Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – President of the Food Bank Marina Medojevic said that around one-fifth of Montenegro’s population lives below the poverty line, and that number has increased due to inflation, regional disparities, and the weak impact of social policies on real living conditions.

“Every third child is in the poverty zone, every fifth elderly person lives without income, and the poverty rate is high among single parents and the unemployed,” Medojevic stated in a press release marking 17 October – the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

She said that poor citizens bear the greatest burden of inflation, as they spend most of their income on food.

“In addition to poverty among the unemployed, sick, and elderly, there is also growing poverty among the working people. Most workers do not earn the average salary of €1,020, which is twice lower than the trade union consumer basket of €2,080,” Medojevic added.

The Food Bank noted that high rents especially affect those living on low incomes.

“The Government has many ways to reduce poverty, the most important being fiscal policy, through which inequalities can be mitigated by improving the system of social benefits for the poor,” Medojevic said.

To protect vulnerable groups, the Food Bank believes Montenegro must combine short-term support measures, with long-term empowerment policies, focusing on employment, education, and local community development.