Montenegro does not have a culture of fighting mental problems, we do not have registers of mental illnesses and addictions, and children with problems have nowhere to seek treatment.
These are just some of the conclusions from the session of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Labor and Social Welfare, whose agenda included the topic "Mental Health in Montenegro".
Senator of the State Audit Institution (SAI), Branislav Radulović, presented the findings of the February audit, which showed that as many as 76 activities prescribed by the Ministry of Health in the Strategy for the Protection and Improvement of Mental Health in Montenegro for the period 2019-2023 had not been implemented, and that even those that were implemented had no effect on improving the situation in this area. He recalled that mental health is one of the global priorities through Goal 3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and that it is a particular problem that the new strategy was not adopted during 2024 and in the first quarter of 2025.
The Head of the Directorate for Public Health at the Ministry of Health, Kenan Kurtagić, said that mental health is a social priority, but has been on the sidelines for decades, which has resulted in numerous challenges. Among other things, he said that the Covid pandemic is the main reason why most activities have not been implemented, and that during the development of the Mental Health Program, no one from the non-governmental sector was interested in membership in the working group.
The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Freedoms Siniša Bjeković said that the focus is on combating mental disorders, but that all aspects should be included in order to preserve health. He emphasized that the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health are not the only ones responsible and that a comprehensive strategy is needed.
Social Democrat MP Boris Mugoša, on whose initiative the session was organized, assessed that there are serious deviations in Montenegrin society, while virtual activities are being discussed. He questioned the fact that we are making strategies but do not have registers, emphasizing that there is a problem in continuity. Among other things, he said that the age limit for consuming alcohol and psychoactive substances is being lowered and that every third child is at risk of poverty.
Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms Snežana Mijušković recalled that for years there has been talk about children with behavioral problems, addictions, that they have done reports on this, as well as the mental health of children after the Covid pandemic.
"Today, no one mentioned the adult or elderly population. What will we do with dementia patients? The entire government should be sitting here today. We haven't done anything in communal psychiatry for years," Mijušković pointed out.
She reminded us that we recently received a report of bombs at the school and that the prosecutor imposed a mandatory treatment measure on the minor, so the child was placed in the Special Psychiatric Hospital "Dobrota", even though that institution does not treat minors.
"We could hardly wait for the opening of the Psychiatric Clinic with Child Psychiatry in Podgorica, and we do not know when that department will start operating," stressed Mijušković.
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