Fines for misdemeanor warrants are difficult to avoid because officers of the Enforcement Procedures Department of the Police Directorate (PD) "hunt" citizens who try to avoid paying fines, mostly written for non-compliance with traffic regulations.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), or the Police Department, "withdrawn" 3,7 million euros from citizens' accounts in the course of forced collection in 2024 and 2025, and most of the money was collected from road fines issued by traffic patrols.
In its response to "Vijesti", the Ministry of Interior emphasized that legal entities to which police officers issued a misdemeanor warrant pay fines within the stipulated period, and therefore, enforcement proceedings are very rarely initiated against companies.
"The majority of fines collected in enforcement proceedings are collected from individuals, for whom misdemeanor warrants have been issued for violations committed in accordance with the Road Traffic Safety Law," the department responded.
They explained that the forced collection procedure is carried out in accordance with the Law on Misdemeanors, which stipulates that the authority that issued the misdemeanor order is responsible for its execution and monitoring of collection.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the forced collection procedure is initiated when the punished person fails to pay the fine with the costs of the procedure, or when the competent authority determines that he is avoiding paying the fine.
After the new Law on Road Traffic Safety came into force, which tightened the rules, but also drastically increased the range of fines for road traffic violations, it is expected that the number of fines collected will be much higher compared to previous years.
The police have stepped up traffic patrols this summer, and they are also monitoring compliance with regulations on some sections from the air - using drones.
In numerous statements, the police claim that drivers who violate traffic regulations should be aware that the violations committed can be video documented at any time, using drones, and that each will be sanctioned in accordance with the law, without exception.
Almost 30.000 misdemeanor warrants more than last year
In its response to "Vijesti", the UP revealed that in the period from January to June this year, traffic police officers issued 109.130 misdemeanor warrants, while in the same period in 2025, 80.508 misdemeanor warrants were written.
"Records for July 2026 have not yet been consolidated at the national level, so the total number of misdemeanor warrants issued during 2026 will be much higher," the police said.
During the summer season, the UP has also increased the number of traffic patrols deployed on the roads, but their number during the day is not fixed, but depends on the safety assessment, traffic intensity and operational needs in the field.
"During the summer tourist season, an average of 59 traffic patrols are deployed on roads in Montenegro within 24 hours, while an average of eight patrols are deployed in the Podgorica area," the UP's response reads.
The police state that their goal is not to punish, but to protect human lives, emphasizing that legal penalties for recorded violations cannot be avoided.
If misdemeanor fines are not paid within the stipulated period, a forced collection procedure is initiated.
"For legal entities and entrepreneurs, collection is carried out by transferring funds from accounts through the Central Bank of Montenegro, while for individuals, the debt can be collected by withholding part of their salary or pension, up to one third of their income, or by transferring money from accounts in commercial banks, except for funds that are exempt from enforcement by law," the Ministry of Internal Affairs explained.
Imprisonment is also possible for non-payment.
If the fine cannot be collected even by forced means, the court may decide to replace the fine with community service or imprisonment.
For every 25 euros of unpaid fine, four hours of community service or one day of imprisonment are imposed, provided that the work cannot last longer than 80 hours, and the prison sentence cannot be longer than 60 days.
The Ministry of Interior explains that enforced collection procedures are carried out by the Department for the Implementation of Enforced Collection Procedures, which operates within the Police Sector of General Jurisdiction of the Police Directorate.
Officials of that Department, as they stated, issue orders for forced collection to employers, the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, the Central Bank of Montenegro, and commercial banks, depending on who the debtor is.
They also emphasize that the money collected from misdemeanor sanctions does not remain with the Ministry of the Interior or the Police Directorate.
"The money generated from the payment of monetary sanctions imposed by the misdemeanor order flows directly into the budget of Montenegro," the Ministry of Interior's response states.
Citizens who have been served with a misdemeanor warrant have the right to pay half of the fine imposed within eight days, which is considered to mean that the obligation has been settled in full.
Within that period, they can also request a court decision if they believe they are not responsible for the violation. If they do not file a request within eight days, they are deemed to have accepted responsibility, and the violation order becomes final and enforceable.
The improved Law, which came into force on August 7, increased fines for almost all traffic violations that lead to the most serious accidents - reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, overtaking in places where it is not allowed, entering an intersection at a red light, but also for not wearing a seat belt...
Driving a vehicle while the driver is already banned due to numerous fines will be treated particularly harshly, so in the future, returnees will be fined between 1.000 and 2.000 euros, or sentenced to prison, with a mandatory ban on driving.
Stationary radars by the end of the year?
In a response to "Vijesti", the Police Directorate stated that they expect the first stationary radars on Montenegrin roads to be installed by the end of 2026.
"When it comes to stationary radars, the project has been completed, while consultations with bidders are currently underway with the aim of implementing further activities. We expect the first stationary radars to be installed by the end of this year," the UP response states.
As previously announced, in the first phase of the project, 21 stationary radars will be installed along the route from Podgorica to Budva.
The procurement and installation of stationary radars have been mentioned in strategic documents of the Ministry of Interior and the Police Department since 2012, but the use of such devices, which should reduce the number of accidents with serious consequences, has not yet taken off.
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