Twenty-two Montenegrin local governments have expressed the need to employ as many as 1.355 new people in their personnel plans for 2025, of which almost a quarter, 338, are planned to be filled with fixed-term contracts, announced Jelena Radulović from the Institute Alternative.
She said that despite complaints submitted to the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information, the municipalities of Petnjica and Plav, as well as one of the larger local governments - the Municipality of Budva, have not responded to the request for free access to information, which could further increase the total figure.
"The greatest need for new employment is expressed in the personnel plan of the Capital City of Podgorica, where 141 people are planned to be employed in 2025. This is followed by Herceg Novi with 115, but also Ulcinj, which plans to employ 123 new people. The smallest number was also expressed by some of the smallest Montenegrin municipalities - Šavnik with 27, Plužine with 19 and Žabljak with 18 stated new job positions. However, if we compare these numbers with the current number of employees, we come to the conclusion that Gusinje plans to almost double the number of employees - it is looking for 63 new employees compared to 67 already employed employees. Zeta is looking for 57 compared to 76 employees (75% of the current number), while Šavnik is looking for 27 new employees compared to 39 already employed (69%). Ulcinj, Rožaje and Herceg Novi are looking for 54%, 45% and 36% of the current number of employees," it says in press release.
"Only six local governments (Nikšić, Pljevlja, Podgorica, Tivat, Berane and Tuzi) plan to employ less than a third of the number of currently employed civil servants in 2025, which is still a significant increase in the administration, while no trend of rationalization or reduction in the number of employees has been recorded anywhere. Nikšić planned to employ 20 people in its personnel plan compared to the existing 439 employees (4.55%), Berane is seeking 23 new employees compared to 262 employees (8.77%), Pljevlja 36 to 261 employees (13.79%), Podgorica 141 compared to 841 employees (16.76%), Tivat 32 compared to 172 (18.6%), and Tuzi 28 compared to 113 employees (24.77%)," says Radulović.
Therefore, as she said, as many as 16 municipalities plan to hire more than 30 percent of the current number of employees.
He points out that local government personnel plans do not include details about employment in public institutions and enterprises at the local level, "which means that they provide a narrow insight into overall employment at the local level."
"Also, most local governments that are planning new employment already owe significant money for unpaid taxes on employee salaries. According to the Information on the State of Public Finance at the Local Level as of December 31, 2024, compiled by the Ministry of Finance, out of 22 local governments whose personnel plans we had access to, only six do not have significant debts: Gusinje, Kotor, Plužine, Tivat, Tuzi and Zeta. Of all local governments, Cetinje, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Rožaje and Ulcinj owe the most," the statement added.
Radulović notes that the total tax debt includes the debt of public institutions and companies founded by local government units.
"The total number of systematized jobs in the 19 analyzed municipalities is 6.406, of which 4.650 people (72%) are employed. Seventeen Montenegrin municipalities have complied with the obligation prescribed by the Law on Local Self-Government to create and adopt a personnel plan within 30 days of the date of adoption of the budget for the current year. Podgorica, Kotor, Ulcinj and Berane adopted their personnel plans after the expiration of the legal deadline, i.e. after March 7, 2025. However, some municipalities very quickly embarked on amendments to the newly adopted personnel plans; the Municipality of Berane has adopted as many as five amendments since the first version created in mid-March, ending on July 11 this year," the statement added.
When it comes to data availability, Radulović points out that only six local governments - Herceg Novi, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Podgorica, Tuzi and Zeta - have publicly published their personnel plan for 2025 on their official websites.
She also points out that staffing plans are still not sufficiently explained. "Even when the explanation exists, it provides details about the positions that need to be filled, without clear indications of why there is a need for employment, i.e. whether there has been a change in jurisdiction, increased workload, etc.," she explained.
"Therefore: we appeal to local governments to rationalize employment; we call on the Ministry of Finance and the Government, in accordance with the legal framework and tax debt rescheduling agreements with the majority of local governments, to improve supervision in this area; we additionally draw attention to the importance of improving supervision of institutions and companies at the local level, which are beyond the reach of even such deficient personnel plans," the statement reads.
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