a negative impact on Montenegro’s tourism image and overall perception as a destination.”
“Montenegro is a natural gem and a renowned tourist destination. We must not allow that image to be undermined by waste,” Satler warned.
“He also appealed for stronger efforts to address the issue of stray dogs, emphasizing that animal welfare is a European value. He encouraged local communities to actively implement the national dog population control programme and noted that the EU Delegation stands ready to provide support in these efforts.”
“Satler welcomed the opening of EU Info Points in an increasing number of municipalities through the ‘Municipalities for the EU’ project, which provides citizens with access to information on European programmes and opportunities.”
During the event, the municipalities of Šavnik, Tivat, Budva and Pljevlja received awards for best practices in local self-government.
