UMNE Publication Presented with Recommendations for Montenegro’s Ten-Year Development
Promotion of the publication “Montenegro 2024–2034: Vision and Recommendations of the University of Montenegro”, a strategic document containing guidelines and recommendations for the country’s long-term development, was held at the Rectorate of the University of Montenegro (UMNE).
The publication includes expert analyses and recommendations across eight key areas: education policy, economic policy, health policy, legal protection, cultural policy, energy sustainability, reindustrialization, and digital transformation. Its purpose is to offer public institutions, decision-makers, and the wider public concrete, knowledge-based solutions for improving public policies.
The event was opened by the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, who emphasized that Montenegro is currently at one of the most important stages of its statehood.
“This year we are marking twenty years since the restoration of independence, while in 2028 we will commemorate one hundred and fifty years since international recognition at the Congress of Berlin. These are powerful historical symbols that oblige us, mindful of our responsibility to the past, present, and future, to contribute to the further prosperity of Montenegro and its European perspective,” Milatović said.
The publication was subsequently discussed during a panel featuring Aleksandra Vuksanović Božarić, PhD, Edin Jašarović, PhD, Radoslav Tomović, PhD, Jovan Đurašković, PhD, and Dr. Branka Bošnjak.
Speaking about the importance of health for society, Aleksandra Vuksanović Božarić, PhD, emphasized that health is Montenegro’s most valuable resource, and that investing in citizens’ health means investing in economic development, social stability, and a secure future. “Health for all is an achievable goal, but it requires systemic changes, clear strategies, long-term planning, and responsible governance,” she said, adding that Montenegro faces serious health challenges, including population ageing and the rise of chronic non-communicable diseases, mental disorders, malignancies, and cardiovascular diseases, noting that prevention is key to saving lives and preserving the budget.
Prof. Vuksanović Božarić highlighted the importance of primary health care, strengthening health centres, family medicine, and emergency services, as well as the development and motivation of health professionals. She also stressed that digitalization and new technologies can improve diagnostics, accessibility, and efficiency of the health system while respecting ethical standards, and that children, youth, oral health, and palliative care represent strategic priorities for the sustainability and quality of health care in Montenegro.
Addressing the field of culture, Edin Jašarović, PhD, stated that analysis of cultural policy development in Montenegro shows a strong connection with changes in state and socio-political framework, and that the post-1990s transition represents the most turbulent period in contemporary Montenegrin cultural policy.
“Instead of modernization, the transition resulted in a hybrid model of cultural policy, in which the public sector retained a dominant role, while privatization processes led to the devastation of cultural infrastructure and the disintegration of production chains,” he said.
According to him, this points to the need for “a fundamental shift toward a more participatory, economically sustainable, and strategically differentiated model of cultural policy that would affirm culture not only as a symbolic value, but also as a development resource of Montenegrin society, ultimately leading to a more desirable and competitive framework for the development of national culture.”
Radoslav Tomović, PhD, stated that since its establishment, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has sought to be an active participant in strategic planning and development of Montenegro’s economy. As an example, he cited the panel “Reindustrialization and New Products in Montenegro – An Opportunity for Sustainable Economic Development,” noting the panel’s conclusion that “Montenegro must urgently move toward the renewal of the manufacturing industry and economic diversification in order to ensure sustainable national development.”
Prof. Tomović noted that previous strategies for the development of Montenegrin industry were misguided, emphasizing that they “primarily focused on modernization, digitalization, and the green transition of industry, as well as the procurement of new equipment and facilities. Of course, this is necessary, but facilities are always adapted to the product to be manufactured, not the other way around. The development of concrete products should be the main pillar of Montenegro’s economic development; therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the current situation is needed to clearly define goals and priorities for products whose production will significantly impact the national economy.”
Speaking about the challenges and development directions of Montenegro’s economy, Jovan Đurašković, PhD, emphasized that experience of transition shows how institutional framework is crucial for sustainable economic growth.
“With regard to the dynamic development of Montenegro’s economy, the experience of transition shows that traditional development ideas emphasizing capital accumulation have remained in the shadow of a fundamental goal—the building of institutions. Weak institutions have resulted in a very slow pace of convergence toward developed economies. It is important to strengthen inclusive institutions that primarily encourage competition and increase productivity. In addition, institutions within economic policy must be strengthened, as they enhance competence and credibility—decisive determinants for generating trust in the market,” Prof. Đurašković said.
Regarding economic development, Prof. Đurašković stressed that the state must reduce uncertainty in the economy by promoting a predictable and long-term-oriented economic policy. As he noted, “an integrated development strategy is necessary, one that clearly targets national interests and Montenegro’s strategic advantages, particularly in the context of the expected EU membership.”
Dr. Branka Bošnjak emphasized that the University of Montenegro, as the only state university, cannot and must not be merely a formal consultant, and that the knowledge existing at the University represents a strategic national resource that must be systematically included in decision-making processes.
“In the period ahead, especially in the context of the EU, Montenegro does not have the luxury of ignoring the expertise of its own academic community. This is an open call to decision-makers to begin recognizing the University as an equal partner in creating strategic policies. Ignoring knowledge is not just an academic issue—it is a developmental risk for the state. The role of the media is crucial in this process, and to the academic community we say: the University must not be silent. Professors and scientists have both the right and the obligation to participate in the public sphere, to offer solutions, and to demand that their knowledge be respected. The University of Montenegro is ready. The question is whether the state is ready to place knowledge at the centre of its policies,” Bošnjak concluded.
The panel had an interactive format, enabling open dialogue between the academic community, representatives of institutions, and interested public.