DPS submits amendments to the proposed budget of the Capital City: They are asking for more money for parents, couples, the elderly...

The capital should increase the support fee for parents of newborns by a quarter of a million, but also allocate an additional 170.000 from the city treasury for scholarships for students. Medically assisted reproduction (VTO) should be financed with 100.000 euros, according to the DPS Councilors' Club.

This opposition party submitted 22 amendments to the 2025 Budget Proposal to the Capital City Assembly.

Secretary of the Secretariat for Financial Affairs and Budget Analysis Balša Spadijer He previously told "Vijesti" that he expects the Capital City Assembly to adopt the budget by the end of February. The capital was under temporary funding in January and February, because the budget was not adopted within the legal deadline - December 31st of last year. Administration of the former mayor Oliver Injac In the Draft Budget Decision from November, it was predicted that Podgorica would have 153 million euros at its disposal this year.

The DPS councilors' club has proposed a larger amount to support parents of newborns. Currently, 250.000 euros are earmarked for this purpose, while DPS suggests that the figure should be half a million euros.

"When drafting this proposal, we analyzed the number of children born in Podgorica in the previous four years. Two years ago, in 2023, 2.458 were born, in 2022, 2.562 were born, in 2021, 2.595 children were born, and in 2020, 2.496 children were born. In the last four years, an average of 2.527 children were born in the capital, which means that support for newborns averaged around 100 euros... By comparing allocations on similar bases by city governments in the region, we came to the data that Split allocates 275 euros for the first-born child, and 536 euros for the second child. Zagreb allocates around 600 euros for the first-born child, Rijeka around 450 euros, Belgrade allocates around 800 euros for the same purpose...", claim the DPS councilors in their explanation.

They also requested that the amount for student scholarships be increased to 240.000 euros. They argue that this amendment should be accepted because in the past few years, "a student scholarship institute has been established in Podgorica."

"...The minimum wage has been increased several times, which has led to an inevitable increase in the cost of living for students and has significantly devalued the amount of scholarships and negatively affected the student standard. It is worth recalling that the costs of purchasing textbooks and other necessary literature, as well as materials needed for preparing examination papers, have increased. Also, this amendment provides for allocations that would, for the first time, provide scholarships from the Podgorica budget to doctoral students who are starting to engage in scientific research," they stated.

They also explain why more money, namely 100.000 euros, should be allocated to support medically assisted reproduction.

"Research shows that every sixth couple in Montenegro has a problem with conception, which means that between 10 and 15 percent of the population has a problem with infertility. Ten years ago, for every ten women who were treated for infertility, there was one man, and today the number of infertile men has equaled the number of women (30 percent men and women, 30 percent are common reasons, and 10 percent are patients with infertility of unknown cause)," the DPS amendments state. They also add that "the financial effects of this amendment will not have a significant additional impact on the budget."

The opposition is also demanding that the amount for support for people with disabilities be increased by 35.000, compared to what was foreseen in the city budget proposal - 15.000 euros.

"And it amounts to 50.000 euros. Considering that, according to the results of the 2023 census, there are 179.505 inhabitants in Podgorica, of whom 11.605, or six percent, state that they have 'disabilities in performing everyday activities', and that, according to global statistical estimates, this number is higher and is around 15 percent, there is a logical need for greater investments in this area," the documents state.

The councilors are also requesting through amendments that the budget proposal for the current year be increased by "an additional 300.000 euros in allocations for subsidizing transportation for pensioners and the disabled."

"To 19.410.000 euros. The reasons for accepting this amendment are that Podgorica urgently needs to solve its traffic problems, and inadequate public transport has been constantly highlighted as one of the main causes of traffic jams in previous years. In the previous period, joint forces, at the proposal of opposition councilors, subsidized public transport tickets for students, so it is logical to do the same for pensioners and people with disabilities. Their monthly tickets need to be subsidized, which will further popularize the use of public transport, and thus reduce traffic congestion on the streets of Podgorica," DPS councilors emphasized, adding that the amount earmarked for the purchase of new buses should be increased by two million - from 11.842.700 to 13.842.700.

In one amendment, DPS also requested that equipment expenditures be increased from 11.842.700 euros to 13.842.700 euros.

"The reasons for accepting this amendment are that Podgorica urgently needs to solve its traffic problems, and inadequate public transport has been constantly highlighted as one of the main causes of traffic jams in previous years. Analyzing the Budget Proposal, it was noted that 2.000.000 euros have been allocated for this purpose... By allocating this money in the budget, it is realistic to expect that between 15 and 25 new buses can be purchased, which will largely enable even more efficient functioning of public transport in the capital," explained the DPS councilors.