Montenegro has been ranked at the level of average implementation among all Contracting Parties of the Energy Community (EC), but it has made significant progress in renewable energy sources (RES), energy efficiency and institutional performance, as noted during a meeting in Podgorica.
The Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Finance, and Budget held a meeting on Friday with the Director of the EC Secretariat, Artur Lorkowski, who presented Montenegro’s path toward European energy integration, based on the Annual Implementation Report of the Secretariat for the previous year.
The meeting, according to the Parliament’s statement, highlighted that a key milestone in the past year was the adoption of the Renewable Energy Sources Law. Progress was also achieved with the adoption of the Oil Derivatives Supply Security Law, further implementation of the Energy Efficiency Law, the creation of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) draft, and the most recent achievement with the adoption of the Energy Law this year.
However, despite some progress in environmental protection, the non-compliance of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant (TPP) with the rules regarding its limited lifespan remains an issue.
Regarding this, Lorkowski expressed hope that the ongoing ecological reconstruction at TPP Pljevlja would align the plant with EU directives.
At the meeting, members of the Committee, including Boris Mugoša, Zdenka Popović, Dejan Đurović, Slađana Kaluđerović, and Nikola Milović, discussed various energy issues. Milović and Kaluđerović are members of the Parliamentary Energy Community Plenary, while Popović, Mugoša, and Kaluđerović are part of the Green Parliamentary Group in the Montenegrin Parliament.
The MPs were informed that amendments to the Law on Cross-Border Electricity and Natural Gas Exchange are necessary for full adoption of the Energy Community Integration Package, which is crucial for further market integration with Italy.
Based on consultations with the relevant ministry, Lorkowski expressed expectations that this law would be delivered to Parliament by April and urged that it be adopted by June, as this would allow Montenegro to join the EU electricity market before its EU accession, expected in the first quarter of 2027.
Lorkowski also announced that the Secretariat had provided comments to the ministry in March on the NECP draft, requesting additional clarifications on the country’s strategy regarding the future of the Pljevlja TPP.
He expressed satisfaction with the expertise level of Montenegro’s Energy Regulatory Agency (REGAGEN) and noted that the selection process for new board members is currently under evaluation to ensure alignment with legislation.
Lorkowski emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Secretariat and Parliament, stating that it is crucial for MPs to understand the broader context when considering laws in specific timeframes.
He reminded the participants about the upcoming Plenary meeting with members of the European Parliament on April 24, which will continue this dialogue and help prepare Montenegro for its future EU membership, with a focus on topics currently discussed in the European Parliament.
After the presentation, MPs inquired about the Ministry’s and EPCG’s views on current energy issues, particularly regarding the Pljevlja TPP, which accounts for 54% of Montenegro’s total energy consumption. The closure of the plant could impact around 3,000 employees in the TPP and the coal mine.
As the NECP draft is already known to the Secretariat, further clarification was requested on activities related to the period until 2035 and 2041.
Members of the Green Parliamentary Group expressed their support for the green transition, but emphasized the need for it to be fair.
They also shared insights on Slovenia’s energy supply stability challenges, which, despite limited TPP capacity and reliance on renewable energy, uses a nuclear power plant as a system backup.
Given the financial estimates for the green transition, which are around 4.6 billion EUR, MPs voiced concerns about how this process, alongside Montenegro’s integration into the EU electricity market, would impact electricity prices in the country. These prices are currently regulated for both households and businesses.
Consequently, they requested the Secretariat’s support in securing a pre-accession fund aimed specifically at the social aspects of the green transition during further negotiations with the EU.
