Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – The Government has adopted the Economic Reform Programme for Montenegro for the next three years, which is considered to be the most important document for meeting the economic criteria in the accession negotiations.

The Government stated in a press release that the Economic Reform Programme is an instrument for planning Montenegro’s economic policy and managing reforms aimed at maintaining macroeconomic stability, strengthening international competitiveness, and improving conditions for inclusive growth.

“The Economic Reform Programme is also a core element of the ‘fundamentals first’ approach within Montenegro’s negotiations for accession to the European Union (EU), particularly in the area of meeting the Copenhagen economic criteria,” the press release reads. 

The document consists of two key chapters: the macroeconomic framework and the fiscal framework.

According to preliminary projections by the Ministry of Finance, Montenegro’s economy is expected to achieve an average annual growth of 3.2 percent in the medium term, specifically 3.2 percent next year, and 3.1 percent and 3.2 percent in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

The Government said that Montenegro will continue implementing measures from the Fiscal Strategy in the upcoming medium-term period.

The focus will be on further strengthening control and reducing public spending, improving revenue collection through the modernisation of the tax administration and combating the informal economy, careful management and refinancing of public debt, prioritising capital investments in projects that foster economic growth, as well as further consolidation of fiscal discipline, which has already been significantly improved compared to the period before the major tax reforms.

“In line with the fiscal framework for the 2026–2028 period, projected public revenues range from €3.5 billion (40.9 percent of GDP) in 2026 to €3.7 billion (39.7 percent of GDP) in 2028. The expected public revenue growth is the result of increased consumption, stronger economic activity, and a reduction in the size of the informal economy,” the press release concludes.