A record 11,3 million euros have been planned for salaries of employees in the already cumbersome administration of the Municipality of Budva, which is 1,2 million euros more than was planned in the budget for this year.
This is projected in the draft budget for 2026, which will be available for evaluation by the citizens of Budva at a public hearing tomorrow.
This has set a record of sorts, as the portion related to salaries only increases year after year, while other items important for the development of the city stagnate or grow slightly. For example, the 2023 budget projected 7,2 million euros for salaries in the municipal administration.
As stated in the draft budget, 9.838.654 euros will be allocated for gross salaries, while an additional 1.478.857 euros will be allocated for other personal income. Other personal income includes compensation for councilors in the amount of 270 thousand euros (one hundred thousand euros more than this year), 100 thousand for severance pay, jubilee awards of 23 thousand euros, while the item other compensation amounts to 1.085.857 euros, from which compensation for employees under service contracts and temporary-occasional engagements is drawn.
The Secretariat for Budget, Accounting and Economic Development of the Municipality of Budva projected the city's treasury for 2026 at 76,11 million euros. This much money had to be found in the budget, because the current city government must carry over 20 million euros that it failed to spend on investment projects to the following year, which is a consequence of poor implementation of the capital budget.
The key items that will continue to fill the city's coffers next year are taxes and utilities, money collected from citizens and investors.
Tax collection is expected to generate an inflow of as much as 40,8 million euros, accounting for 53 percent of total revenues. Thus, personal income tax is expected to generate an inflow of 9,8 million euros, real estate tax is expected to generate 24 million euros, real estate transfer tax is expected to generate five million euros, while fees are expected to generate 840 thousand euros.
When it comes to fees for the development of city construction land or utilities, the city expects revenue of 9,5 million euros next year.
The municipality expects 3,4 million euros from other revenues, including 600 thousand euros from misdemeanor fines, 1,1 million euros in interest for late payment of obligations, as well as an additional 1,7 million euros from the sale of property.
The municipality will spend millions in tax and utility collections on numerous transfers to cultural and sports institutions, as well as municipal enterprises, as much as 15 million euros, most of which will go to employee salaries.
Thus, the Public Institution Museums and Galleries of Budva will receive 1,25 million euros, RTV Budva 1,2 million euros, the Public Institution City Theatre 1,36 million euros, the Sports and Recreation Center Budva 800 thousand, the Mediterranean Sports Center 810 thousand, the National Library Budva 800 thousand, while sports institutions will receive three million euros.
300 thousand euros have been allocated for healthcare, transfers to education amount to 415 thousand euros, and half a million euros have been allocated to the kindergarten of the Public Primary Educational Institution "Ljubica Jovanović-Maše".
One and a half million euros will be provided from the city treasury for events and projects next year, while 150 thousand euros will be paid to non-governmental organizations.
The draft budget also included a donation of one million euros to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, under the item "transfers", which was promised by the Mayor of the Municipality, Nikola Jovanović, to Metropolitan Joanikije for the construction of the Church of St. Mark on the city bypass.
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Next year, the municipality will also be generous towards the companies it has founded, for whose work it has allocated 6,5 million euros. Under the item "other transfers", it is planned to pay 2,5 million euros to the Municipal Company, 1,6 million to the Waste Water Company, an additional 1,5 million euros to the Municipal Company for the Removal of Special Waste, 400 thousand to the Day Center for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities, 300 thousand to the Funeral Services, 130 thousand to the Academy of Knowledge, while 100 thousand euros will be paid to the newly established Spatial Planning Agency.
When it comes to capital expenditures, the draft budget plans to allocate 35 million euros next year. The most significant part relates to activities in accordance with the Development Program and the Investment Activities Program, namely 14,3 million euros for local infrastructure, 15,1 million for construction facilities, and 2,68 million euros for equipment.
When it comes to repayments of liabilities from the previous period, the Municipality has allocated 1,36 million euros.
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