In the first three quarters of this year, 232.407,94 euros gross, or almost 358 net minimum wages, were distributed in 15 ministries of the Government of Montenegro through the allocation of the variable part of the salary.
The Ministry of Defense spent the most money through this type of award. The department headed by Dragan Krapović He distributed 48.785,85 euros gross, through 123 solutions. This is somewhat understandable because the variable was distributed to both ministry employees and members of the Army of Montenegro.
For the variable part of the salary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, 32.955,23 euros were paid for the first nine months, and the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property allocated 31.546,45 euros for this purpose.
A total of 726 decisions were made, but since the same persons received this award, the number of employees who were stimulated in this way is significantly smaller.
In all decisions, the ministries refer to Article 21 of the Law on Salaries in the Public Sector, which provides for the possibility of paying a variable part of the salary to employees who achieve exceptional work results and an increased workload. In addition, payments are made based on the Decision on the Variable Part of the Salary, which allows the payment of up to 30% of the average net salary once every three months, while an employee for “work of public interest” can be paid on a monthly basis in the amount of up to 50% of the average net salary, with the consent of the Government.
Internal rules on criteria
The variable part of the salary, according to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, is determined in accordance with the Law on Management and Internal Controls in the Public Sector, Article 6 of the Rulebook on the manner and procedure for establishing and implementing financial management and control, and in accordance with the Decision on the variable part of the salary and the Internal Rule on the criteria and method of determining the variable part of the salary of the Ministry's employees.
In the department headed by Slaven Radunović, point out that the criterion for determining exceptional results and quality of work of an employee, in accordance with the Internal Regulations, is a special contribution to improving the work process, exceptional success and quality of work performed, special efficiency in work, increased workload and additional engagement due to unfilled positions.
The decision on the variable part of the salary is made by the head of the authority, according to the proposals submitted by general directors, department heads, service heads, and the minister's chief of staff, they say in this ministry.
The Ministry of Transport, which approved 9.058,16 euros, emphasizes that the variable part of the salary was paid exclusively to civil servants, and the proposal for the allocation of the variable part of the salary is submitted by the general directors for civil servants within their jurisdiction, as well as state secretaries, and after receiving the opinion of the Ministry of Finance, the minister approves it.
The Ministry of Transport, they point out, manages available budget funds rationally and responsibly, and the variable part of the salary is awarded exclusively in justified cases, when employees achieve additional work engagement or take on an increased scope of responsibilities in a specific period.
The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development paid out variable salary bonuses to 18 employees in the amount of 6.293,91 euros gross for the first quarter of this year. For the second quarter, nine employees were awarded variable bonuses, totaling 3.130,90 euros.
They, as stated in the decision, "achieved both significant work results and quality of work, based on the assessment of the immediate manager" in the areas of improving and implementing the legal and strategic framework of Chapter 27 and implementing the Action Plan for meeting the final benchmarks, promoting the protection and preservation of nature, natural resources in the coastal area, cooperation with the NGO sector, international cooperation and raising public awareness in the field of ecology and nature, management and administration of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North.
The variable part of the salary for July and August in the amount of 671,14 euros gross was also received by Ivan Stanisic, Head of the Directorate for Waste Management and Communal Services at the Directorate for Ecology, but the amount is “hidden”.
In March, the Ministry of European Affairs calculated 2.688,93 euros of gross variable salary for nine employees of this department. The total variable amount for June 2025 was 2.805,13 euros gross, which was distributed among 12 employees. For September 2025, the variable part of the salary was allocated to eight employees in a total gross amount of 1.895,97 euros.
The total amount of the variable in the first three quarters of this year amounted to 7.390,03 euros gross.
Assessment of immediate supervisors
The Ministry of Public Works, in its Decision on the variable part of the salary for the first quarter of 2025, lists 12 employees who "achieved exceptional work results and quality of work, based on the assessment of their immediate supervisor" and were therefore rewarded with a variable part of 200 euros net, or 3.078,50 euros gross.
The Ministry of Culture and Media paid a total of 16.291,96 euros in variable salary in 2025. Payments were made in three quarters, and 500 euros net was awarded in a separate decision to one employee for outstanding results.
According to available data, the Ministry issued decisions on the variable part of the salary in a total of 49 cases in the first, second and third quarters of this year. As some names are repeated in several quarters, the number of awards is higher than the actual number of employees who received the compensation.
The Ministry of Defense calculated a total of at least 48.451 euros in variable salary in 2025, according to a document submitted under the Law on Free Access to Information. The variable salary was awarded to a total of 123 employees and members of the Army of Montenegro during three payment cycles, for March, June and September 2025.
The lists of those awarded for their decisions include senior officers and non-commissioned officers of the Army of Montenegro, as well as civil servants who perform legal, administrative, logistical and accounting tasks.
According to the document, the variable part is paid "due to the achieved exceptional results and quality of work, which are reflected in exceptional success, special contribution to improving the work process of the body, efficiency and quality of work performed, and increased workload."
The Ministry of Justice calculated 25.676,51 euros of gross variable pay in 2025 for 91 employees. According to the explanation, the variable pay in this department is awarded because employees had an increased workload, worked on the jobs of absent colleagues due to unfilled positions, showed exceptional results and quality of work, and contributed to the efficiency of the Ministry's work.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property paid a total of 31.546,17 euros gross for the variable part of the salary for three quarters. This salary supplement was awarded in 91 cases, and the payments were recorded by sectors and services of the Ministry, and differ by activities, from the Directorate for Housing and Legalization, through the Directorate for Spatial Planning, to the Service for Information Technology, Legal Affairs and Public Communications.
The explanations for the decision state that the variable part of the salary is awarded to employees who had an increased workload during the quarter, worked on the jobs of absent colleagues, participated in the development of planning and bylaws, legalization procedures for facilities, preparation of international activities, as well as in performing increased IT and communication tasks.
The Ministry of Education paid out a total of 32.955,23 euros in variable salary during 2025, according to official payment decisions for three quarters. The variable salary was awarded in a total of 95 cases, with the explanation that the employees had an increased workload and achieved exceptional results.
In the first quarter of 2025, the variable was paid in a gross amount of 6.258 euros, covering 18 employees.
During the second quarter, the amount increased significantly - 15.983 euros were paid to 46 employees, which is the highest amount during the year.
In the third quarter, 31 employees were rewarded, receiving a total of 10.713 euros.
The explanation of the decision states that the Ministry awarded the variable due to "increased workload and exceptional performance in performing work tasks" in all quarters.
The Ministry of Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with NGOs paid a total of 1.572,80 euros in variable salary in 2025, according to the decisions submitted to MANS. A total of six employees received the variable salary, five male employees in June and one female employee in September.
The decision of June 25, 2025 states that five employees received 262 euros each, while the decision of September 24 awarded one employee a variable part of their salary in the amount of 262,80 euros.
The Ministry of Transport paid employees of this department a total of 9.058,16 euros gross as variable salary in 2025. A total of 26 employees received the variable salary, through three quarterly decisions.
During 2025, the Ministry of Tourism paid a total of 24.835,66 euros gross in variable salary. The variable salary was awarded in a total of 71 cases, through three quarterly payments to employees. Special solutions were also adopted for Milena Tosic, Acting Secretary of the Ministry, Ivan Bulatović, Acting Director General of the Directorate for EU Integration, International Funds and Digitalization, and Oliver Blagojevic, Acting Director of the Directorate for Tourism Destination Development and Strategic Planning.
Right to a special variable
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs paid a total of 1.390,52 euros gross in variable salary during 2025. A total of four employees received the variable salary, through solutions for the second and third quarters.
In the second quarter, the variable part of the salary of 348,99 euros gross was paid out. Snezana Djurkovic i Masi Lekovic, while in the third quarter they were awarded Masa Lekovic i Slavica Bogavac, in gross amounts of 348,99 and 343,55 euros.
The Ministry of Public Administration paid a total of 11.682 euros net in variable salary in 2025, according to decisions submitted to MANS. The variable salary was awarded in a total of 68 cases, through three quarterly decisions, in March, June and September.
In the first quarter, 22 employees were awarded 3.500 euros, in the second quarter, 25 employees were awarded 3.912 euros, while in the third quarter, 21 employees were paid 4.270 euros. Additionally, according to the Government's conclusion on the awarding of the International Public Administration Day, three employees were entitled to a special variable.
In March, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry issued a decision on the allocation of variable salary components for 25 employees of this department. Data on individual amounts has been deleted, and a total of 8.792,34 euros was distributed.
In June, the department headed by Vladimir Jokovic distributed 12.803,42 euros to 37 employees, and in September 10.018,70 euros to 29 employees.
The variable part of the salary ranges from 330 to 350 euros, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry allocated a total of 31.614,46 euros for the variable part for 91 employees in the first three quarters.
The Ministry of Social Affairs, Family Care and Demography, in this period, has only adopted two decisions on the variable part of earnings. Dei Radević i Maidi Hadžajić, female employees of this Ministry, were paid the variable part of their salary for the third quarter of 2025 in the net amount of 200 euros each, the gross amount being 265,36 euros.
The Ministry for Human and Minority Rights paid out 8.673,24 euros through 26 solutions.
"Vijesti" obtained the data using the MANS application "Ask institutions".
Around 230 thousand euros paid in the second half of 2024
A variable allowance of around 230 thousand euros was paid to employees of 15 ministries in the Government of Montenegro in the last five months of last year, the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) announced.
CDT Deputy Executive Director Milena Gvozdenović specified at the time that the money was paid out in the period from the government reorganization in July 2024 until the end of that year.
She told the MINA agency that the variable allowance was mainly paid to civil servants, except in the ministries of justice, tourism, and human and minority rights.
She explained that these three ministries also paid variables to public officials in the amount of almost four thousand euros.
Gvozdenović stated that without a clearly defined procedure and criteria, there is a risk that the variable part of the salary goes to the privileged, and not necessarily to the most valuable and deserving.
According to her, "special contribution", "exceptional success", "special efficiency" are very subjective categories and leave room for pro-life interpretation.
"The question is who and how in the ministries accurately evaluates the work of employees, because there is no prescribed evaluation procedure and it is unclear to what extent direct managers are actually involved in these decisions," Gvozdenović pointed out.
Therefore, they believe that such a decision may be susceptible to abuse, which, as added, undermines its basic goal, stimulating and rewarding truly exceptional work and contributions of employees.
"It is important to improve the decision, so that the reward system is transparent and fair, with a clearly defined evaluation method and objective criteria," said Gvozdenović.
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