Montenegro is gradually aligning its visa policy with the European Union (EU) while prioritizing national economic interests, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Thursday, HINA reported.
“Clear economic interests are precisely the main reason why Montenegro has established a visa-free regime with a number of countries,” the statement said, highlighting the importance of access to new markets and easing the arrival of tourists and investors. Tourism accounts for 26% of Montenegro’s GDP.
The statement cited Russia as a key example, with 230,000 Russian tourists visiting annually. Russia also holds significant economic influence in the country, with the largest number of foreign nationals residing in Montenegro.
Azerbaijan, which has invested €1 billion in Montenegro’s Portonovi resort and sends around 15,000 tourists each year, was also mentioned.
“There are noticeable growing investments in real estate and tourism from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, as well as significant potential for diversification of the tourism market through improved aviation connections and increased guest inflow,” the statement added.
Montenegro’s ministries of foreign and internal affairs are working on harmonizing the visa regime with EU and Schengen requirements, primarily through amendments to the Law on Foreigners.
“In cooperation with the EU, we will continue to seek the best solutions that will simultaneously satisfy our national economic interests and meet our obligations in the EU accession process,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The government plans a gradual abolition of the visa-free regime for countries requiring visas for the EU, with full alignment expected by the time Montenegro secures EU membership, the statement concluded.
