Gutić for Portal ETV: Citizens should not be worried, there is money for social benefits
Miraš Dušević
The budget of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography for 2026 amounts to 282 million euros. In this year, sufficient funds will be secured for regular and timely payments. The financial plan has been carefully prepared, with realistic projections, providing a stable basis for meeting all obligations.
This was stated by the Minister of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography Damir Gutić in an interview for Portal ETV, responding to the question of whether citizens should be concerned about the availability of funds for social benefits in 2026, how much money has been allocated for this purpose in the budget, and whether these funds are fiscally sustainable in the long term.
The budget of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography for 2026 amounts to 282 million euros.
- In that year, sufficient funds will be secured for regular and timely payments - the minister said.
Demographic challenges threaten long-term sustainability
Speaking about demographic challenges, the minister said that, from the perspective of demographic policy, they are aware of the challenges Montenegro is facing, which threaten the long-term sustainability of social and economic development.
- We are aware of the challenges Montenegro is facing, which threaten the long-term sustainability of social and economic development - Gutić said.
Negative natural population growth, a continuous decline in birth rates, population ageing, emigration of young and working-age people, depopulation of rural and border areas, particularly in the northern region, as well as growing regional disparities in population potential, require a comprehensive and coordinated approach at the state level. As he noted, demographic changes are slow, and the problems we face today are the result of decades of neglect in this area.
- Therefore, we cannot expect results in the short term, but we can and must lay the foundations for long-term, sustainable outcomes - he stated.
According to him, the establishment of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography represents an important step forward, as there is now a government department whose primary role is to connect sectors and position demography as a development priority. One of the key reasons why the effects of demographic measures have not been sufficiently visible so far is the fragmented institutional framework. By its nature, demography is an intersectoral field, shaped by conditions and policies in education, the labor market, healthcare, housing, public finances, and regional development. Without strong coordination mechanisms, each individual policy remains partial and limited in scope.
- Demographic policy cannot be the policy of a single ministry, it must be a government-wide priority - the minister emphasized.
National Demographic Strategy as a key priority
The minister stressed that the Directorate for Demography was established only six months ago and that they are currently in the phase of setting up a systemic framework and preparatory activities for drafting the National Demographic Strategy, which represents a strategic priority of the Ministry.
- The Ministry has initiated a detailed and inclusive consultative process with all relevant stakeholders, in order for the strategy to encompass all key aspects of demographic development. Comprehensive measures are planned, aimed at encouraging childbirth, regulating migration flows, improving living conditions for the elderly population, and reducing regional disparities - he said.
The goal is to create sustainable policies that will contribute to stabilizing and revitalizing Montenegro’s demographic outlook, in line with the highest standards and the needs of citizens.
On the other hand, they are aware of the complexity of demographic changes and the fact that no population policy measure yields immediate results, but rather must be planned and implemented as long-term, synchronized, and comprehensive efforts.
- Demographic policy must be a state policy, not an occasional initiative - he underlined.
The demographic challenges facing Montenegro are long-term and complex. Precisely for this reason, they require clear political commitment, continuity, and coordination at the government level.
- Without placing demographic issues at the very top of state priorities, no individual policy will deliver the desired results - Gutić told Portal ETV.