How local governments help with infertility treatment: Nikšić gives the most, but only to couples

Several municipalities will allocate funds to support infertility treatment in 2025. In addition to Nikšić, support is provided for men and women in marital and extramarital relationships, as well as women who do not have a partner.

In Bar, the amount of funds allocated for medically assisted reproduction procedures has more than quadrupled in four years

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More than 25 million people in Europe face the problem of infertility, according to data from "Fertility Europe", Photo: Pixabay.com
More than 25 million people in Europe face the problem of infertility, according to data from "Fertility Europe", Photo: Pixabay.com
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The Municipality of Nikšić will allocate the most money for supporting infertility treatment, just like last year, this year as well, 50 thousand euros, but this local government does not plan to use these funds to help women who do not have a partner, except for heterosexual couples, even in 2025.

In Bar, since 2022, when they began implementing a program to support infertility treatment, they have more than quadrupled the amount of funds they allocate for these purposes. In the first year, the Municipality of Bar allocated 10 thousand euros for infertility treatment, while in 2025 they plan to allocate 45.000 euros. The municipality allocates funds to both couples and women without partners, which is in accordance with the regulations governing this area, the Law on Medically Assisted Reproduction (MPO) and the Law on Mandatory Health Insurance.

"Vijesti" sent questions to all Montenegrin municipalities about how much they plan to allocate for infertility treatment in 2025.

In addition to the Municipality of Nikšić, responses were submitted from the municipalities of Herceg Novi, Tivat, Bar, Cetinje, Kolašin, Žabljak and Kotor.

"The Municipality of Nikšić, since it has been headed by the President Marko Kovacevic, providing assistance for in vitro fertilization, financially assists married couples who previously took advantage of this opportunity through the Health Fund. Although in 2021, when the new local leadership took office, no financial resources were provided for IVF, through good management, the Municipality of Nikšić also provided assistance that year to couples struggling to become parents. Year after year, the Municipality of Nikšić strives to increase financial resources for IVF in order to enable more couples to apply and become parents. In the last two years, we have allocated 50.000 euros each," they stated in their response to "Vijesti".

In Bar, the project to support the fight against infertility and sterility treatment has been implemented since 2022, when the Municipality provided support only to heterosexual couples, both in marriage and in a common-law relationship. Since 2023, support has also been extended to women without partners, as stipulated by the umbrella law on sterility treatment.

The conditions are prescribed by the regulation, and the funds are allocated based on a public call.

In 2022, the Municipality of Bar allocated 10.000 euros, a year later 30 thousand, and last year 45 thousand.

"Thanks to this support, three couples received financial assistance in 2022, while in 2023, 12 couples living in a marital or extramarital union received support, as well as one woman who does not live in a marital or extramarital union. During 2024, a total of 18 couples were financially supported, while in the previous year there were no applications from women living outside a marital or extramarital union," they told "Vijesti".

In 2025, as foreseen by the Budget Decision, 45.000 euros have been allocated for this purpose.

"The active implementation of pro-natality policies of the Municipality of Bar directly affects the improvement of the quality of life of our citizens, especially in such a sensitive segment as the fight against infertility. Thanks to the increase in allocated funds and the expansion of the circle of beneficiaries, more and more families are getting the opportunity to realize their dream of parenthood. This initiative, which has been implemented for the third year in a row, shows how much the local government cares about the needs of its fellow citizens and confirms that it will continue to implement programs that affect the well-being of the community in the future," said the Bar Municipality, which is led by Dušan Raičević.

The Municipality of Herceg Novi, run by Stevan Katic, for the first time, assistance in becoming parents was offered to couples and women who do not have a partner and live in the territory of that municipality in 2023, when the Regulation on the allocation of one-time assistance for the treatment of infertility through medically assisted reproduction procedures was adopted.

"The right to one-time financial assistance for infertility treatment through MPO procedures is granted to married or common-law spouses, as well as women who do not live in a married or common-law union, with a residence in the territory of the municipality of Herceg Novi. The Regulation defines the procedures and methods of MPO for which it is possible to obtain one-time assistance, the procedure and general conditions. The right to one-time assistance can be obtained once a year, in a maximum amount of 2.250 euros," they explained.

In the past three years, they have approved assistance for 13 couples for treatment abroad, nine pregnancies have occurred, and in one case, twins were born.

"We are mostly approached by couples seeking treatment abroad, because in Montenegro they are entitled to four free procedures, up to the age of 45 for women, in accordance with the Law on Mandatory Health Insurance," they told "Vijesti".

For 2025, they added, the allocated budget funds have been reserved within the budget item for transfers for one-time social assistance and medical expenses and amount to an approximate amount of 20.000 euros.

"In the event of a larger number of requests, there is a possibility of increasing this amount," said the Secretariat for Local Self-Government of the Municipality of Herceg Novi.

In Tivat, the decision to allocate funds for the MPO (Decision on the Refund of the Costs of the MPO Procedure) was first made last year, when they allocated 22.100 euros from the budget for that purpose.

In October last year, the Secretariat for Social Affairs announced two public calls, in the first they awarded funds in the total amount of 11.327,60 euros to those who met the requirements, and in the second they awarded 2.650 euros.

"During 2024, eight couples received support for the implementation of the medically assisted fertilization procedure in the total amount of 13.977,60 euros...", said the local government, which is run by Željko Komnenović and added that they have allocated the same amount, 2025 euros, to support infertility treatment for 22.100.

For the first time last year, in the amount of 25.000 euros, the Royal Capital of Cetinje allocated funds for the MPO, and the same amount is planned in the budget for 2025.

According to the regulations, married or common-law spouses and women without a partner are entitled to support in the amount of 3.000 euros.

Last year, they said, based on two public calls, they helped four couples who had previously used up all their rights to infertility treatment through MPO procedures at the expense of mandatory health insurance costs.

Last year, the Municipality of Kolašin also allocated funds for infertility treatment in the amount of 8.000 euros, when, based on applications, two couples received assistance with 4.000 each.

In 2025, the Municipality of Kolašin, led by Petko Bakić, will allocate 10 thousand euros for infertility treatment.

The municipalities of Kotor and Žabljak responded to "Vijesti" that they have not allocated funds for the treatment of infertility so far, and that this will be considered for 2025.

"As this method of financing medically assisted reproduction has been implemented in several municipalities in Montenegro, during 2025 it is possible to investigate the level of interest/need at the local level, which would eventually project the amount of budget funds that would be allocated in a future period," said the Municipality of Kotor, which is led by Vladimir Jokic.

The Municipality of Žabljak said something similar:

"As for plans, specifically for 2025, we have not defined them, while we will hopefully consider the needs and possibilities for the same in the future."

The capital city of Podgorica has switched to temporary funding because the budget for Podgorica was not adopted within the legal deadline of December 31st last year. Although this was the practice before, in 2024, no money was allocated for infertility treatment because the councilors in the local parliament last year did not support the Decision on Reimbursement of the Costs of the MPO Procedure, which was proposed by part of the opposition.

The Center for Civil Liberties previously pointed out that municipalities would have to provide assistance in their budget plans, proportionate to needs and possibilities, for those who have failed to solve the problem of infertility at the expense of the Health Insurance Fund.

More than 25 million people in Europe face the problem of infertility, data from "Fertility Europe".

Between law and practice

According to the 2021 Law on Mandatory Health Insurance, women up to the age of 45 are entitled to procedures at the expense of the Health Insurance Fund. If they have no children, they are entitled to four procedures, insured women who have one healthy child are entitled to three, and those who have two healthy children are entitled to two MPO procedures.

The law also provides for the right to one procedure for treating male infertility using the Micro TESE method for the implementation of the MPO procedure, however, since the adoption of the regulation, it has not been defined how and where this right can be exercised.

It is similar with some other rights, which are provided for by the umbrella Law on Medically Assisted Reproduction, so donations cannot yet be made at the expense of the Health Insurance Fund...

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