These days, data for the countries of our region were published from the Numbeo website (the world's largest database on the cost of living), which show that the cost of living for both individuals and the average four-member family, excluding Slovenia and Croatia, is the highest - in Montenegro. According to data from Numbe, the average cost of living for an individual in Montenegro is 515 euros per month, excluding rent, while the average family of four needs 1.802,60 euros per month, also excluding rent. (investitor.me) According to Monstat, the annual inflation in Montenegro amounted to 17,2 percent, but the price of basic foodstuffs rose by more than 30 percent, while solid fuels for heating rose by as much as 50 percent. The minimum consumer basket from December 2021 to November 2022 increased from 671,80 to 799,70 euros, which does not include housing costs. With the large influx of foreigners from Russia and Ukraine, apartment rental prices have risen enormously. For example, the prices for renting studio apartments in Podgorica range up to 350, and one-room apartments up to an incredible 900 euros, depending on the neighborhood (bankar.me).
Since the Government's measures to limit the prices of several basic foodstuffs were due until the end of 2022, at the beginning of this year, traders raised prices. For example, in the fourth quarter of last year, in some markets, we could buy oil at a price of 1,70, even, in some period, at 1,50 euros per liter, and now the same oil is 2,15 euros and more. (personal consumer experience). It is obvious that in the fall, merchants "were forced" to sell goods, which they acquired long ago, at lower prices, in order to free up warehouses for new stocks and profit from the quick sale of "old" goods. When the state has no commodity reserves, greedy traders have the opportunity and interest to behave in exactly this way.
At the session of February 24, 2022, the 42nd government adopted the Information on the need to form commodity reserves, which were abolished by the Law on Intervention Procurements, in December 2003. At the same time, a study on the justification of the formation of commodity reserves is planned (www gov.me). In the middle of July last year, the current, 43rd Government, formed a Coordinating Body for monitoring the stock of products of special importance for people's life and health, and on August 3, the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism signed a cooperation agreement with eleven trading companies. which represented a transitional solution, until finding an adequate way to form commodity reserves (investitor.me). While the preparation of the study on the justification of the formation of commodity reserves was still ongoing, the director general of the Directorate for Agriculture, at the beginning of September last year, told "Dan", among other things: "Commodity reserves in Montenegro should be formed at the beginning of next year , and until then the sufficiency and competitiveness of virtually all products was ensured". The director, apparently, communicated his wishes, overlooking that the formation of commodity reserves requires a lot of knowledge, experience, desire and effort, as well as tens of millions of euros. Reserves of goods for the next calendar year are provided in the previous year. Due to the reasons listed above and many more, the "return of commodity reserves" is stretched from government to government!
At the session of the current Government, held on January 12, 2023, the position was taken that "Montenegro should return commodity reserves" and the information on the prepared Study on the need to form commodity reserves was discussed, which was personally confirmed by Prime Minister Abazović to the MINA Agency. According to Minister Đurović's statement, "two additional studies have been proposed, which will carry out a detailed analysis of privately owned warehouses, the territorial aspect of the organization of commodity reserves, the capacity to accommodate medicines and medical materials, oil and oil derivatives, as well as an analysis of the Agency's organizational structure for strategic reserves of Montenegro". Maybe they could have foreseen water supplies, because we in Nikšić have been paying for water at an enormously high price for two months already?
Since the entire procedure is at the very beginning, and the procurement of goods is not foreseen in the budget for 2023, we will not have commodity reserves even in 2024, so the work of their formation will be taken over by a new government. New government, new decisions, new studies or nothing at all! While citizens tighten their belts and worry about tomorrow, economic analysts give conflicting forecasts about the growth of inflation in 2023. Their stories mean nothing to us, because percentages are one thing and life is another. Oxfam's annual reports on inequalities, which say that "economic inequalities are out of control", emphasize that the corona virus pandemic and the great world economic crisis have made "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer"!
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