The government has slightly expanded the list of products covered by the state action to limit margins, by correcting the existing list and adding a couple of domestic dairy products. Homemade yogurt and sour milk of all weights are included in the "Limited prices", so the list includes a total of 52 food products, while cow's milk in a bag has been added to the basic foodstuffs (salt, oil, sugar, flour, top 400 and 500).
The Government said that the main reason for this move was the protection of domestic producers of dairy products, which have recently been threatened by cow fever.
This, among other things, is written in the decision adopted by the Government on Thursday.
"Limited prices" were launched on September 6 and will last until January 31 of the following year. It is about limiting the margins for a total of 66 products, 51 food and 15 hygienic - through which the Government expected to reduce the prices of more than 1.000 items. Margins in the food sector are limited to 10 percent in wholesale and retail stores, while for hygiene they are limited to a maximum of 10 percent in wholesale and 15 percent in retail.
In addition to these, an earlier measure to limit margins on five basic foodstuffs, namely sunflower oil, crystal sugar, type 400 and 500 flour and table salt, is in force.
With the new government decision, one-liter cow's milk in a bag is included among these five foods from the food group. This means that this list now consists of six foods. The maximum margin on these products in wholesale is five percent, while in retail stores it is limited to seven percent.
On the other hand, the list of 51 foodstuffs has now been increased by two products - because domestically produced yogurt of all weights and sour milk of the same production have been added. "Limited actions" so far only covered one-liter yogurt with 2,8 percent milk fat, while there was no sour milk at all. These are also the only products that have been added, while the domestic white cheese in bulk, which was part of the promotion until now, has been corrected so that it now applies to all domestic cheeses of all weights.
This means that there are now a total of 67 products on the Government's list for this action.
"Limited prices", like the original action from March, do not apply to markets with a total square footage below 600 square meters at the state level...
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development said in mid-November that the action did not threaten the supply of the market, that it had an impact on the stabilization, lowering of the prices of basic foodstuffs and the low rate of inflation. Nick Djelosaj. He pointed out that monthly inflation for October was non-existent, that is, prices did not change compared to September.
"Taking into account the above, it is clear that the action 'Limited prices' of the 44th Government, without jeopardizing the continuity of market supply, influenced the stabilization and lowering of the prices of basic foodstuffs as well as the overall low rate of inflation in Montenegro. The Ministry will continue to continuously monitor the prices of basic foodstuffs according to the established methodology and, accordingly, propose measures to protect citizens' standards", Đeljošaj said.
In September of this year, according to Monstat data, Montenegro recorded a monthly drop in prices - deflation - for the first time since December 2023. Prices in October were on average 0,4 percent lower than in August. A similar thing happened last year, when deflation was recorded in November and December.
Mostly without consequences for people
The website of the Institute for Public Health (IJZ) points out that kyu fever is a common disease for the climate of Montenegro and that it mostly passes without consequences.
It is stated that the consequences are minimal, especially if a person contacts a doctor immediately upon the onset of symptoms, in order to be diagnosed in time and begin antibiotic therapy.
"Fever is a widespread worldwide infection caused by the bacterium 'Coxiella burnetii'. It is registered in numerous European countries (France, Germany, Spain, Hungary and others). Infection in humans is usually asymptomatic, but can have a mild to severe and rarely fatal course. It usually manifests as a flu-like illness and can include symptoms such as: sudden headache, fever, muscle aches, fatigue, night sweats, weight loss, joint pain and nausea...", the IZJ website points out.
In September, the IJZ announced that eight people fell ill with Q fever this year.
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