Reforms in the payment system, especially joining the SEPA system and connecting to the TIPS infrastructure, are concrete evidence of Montenegro's readiness to fully participate in the single market of the European Union (EU), said the Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG) Irena Radović.
She participated in the 20th anniversary Bled Strategic Forum, at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Slovenia and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon and the Acting Governor of the Bank of Slovenia Primož Dolenc.
As announced by the Central Bank of Montenegro, Radović, within the Forum, together with the governors of the central banks of Slovenia and Estonia and senior representatives of European institutions, spoke on a panel entitled "Shaping European Economic Resilience: Strategic Responses, Payment Systems Integration and the Digital Euro".
She emphasized that Montenegro is a leader in the European integration process in the Western Balkans, with a clear goal of becoming an EU member by 2028.
"In this context, she emphasized that reforms in the payment system, especially joining the SEPA system and connecting to the TIPS infrastructure, are concrete evidence of Montenegro's readiness for full participation in the EU single market," the statement said.
According to Radović, joining the SEPA system brings significant benefits for citizens and businesses – reduced costs, faster and more secure transactions, as well as greater connectivity with the European market.
"This is also an important step towards deeper economic and financial convergence with the EU," Radović emphasized.
In the part of the discussion on the digital euro, she recalled the activities of the Central Bank of Montenegro in the field of digitalization and emphasized that the inclusion of EU membership candidates in the early phase of the project would contribute to financial stability and strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy.
"The digital euro, together with SEPA and instant payments, will shape the future landscape of European finance. For candidate countries, it is not just a question of technical integration, but also of strategic alignment with European values and rules," Radović emphasized.
The Central Bank of Montenegro stated that, during her visit to Slovenia, Radović had several meetings at the Central Bank of Slovenia, including meetings with Dolenc, members of the Board of Directors and management of the Bank of Slovenia.
As they said, the topics of the meetings included the exchange of experiences in the field of payment transactions, cash management, and the development of a national framework for bank resolution.
"Special emphasis is placed on the transfer and implementation of the best European standards and practices in the regulation and supervision of the banking sector, while considering the possibility of the Bank of Slovenia providing technical and expert support to the Central Bank of Montenegro in key integration projects into the European financial area and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB)," the statement says.
It is stated that Radović's participation in discussions at the Bled Strategic Forum confirms the role of the Central Bank of Montenegro as a bridge between national reforms and European priorities - from strengthening stability and trust to contributing to the convergence and common resilience of the European financial area.
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