One-time assistance to pensioners from 30 to 100 euros

The Board of Directors of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund made a decision to grant one-time assistance to pensioners in Montenegro, which will be paid in December with the regular pension for November 2021.

For that purpose, as announced, around 3,1 million euros have been set aside.

Pensioners who receive the minimum pension will be paid an aid of 100 euros, while pensioners whose pension ranges from the minimum to the average pension, including this amount, will receive aid in the amount of 30 euros.

"The mentioned activity is the result of a joint initiative of the Fund and the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare and is carried out with the aim of improving the financial position of pensioners whose pension amount is not higher than the average pension in Montenegro," the statement of the PIO Fund states.

They add that the decision on the payment of one-time aid was made on the basis of the modality determined by the analysis of relevant statistical data and available funds of the Fund achieved through savings in the budget for 2021, with a particular focus on the intention of the Fund and the line ministry to ensure the largest possible scope of its implementation.

"According to statistical data for October 2021, the PIO Fund of Montenegro pays the rights to 118.319 beneficiaries in Montenegro, of which 113.758 are pensioners. The average pension in Montenegro is 292,91 euros, while the amount of the lowest pension is prescribed by the Law on Pensions and disability insurance and amounts to 147,08 euros, and 16.696 beneficiaries of this right receive it. As the number of pensioners whose pension ranges from minimum to average is 47.669, a total of 64.365 pensioners will receive one-time assistance, which is 56,58 percent of the total number of pensioners in Montenegro", it was shared.

During the year 2021, including this decision, about 5,53 million euros were paid for one-time benefits to pensioners, which is six times more than the previous year, when 0,93 million euros were paid for this purpose.