Spajić: ‘Euro Model’ Is Sustainable; the Finance Minister Was Informed Before the Vote

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said the ‘Euro Model,’ which foresees raising the minimum wage from January next year, is fully sustainable. In an interview for Television of Montenegro (TVCG), he stressed that every analysis carried out so far shows the program will not have negative consequences for public finances.

Spajić confirmed that Finance Minister Novica Vuković was familiar with the model’s content before the government approved it. “He was informed,” the prime minister said, adding that it often happens that government members do not vote at telephone sessions “because they don’t see the message in time.”

The prime minister also defended the abolition of health insurance contributions, saying it is equally important to stop the departure of the workforce. “If 150,000 able-bodied people leave the country, what sustainability do we have?” he asked, answering critics who consider the contribution the most sustainable source of revenue.

Under the approved model, from January 2027 the minimum wage in Montenegro will rise to 1,000, 1,250 and 1,400 euros, depending on the level of education. Spajić promised the program will not bring closures of small businesses and that local government revenues will not be harmed.

The prime minister announced that the European Commission has been notified about the ‘Euro Model’ and expressed confidence the government will receive parliamentary support for its approval, calling the model an investment in Montenegro’s future, Vijesti reported.