In its 2026 Budget Proposal, the government has allocated significantly more money for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), while allocations for the parliament and the Ministry of European Affairs (MEP) have also been slightly increased, while the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Head of State have received Jakov Milatović reduced budgets - this emerges from a document that "Vijesti" had access to.
Total proposed budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović (Bosniak Party) for the next year amounts to around 24,82 million euros, which is around 2,66 million more than this year. Of this, 18,6 million euros are planned for the work of diplomatic and consular missions (DKP), which represents an increase of 2,5 million compared to 2025.
Almost 8,7 million euros are planned to be allocated for the gross salaries of employees at the diplomatic mission, one million and 200 thousand more than this year. Official trips of this department will cost citizens 310.000 euros next year, while the rental of premises for the needs of the diplomatic mission will amount to 5,78 million euros, which is more than one third of the money that the state will spend for this purpose next year (14,28 million).
Ibrahimović's department has also been allocated "record" funds for payments based on service contracts. 15,38 million euros have been allocated from the state treasury for this purpose, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will receive 2,14 million, most of which relates to local staff at the diplomatic mission.
The state budget for the coming year will amount to 3,77 billion euros, of which 2,97 billion will be provided from regular state taxes and other duties. The government approved the budget proposal two nights ago and sent it to the Parliament. By the time this issue of “Vijesti” was published, the proposal had not been published on the websites of the executive branch and the highest legislative chamber, so it is possible that some of the figures in it have been corrected in relation to the draft that the editorial team has access to.
The government announced the day before yesterday that the material will be available after technical editing, and the state treasury proposal for next year will be presented today.
Over a million for parliamentarians' travel
The Parliament and MEPs will have slightly more money at their disposal next year than this year. The Parliament will have a budget of 14,53 million euros (43 thousand more than in 2025), and the department Maida Gorcevic (Europe Now Movement) 2,87 million (13 thousand more than this year).
The planned gross salaries for MPs are 3,14 million euros, 145 thousand less than this year, while the parliamentary administration is planned to be 4,24 million euros, 20 thousand more than in 2025. The same amount as this year (1,68 million euros) will be allocated for consulting services.
"... It mostly relates to the engagement of secretaries and expert consultants for the needs of parliamentary caucuses in accordance with the Decision on determining the amount, manner and procedure for the earmarked expenditure of funds allocated to parliamentary caucuses for the engagement of secretaries and expert consultants of the caucuses," the document explains.
The state plans to allocate 7,98 million euros for official travel, and after the Ministry of Internal Affairs - 1,27 million, the "most" was allocated to the parliament - 1,09 million euros. This is an increase of 90 thousand compared to last year.
The highest legislative house's fuel expenses have been reduced almost by half - from 70 thousand to 36 thousand, housing and separation allowances will amount to 46 thousand (a thousand more than in 2025), while payments under a service contract are planned at 380 thousand - 20 thousand less than in 2025.
Political parties, parties and associations are planned to receive 20,68 million euros, almost double this year's figure (10,3 million). The budget proposal explains that this money will predominantly go to the Parliamentary Democracy Program (18,03 million).
"... With the note that for 2026, the amount of outstanding liabilities from 2025, in the amount of 4.442.869,95 euros, which arose due to the adoption of the new Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns, was transferred to the activity of financing the regular work of political entities in the Parliament of Montenegro, while the amount was not provided for by the Law on Amendments to the Budget Law for 2025," the document states.
For the gross salaries of MEP employees next year, the same allocation is planned as this year - 411 thousand, almost 40 thousand euros are planned for official trips, and 2.850 euros for representation.
Up to 200 thousand euros have been allocated in the budget reserve for the MEP, for the purposes of preparing the Montenegrin version of European Union legislation.
Božović and Milatović "at a loss"
Unlike the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Parliament and MEPs, the Ministry of Justice Bojan Božović (Europe Now Movement) with a budget of 4,45 million and the Office of the President of the Republic with 1,61 million euros suffered "losses" of 216 thousand and 61 thousand euros respectively compared to last year.
The Ministry of Justice will receive 2,86 million euros for the organization and management of the judicial system next year (212 thousand less than in 2025), and 781 thousand euros will be allocated for the gross salaries of employees in that department (60 thousand more than last year). 23 thousand are planned for official trips, and 45 thousand euros for consulting services.
577 thousand euros have been earmarked for promoting interfaith and interreligious character - almost 60 thousand less than last year. Of that 577 thousand, 450 thousand will go to parties, groups and associations.
The gross salaries of employees in the Office of the President next year are planned to be 835 thousand, 34 thousand less than last year, while 290 thousand will be allocated for official trips.
More money for the Constitutional Court and ASK
The budget proposal for next year also plans more money for the Constitutional Court - 1,55 million compared to 1,36 million in 2025, and the Anti-Corruption Agency (AKS) - 2,19 million compared to 2,12 million euros this year.
The planned gross salaries of employees of the Constitutional Court are 1,3 million euros, almost 200 thousand more than in 2025. 17 thousand euros are planned for official travel, and six thousand euros for representation - the same as this year.
The gross salaries of ASK employees next year will be one thousand higher than last year (496.000 euros), while the figures for business trips (55.000 euros) and representation (10.000 euros) remained unchanged.
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