Montenegro’s labour landscape is undergoing one of its most active periods in recent years, with developments that cut across public-sector restructuring, state-owned enterprise dynamics, economic-activity indicators and institutional preparedness for the next stage of EU-aligned reforms. At the centre of this shift is the recent announcement by ACG — Airports of Montenegro — that it will soon advertise roughly 150 new operational positions. Reported through MINA Business and reinforced by commentary in other local outlets such as Vijesti and RTCG, the hiring surge is not merely an internal staffing decision. It has become the latest lens through which Montenegro’s economic momentum, labour-market tension and institutional modernisation are being interpreted.
For a country whose labour market remains relatively small and structurally imbalanced, public-sector hiring of this magnitude carries outsized weight. State-owned enterprises have historically filled a dual function in Montenegro: operators of critical infrastructure and stabilisers of employment in periods of economic strain. The aviation sector in particular reflects broader economic rhythms. When tourism accelerates, airport operations must absorb larger passenger flows; when tourism contracts, operational volumes fall and staffing needs shrink. ACG’s decision to expand its workforce by over a hundred positions therefore suggests expectations of rising, rather than plateauing, economic activity in 2025 and beyond.
The background to this hiring reveals deeper structural narratives. ACG has long operated with constrained staffing, partly due to cost-control measures implemented during the pandemic years and partly due to chronic underinvestment in operational capacity. Montenegro’s two airports — Podgorica and Tivat — are gateways for the tourism-driven economy. They handle millions of passengers annually, with extreme seasonal peaks that strain ground operations, security services, logistics coordination and customer handling. For several summer seasons, Montenegro has faced pressure to increase throughput capacity while modernising safety and operational standards to match European aviation requirements.
Local analysts argue that the upcoming recruitment cycle is not simply an expansion — it is a recalibration. The aviation sector is transitioning from a post-pandemic recovery phase to a long-term growth phase. Montenegro is attracting increasing numbers of year-round visitors, particularly digital-nomad workers, winter-season travellers and foreign investors purchasing property or opening businesses. Growth in these segments requires a more stable, year-round airport workforce, not merely seasonal spikes in staffing.
This labour transition fits within a wider economic story unfolding across Montenegro. Employment levels have been improving gradually over the past two years. Hospitality, construction, and services — traditionally the dominant job creators — have driven hiring, but public-sector institutions remain important employers, particularly in regions with limited private-sector activity. The hiring at ACG therefore contributes to broader employment stability and reinforces consumption dynamics at a time when inflation, interest-rate pressures and external uncertainties require domestic economic buffers.
But the implications extend beyond the aviation sector. State-owned enterprises in Montenegro play a unique economic role. They often act as anchor institutions that generate secondary job creation through procurement, contracting, maintenance services, fuel handling, security engagement and transport-logistics coordination. ACG’s expansion is likely to stimulate demand across a broader supply chain — from transportation companies and ground-handling contractors to cleaning services, IT providers and facility-management firms. Each additional worker at ACG indirectly supports a network of private-sector activity.
Still, the announcement has triggered debate about public-sector efficiency, fiscal pressure and the structural role of state institutions. Critics highlight that expanding public payrolls can impose long-term fiscal obligations that limit the government’s ability to fund capital investment or social programmes. Montenegro’s public finances, while stabilised compared to past periods, remain sensitive to external shocks. Fiscal authorities have recently emphasised the need for discipline and strategic allocation of resources. In this context, ACG’s hiring must be justified not only in operational terms but also in terms of fiscal sustainability.
Moreover, hiring alone cannot guarantee better service quality or performance. Montenegro’s state-owned enterprises have historically struggled with organisational inertia, overlapping responsibilities, slow decision-making and inconsistent implementation of reforms. Aviation operations require precise coordination, internationally recognised safety protocols, and constant training. Modernising ACG’s workforce therefore requires an overhaul of operational systems, managerial practices and technological infrastructure. Hiring is only the first step; integration, training and process optimisation are equally important.
The social dimension of the labour market shift is also notable. Montenegro continues to face labour shortages in several private-sector industries. Hospitality employers frequently report difficulty attracting seasonal workers, with many Montenegrins opting for better-paid opportunities in Croatia, Slovenia or Italy. Construction companies struggle to recruit local workers and increasingly rely on foreign labour from Asia or neighbouring Balkan countries. Even the IT and professional-services sectors experience competition for skilled workers.
If the public sector expands aggressively, private employers may find it harder to retain talent in key roles, particularly in logistics, administration, security and technical services — areas in which wages in the public sector often outcompete those in the private market. This could intensify wage pressures, particularly ahead of the summer tourism season when labour scarcity becomes most acute.
Nevertheless, there are strong arguments that ACG’s hiring reflects Montenegro’s institutional needs, not political cycles. The country is entering a period of accelerated EU-accession alignment, particularly in areas such as border management, air-traffic safety, environmental compliance and digital administration. These obligations require trained personnel capable of meeting regulatory standards. Montenegro cannot advance through accession chapters without strengthening its operational institutions. The aviation sector — as a regulated, safety-critical and internationally scrutinised industry — must meet these standards more rigorously than most.
In this sense, the hiring at ACG is directly linked to Montenegro’s strategic objective of modernising its state capacity. Airport operations rely on updated systems of passenger screening, digital ticketing, border-control protocols, emergency procedures and operational audits. EU agencies such as EASA and Frontex have specific expectations of candidate countries. Meeting them requires staffing levels that correspond to operational demands, not to legacy structures inherited from earlier decades.
Public reaction to the hiring wave has been mixed but largely positive. Many citizens welcome job creation, especially in sectors associated with career development, skill acquisition and stable employment. Montenegro’s younger generations — disproportionately drawn to opportunities abroad — may view aviation-sector jobs as more attractive compared to traditional public-sector roles. Aviation offers clearer career paths, exposure to international standards and transferable skills. If Montenegro wants to slow brain drain, jobs like these are necessary.
Economists, however, caution that the labour market must not become overly dependent on the state. Long-term growth depends on a dynamic private sector, innovation, entrepreneurship and investment. Public-sector expansion should complement, not substitute, private-sector development. The government and state-owned enterprises must therefore ensure that hiring is part of a broader modernisation programme, not a standalone economic stimulus.
The broader macroeconomic outlook supports a cautiously optimistic reading of the labour-market shift. Tourism projections for 2026 show stable or rising demand, according to local sources. Investment activity — particularly in construction and renewable energy — remains strong. Regulatory reforms aimed at harmonising with EU standards are expected to improve the business climate. If these trajectories hold, ACG’s hiring will align with genuine economic needs, not merely anticipatory staffing.
Yet Montenegro must also consider long-term demographic pressures. The country faces low birth rates, an ageing population and persistent emigration. These trends, if unaddressed, will shape labour-market strategy far more than short-term operational needs. Public-sector hiring can stabilise employment temporarily, but only structural reforms — such as productivity improvements, vocational education, automation and sectoral diversification — can build sustainable labour-market resilience.
In conclusion, Montenegro’s labour market is at an inflection point. The hiring surge at Airports of Montenegro reflects immediate operational needs, broader economic optimism and the growing demands of EU-aligned regulatory systems. It also exposes the tensions between public-sector expansion and private-sector competitiveness, between operational necessity and fiscal discipline, and between long-term demographic pressures and short-term employment measures. Whether this moment becomes a foundation for a more modern, efficient and resilient labour market will depend on how Montenegro integrates these new workers into its institutional framework, how it continues implementing reforms and how the broader economy responds to structural transitions underway. For now, the message from Podgorica is clear: Montenegro is preparing its human capital for a more complex and demanding economic future.
