SD: Increase benefits for the most vulnerable, provide free transportation and snacks for children from socially vulnerable families...

Social Democrats (SD) MPs have submitted amendments to the Budget Bill for 2025, requesting an increase in the amount of material benefits for the most vulnerable categories, to provide funds for free transportation and snacks for children from socially vulnerable families, as well as to increase budgetary support for improving the competitiveness of the Montenegrin economy, SD announced today.

"The funds for the above purposes have been proposed in a way that does not imply new budget expenditures, but would be provided through reducing the amounts for official travel and representation, consulting services and service contracts, and directing these funds to increase support for the most vulnerable categories and improve the competitiveness of the Montenegrin economy," the SD statement states.

The party added that "increasing allocations for material benefits and implementing free transportation for students and free snacks for children from socially vulnerable families is the Government's obligation and in accordance with the conclusions of the Parliament that have been adopted in the past few years at the proposal of SD deputies and unfortunately have not yet been implemented."

SD argues that it is necessary to increase the very small amounts of support for the most vulnerable categories (ranging from 90 euros for an individual to 170 euros for a family of five), which have not been increased for years, despite the fact that the cost of living has increased significantly in the meantime.

"This would be done in a way that the already large allocations for official travel and representation, which were increased by 2,5 million euros in the Budget Law proposal compared to 2024, would be reduced by 2,5 million euros and these funds would be directed to the most vulnerable categories, while the amount of 16,6 million euros earmarked for service contracts would be reduced by one million euros and these funds would be directed to providing free transportation for students and free snacks for children from socially vulnerable categories," the SD points out.

They also state that when it comes to the necessity of increasing budget support to improve the competitiveness of the Montenegrin economy, they point to official data that the coverage of imports by exports is the lowest in the last 15 years, and that Montenegro records the largest foreign trade deficit in the last 15 years, around 3,5 billion euros.

"Also, over 2.700 more companies are blocked today than a few years ago. Therefore, it is necessary to increase by 2 million euros the amount in the budget for improving the competitiveness of our economy, which unfortunately decreases year after year in percentage terms in the budget compared to current revenues. The aforementioned amount of two million euros would reduce the budget item intended for consulting services, which is planned from 34 million euros in 2024 to as much as 45 million in the 2025 Budget Proposal," the SD statement reads.

The party said they expect support from all MPs for the aforementioned amendments.