The State Audit Institution (DRI) is examining whether the National Council for Sustainable Development effectively carried out its responsibilities from 2020 to 2025, and the results of the audit are expected in October, a DRI senator and head of the competent Collegium told "Vijesti". Branislav Radulović.
Radulović said that the audit was planned due to the importance of the Council, but also because the largest number of unimplemented recommendations stem from the jurisdiction of that body.
"The aim of the audit is to assess whether the Council has effectively exercised its responsibilities in coordinating, monitoring and promoting sustainable development policy," he said.
The SAI previously announced that the Council is currently not fully constituted, which is why the conditions for its smooth functioning and decision-making have not been met.
According to the DRI, the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Integrated Coastal Zone Management was established at the end of July 2025, almost two years after the election of the 44th Government, while the constitutive session was held on December 8 of the same year.
The SAI announced that after that session, there were changes in the composition of the Government, including the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister, who was the President of the Council, as well as the resignations of two ministers, members of that body.
"For the above reasons, the Council is currently not fully constituted, and the conditions for its smooth functioning and decision-making have not been met, which negatively affects the achievement of a higher level of preparedness of the institutions of Montenegro for the implementation of sustainable development goals," the SAI statement states.
Radulović explained that the National Council is an advisory and coordination body of the Government, responsible for improving, coordinating and monitoring the implementation of sustainable development policy.
"Its role is of particular importance in linking economic, social and environmental policies, as well as in harmonizing national development priorities with Montenegro's international obligations in the areas of sustainable development, climate change and European integration," said Radulović.
He stated that the Council's competencies are related to the achievement of the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, and European policies in the field of sustainable development and climate change.
The 2030 Agenda includes 17 goals and 169 targets aimed at reducing poverty and inequality, protecting the environment, and promoting economic and social development by 2030.
Radulović said that by accepting the Agenda, Montenegro has committed to including these goals in national policies, strategic documents and international cooperation. He recalled that in July 2016, the Government adopted the National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030.
Radulović also recalled that in 2023, the SAI conducted a performance audit on the preparedness of Montenegrin institutions for the implementation of sustainable development goals.
According to him, 14 recommendations were sent to the auditees to improve planning, coordination and monitoring of these goals. He said that six recommendations were implemented, while eight were not, and that seven unrealized ones were sent to the National Council.
In yesterday's statement, the SAI stated that, after the second control of the implementation of recommendations, it was determined that eight recommendations that were the subject of the review had not been implemented.
As announced, the recommendations were sent to the National Council and the General Secretariat of the Government, while the recommendation to the Statistical Office was implemented. According to the SAI, the General Secretariat has taken action and implemented five out of a total of 13 recommendations sent to it and the Council.
The SAI stated that the National Council did not take any action to address key systemic deficiencies in sustainable development management.
Among them, she cited an uncoordinated legal and institutional framework, insufficient integration of sustainable development principles into sectoral policies, limited capacities of official statistics, and unregulated mechanisms for data collection, monitoring, and reporting.
The SAI statement also states that there have been no activities to strengthen public awareness and ensure regular reporting, which, according to the institution, reduces the transparency, coordination and efficiency of the implementation of the Strategy.
The SAI Collegium concluded that the General Secretariat of the Government should submit a new report on the implementation of the recommendations by December 15th.
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