Montenegro has reassigned responsibility for verifying expenditure under EU Interreg programmes from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of European Affairs, as the country expands its participation in European funding programmes and prepares to manage larger financial allocations ahead of potential EU membership.
The government’s administrative amendments transfer responsibility for expenditure verification, cost eligibility assessments and compliance checks required before beneficiaries can receive reimbursements. Relevant civil servants, documentation and equipment are also expected to move between the ministries, with both institutions given 30 days after the amendments enter into force to adjust their internal organisation.
Under the third call of the Interreg Danube Region Programme, 19 projects worth €29.89 million have been approved. Montenegrin institutions participate in 13 projects through 14 domestic partners, with approximately €1.19 million allocated directly to Montenegrin participants. The projects will run for 28 months. The €29.89 million represents the total regional programme value, rather than Montenegro’s direct funding allocation.
Montenegro is also expanding its involvement in IPA programmes, the Western Balkans Investment Framework and other EU-supported mechanisms covering transport, environmental protection, energy, digitalisation and regional development.
The transfer of expenditure controls places project administration, European integration policy and financial verification within the same ministry. The transition requires staff, documentation and responsibilities to be transferred without disrupting ongoing payment claims or creating uncertainty over expenditure approvals.
EU grants often operate through reimbursement mechanisms, requiring beneficiaries to incur eligible costs before submitting supporting documentation for verification. Delays in certification can create working-capital pressure for municipalities, public institutions, universities, consultants and other beneficiaries, even when grant funding has been approved.
The capacity to prepare projects, conduct procurement, maintain accounting records and carry out audits will become increasingly important as Montenegro moves towards potential EU membership. Access to structural, cohesion and other investment funds would expand the scale of resources managed beyond current pre-accession programmes. Incomplete documentation or ineligible expenditure can delay reimbursements and lead to financial corrections. These risks affect contractors and consultants working on EU-funded infrastructure, as well as municipalities that may need temporary borrowing or postpone other investments when reimbursements are delayed.
The effectiveness of the new administrative structure will depend on whether expenditure verification and reimbursement processes become more efficient while maintaining compliance with EU requirements.
