The Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Nik Đeljošaj, stated that the government had to intervene in the market due to high prices, despite knowing that the measure was unpopular. He emphasized that they were forced to protect the citizens’ standard of living. During a hearing before the Economic, Finance, and Budget Committee, he confirmed that the government would continue its margin-limiting actions, as it had not significantly harmed the economy and had helped stabilize prices.
Đeljošaj encouraged citizens to focus on purchasing domestic products and announced that around 3.5 million euros of support for competitiveness would be fully directed towards food production this year.
Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Joković highlighted that the agricultural budget had increased by 5-6 million euros compared to last year, totaling 62.5 million euros. However, he pointed out that there would be no significant increase in agricultural subsidies, as they are already among the highest in the region, particularly in plant production. He added that 15 million euros from this budget would be used for pensions for elderly households.
Joković also noted that a significant portion of imports, particularly meat, represented a challenge for domestic producers, stressing the need to focus on domestic farms to reduce reliance on imports.
Dragan Kujović, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, mentioned that limiting margins could only yield short-term results and emphasized the importance of strengthening the domestic economy. He also pointed out that only 14% of imports are covered by domestic exports.
Vasilije Kostić, President of the Montenegrin Employers Association, argued that weakening the Montenegrin economy would not help citizens maintain their standard of living. He suggested that the government should focus on making smart policies and strengthening the domestic economy rather than restricting prices.
The market disruption was attributed to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, with businesses not being blamed for profiting from the situation. Mirsad Nurković (BS) stressed the need for mechanisms to protect the most vulnerable segments of society.
Mihailo Anđušić (DPS) argued that representatives from retail chains and the Ministry of Finance should have attended the hearing, as the government could adjust taxes or excise duties on essential goods to improve the situation.
Tonći Janović (PES) noted that a boycott had achieved short-term results but emphasized that long-term solutions would require cooperation between the government and retailers, as well as the entry of foreign companies to improve market competition.
Boris Mugoša (SD) highlighted that the government was addressing the symptoms and not the root cause of the issue. He stressed that there was room for correction in the supply chain, which needed to be addressed for a sustainable solution.
