Press release from the 102nd Cabinet session

The Montenegrin Cabinet held its 102nd session, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić. The Cabinet adopted the Decree amending the Decree on Criteria for the Inclusion and Removal of Medicines from the Basic and Supplementary Lists of Drugs. The amendments align the national framework with Council Directive 89/105/EEC on the transparency of measures regulating the pricing of medicines for human use and their inclusion in national health insurance systems. The changes also clarify the procedure for decisions issued by the Ministry of Health, shorten decision-making deadlines, and introduce an obligation to update and submit to the European Commission, every six months, a list of medicines removed from the List of Drugs. This ensures full harmonisation with EU legislation, representing one of the final benchmarks for closing Negotiating Chapter 1. The adoption of the Decree will not impose any additional costs on citizens or businesses, nor will it have fiscal implications for the state budget, while at the same time contributing to greater transparency and efficiency in decision-making in the field of medicine accessibility.

The Cabinet adopted the Decision on Temporary Measures to Limit the Prices of Products of Special Importance for Human Life and Health, along with a List of Products. In this way, the Government continues the “Limited Prices” initiative, aimed at protecting citizens’ living standards, ensuring a stable market supply, and preventing further price increases of essential goods, while preserving the basic mechanisms of market competition. Since the measure caps profit margins rather than prices themselves, it allows market stability and upholds the principle of free competition, as traders retain flexibility to set prices within the prescribed limits. The product list includes essential food items, dairy and meat products, flour-based products, edible oil, as well as certain hygiene items and baby products. The selection was based on data regarding their share in the average household consumption basket, frequency of use, and significance for everyday life and public health, with a particular focus placed on domestic products. The Decision also sets a cap on the retail price of pellets – up to €250 per tonne for registered pellet producers and €270 per tonne for retail trade. For packages smaller than one tonne, the price is adjusted proportionally. All prices include VAT. The margin limitation does not apply to retail businesses with total sales space not exceeding 600 m², thus protecting micro and small enterprises that face higher procurement costs and lower financial reserves. The measure is temporary and will remain in force until 31 March 2026.

The Cabinet adopted the Information on the Implementation of the Decision on the Destruction of Confiscated Tobacco Products, in line with the Decision Prohibiting the Storage of Tobacco Products within the Free Zone “Port of Bar”. According to this Decision, confiscated tobacco products – except those that are evidence in ongoing investigations led by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office – were to be destroyed within 90 days of its entry into force. The destruction process began on 23 June and was completed on 16 September 2025, carried out transparently and under the supervision of international partners (HMRC, EUROL 4). The following quantities of tobacco and tobacco products were destroyed:

• Cigarettes – 130,003 packages, or approximately 1,326,330,000 cigarettes (some packages were non-standard, not containing 10,000 cigarettes each);
• 526 packages of cut tobacco (approx. 100 kg each);
• 1,134 packages of shisha tobacco;
• 6 packages of electronic cigarettes.

The total weight of destroyed tobacco and tobacco products amounted to 1,745,126 kilograms. The process was conducted in full compliance with environmental standards, without negative effects on human health or the environment.

The State Property Administration has been instructed to take over the management of tobacco products that are evidence in criminal proceedings – around 10,811 packages of cigarettes – in accordance with Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the Law on Seizure and Confiscation of Material Benefit Derived from Criminal Activity.