Montenegro’s state-owned airline ToMontenegro has secured public-service contracts worth an estimated €4.79 million excluding VAT to operate five routes from Podgorica to major European destinations.
Five Routes Selected for Public-Service Support
The Transport Ministry selected ToMontenegro as the sole and highest-ranked bidder for services connecting Podgorica with Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, Zagreb and Bari. The contracts cover a period of one year and are intended to maintain air links regarded as strategically important for tourism, business travel and Montenegro’s connections with European institutions and markets. The largest allocation is for the Brussels route, at approximately €1.49 million. Paris follows with around €1.15 million, while Frankfurt is allocated approximately €912,700. The remaining funding is allocated to the Zagreb and Bari routes.
Funding Supports Year-Round Connectivity
The public-service mechanism is designed to maintain routes that may have economic importance but could be difficult to operate throughout the year based solely on commercial demand. The contracts strengthen ToMontenegro’s position as a state-backed provider of air connectivity as Montenegro seeks to expand year-round links and reduce reliance on highly seasonal summer traffic.
Brussels has particular importance for Montenegro’s EU accession process, while Frankfurt and Paris provide connections to major business, tourism and onward-travel markets. The Zagreb service supports regional connectivity, while Bari provides an air link across the Adriatic with southern Italy.
Amsterdam Excluded from Latest Procurement
The contracts also give ToMontenegro a more predictable revenue stream as the airline competes with larger European low-cost and network carriers. The wider public-service objective is to improve accessibility, support a longer tourism season and strengthen business connectivity through targeted aviation support rather than relying exclusively on peak-season commercial demand. Amsterdam, which had previously been identified as a route of public interest, was not included in the latest procurement.
