Montenegro’s sanitary inspectors conducted 2,403 inspections during two months of the summer season, identifying 1,727 irregularities and imposing almost €1.05 million in fines across tourism, hospitality, retail and food-service businesses. The penalties were approximately €150,000 higher than during the comparable period a year earlier, when fines amounted to around €899,300.
Fines imposed since the beginning of 2026 have already surpassed the total recorded throughout 2025 and are approximately twice the amount collected in 2024, according to the Health Ministry. The inspection activity covered businesses subject to sanitary, food-safety and operating-compliance requirements, including restaurants, hotels, accommodation providers, retailers and food businesses. The increased enforcement coincides with Montenegro’s continued alignment of its consumer-protection, food-safety and public-health framework with EU standards.
For businesses, the impact of intensified inspections extends beyond direct financial penalties. More frequent controls can increase compliance costs, particularly for smaller operators that may require additional documentation, employee training, monitoring and professional support.
Tourism businesses face particular exposure because a significant share of their annual revenue is generated during the short summer season. Temporary closures or fines can therefore have a disproportionate financial effect during the peak operating period. The higher inspection and penalty figures make regulatory compliance an increasingly significant operating issue for companies as Montenegro moves closer to EU membership. Tighter enforcement can also reduce competition from businesses operating outside formal regulatory requirements, affecting both investors and established operators.
