Jevrosima Pejović and Radinka Ćinćur, MPs from the Special Club, submitted an amendment to the Bill on Amendments to the Labor Law, which provides for the extension of the right to parental leave for 180 days in cases where both parents use that right equally.
"In other words, when both parents exercise their right to parental leave in equal parts, they will receive an additional six months of leave from work," the statement reads.
They say that this would ensure a balance between parents' private and professional lives and increase fathers' involvement in raising children.
"Given the statistical data showing that in 2024 only four percent of men used this right, it is necessary to amend the regulations to ensure greater use of parental leave by men. Unfortunately, in patriarchal societies, such as ours, the burden of raising children, which is mostly reflected in unpaid work, falls on women. UNDP data shows that all women spend eight to 12 years of their lives doing housework," the MPs added.
They also recall Montenegro's obligation to implement EU Directive 2019/1158 on work-life balance in order to align domestic regulations with those in EU countries. The Directive, they explained, stipulates that both parents must exercise the right to parental leave, "which is almost an exception in our country."
"The proposed amendment facilitates the reconciliation of family and career. Also, this legal solution allows citizens to develop their career and family life, while simultaneously increasing their overall well-being," the statement reads.
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