Introduction
A new Law on Air Protection, adopted in Montenegro in early 2026, introduced provisions that allow citizens to seek compensation via legal action for harm caused by air pollution. Environmental activists welcomed the development, as it could lead to greater accountability in environmental protection.
Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
Environmental issues spark protests
In March, the NGO Zagrad announced that it will address the EU Delegation in Montenegro, claiming that residents who protested to protect the environment are being unfairly punished. The group says that instead of receiving responses to their concerns from the Ministry of Energy and Mining, local residents from Zagrad and Oblatno have been issued fines and suspended prison sentences following protests linked to the closed Zagrad mine.
The dispute centres on alleged failures by the former concessionaire to carry out environmental rehabilitation after mining operations ceased, leaving unsafe road conditions, landslides, and erosion that endanger residents and visitors. Locals also object to a lack of transparency over a new concessionaire operating in the area.
Residents of the village of Zagrad held ongoing protests during early 2026 under the slogan “Stop the trucks from the Zagrad quarry”. They opposed the transport of materials from a nearby excavation site due to concerns over environmental and safety impacts linked to quarry operations.
Residents of Botun organised a series of protests in early 2026 against the construction of a planned wastewater treatment facility in their area. The dispute stems from a lack of clarity around the jurisdiction over the proposed location. At the end of February, protesters announced a potential escalation of actions, including preventing workers from entering the site. Police secured access to the construction site, while protests continued. There were no reported violent incidents.
Prosecutions for 2025 Villa Gorica protest stalled
In March 2026, proceedings continued at the Misdemeanour Court in Podgorica against 35 individuals prosecuted over their participation in a 2025 protest outside Villa Gorica during the presentation of the Thirteenth of July Award, Montenegro’s highest state honour.
On 8th July 2025, the civic initiative STEGA organised a protest opposing the Thirteenth of July Award being granted to author Bećir Vuković. The award sparked controversy due to Vuković’s statements supporting the Chetnik movement, a Serbian WWII-era collaborationist guerrilla movement, and denying the existence of a Montenegrin national identity. Critics also noted that the book for which he received the award is neither registered in library catalogues in Serbia or Montenegro nor available in bookshops. Several hundred people protested outside Villa Gorica in Podgorica and were met with a heavy police presence. Police used force, including pepper spray, to prevent protesters from approaching the villa.
On 12th March 2026, a hearing at the Misdemeanour Court in Podgorica involving civic activist Miodrag Strugar, one of the 35 prosecuted protesters, was postponed after three police officers scheduled to testify failed to appear. Strugar argued that the proceedings reflected “selective action” by the Interior Ministry, noting that only 35 people had been prosecuted despite hundreds attending the protest. He described the case as an attempt to exert political pressure, intimidate activists and suppress critical thought. Strugar also denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the only violence during the protest came from police use of pepper spray against demonstrators.
Police ban on transport operators’ protest upheld
On 31st March 2026, the Administrative Court of Montenegro upheld a police decision banning a planned month-long protest by the Association of Transport Operators of Montenegro at border crossings. The protest, scheduled from 23rd March to 23rd April, aimed to block the entry and exit of freight vehicles and halt the transit of goods through the country.
The court ruled that the police had correctly assessed that the protest would seriously disrupt daily life, freedom of movement and the supply of goods, while also harming the economy and international trade. The ruling underscored that, although peaceful assembly is a fundamental right, it may be restricted when necessary to protect public order, safety and the rights of others.
The court concluded that the planned continuous blockade posed a “real and foreseeable risk” to the population and economy, making the restriction a proportionate measure in the public interest.
The planned mobilisation was one in a series of protest actions staged by transport operators in the Western Balkans region in protest against the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) which strictly enforces the 90-day maximum stay per 180-day period, affecting drivers’ ability to operate across borders. In addition to an urgent solution to the EES issue, Montenegrin transport operators outlined several other demands concerning administrative matters related to their work, requesting the formation of a working group to connect their representatives with those of all institutions involved in the transport sector.
Local communities stage protests over property concerns
In early 2026, several protests took place in Montenegro, particularly in the capital, Podgorica, against the costs associated with legalising buildings constructed without valid permits. The demonstrations followed the entry into force of the new Law on the Legalisation of Illegal Buildings on 14th August 2025, which imposed strict deadlines and gave property owners six months to register buildings in the cadastre to avoid high fees or possible demolition. With those six months due to expire on 14th February 2026, authorities moved to quickly introduce new amendments to extend the deadline.
At the end of January 2026, residents of the Malo Brdo neighbourhood in Podgorica organised a series of road blockades, arguing that the legalisation fees were unaffordable despite the option of repayment over 30 years.
During the same period, residents of the Zagorič park-forest area also staged protests over the legalisation costs. Initially, demonstrators blocked roads near the Zlatica motorway access point, but later moved their protest to Parliament after police declined to authorise further gatherings near the motorway and directed them to an alternative location in central Podgorica. Protesters subsequently announced daily one-hour road blockades from 27th January to 5th February with police approval.
Residents of the Gornja Gorica neighbourhood in Podgorica held a protest march in February 2026 over fears that land once confiscated from local families during the Yugoslav-era nationalisation process could be sold without public scrutiny. Residents announced a further protest outside the Parliament of Montenegro on 16th February, calling on state authorities to open talks and find a mutually acceptable solution. Protesters warned that continued silence from institutions could lead to a further escalation of resistance if the land were sold to private investors or companies.
Demonstrations calling for increase in social benefits
On 8th March 2026, International Women’s Day, mothers with three or more children protested in Podgorica, demanding that parliament urgently convene a committee session to consider a petition calling for higher compensation payments and regular adjustments in line with the cost of living. According to the organisers, the petition had gathered more than 7,000 signatures. Protesters called for compensation for mothers with three or more children to be indexed to inflation and aligned with the rights granted to other pension beneficiaries.
The demonstration formed part of a broader campaign on the issue. Slobodanka Krgović, a representative of the group, had announced a hunger strike in front of Parliament in February after a parliamentary committee failed to hold a planned session on the payments, but abandoned it due to lack of support. She had previously staged a hunger strike in December 2025 over the same issue.
On 18th March 2026, pensioners protested outside the Parliament of Montenegro in Podgorica, demanding higher pensions, a new pension and disability insurance law, and urgent government measures to address rising fuel prices. Organised by the Pensioners’ Party, the protest brought together retirees dissatisfied with what they described as the authorities’ neglect of their demands for a dignified standard of living.
Protesters criticised minimal pension increases, high medical costs and limited access to healthcare. They also raised concerns over unresolved property restitution claims, the costly legalisation of buildings and the lack of dialogue with state institutions. Organisers stressed that the protest was not politically motivated but aimed at securing “respect, justice and a dignified life” for pensioners. A subsequent protest was announced for 23rd March in Bijelo Polje.
Freedom of Expression
Efforts to improve journalists’ safety
In a positive development, an intersectoral working group to establish a mechanism for journalists’ safety began operating in March 2026, bringing together representatives from the police, prosecution, media, legal professionals, and psychologists. According to a representative of the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM), the working group handled nine cases of threats and insults against journalists within its first month of work, providing legal assistance in five cases and initiating proceedings in two. A 24-hour reporting line was also established, alongside access to free legal and psychological support. The mechanism aims to improve institutional coordination and response to threats, although its long-term sustainability depends on continued institutional support.
Multiple cases of threats against journalists
On 23rd January, commemorated as Journalists’ Day in Montenegro, journalists and media organisations in the country voiced concerns over increasing threats, attacks, and intimidation targeting media workers. Particular attention was drawn to unresolved cases of violence against journalists and the lack of effective follow-up on such cases by the relevant authorities, which contributes to a climate of insecurity. Representatives of the media community warned that such conditions affect journalists’ ability to work freely and safely.
Between two Journalists’ Days, we can say that security conditions have significantly deteriorated, political pressure has continued and worsened, and the economic position of journalists has not improved a lot.
- Radomir Kračković, TUMM
Also on 23rd January 2026, Vijesti journalist Jelena Jovanović was targeted with online insults and threats during the broadcast of a programme in which she discussed individuals charged by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) with serious criminal offences. Jovanović reported the case to the police, leading to the suspect’s arrest. The following day, the Podgorica Court fined the perpetrator €400 for a misdemeanour. The perpetrator apologised to Jovanović, while the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM) welcomed the swift ruling and called for more effective and systematic protection of journalists.
On 4th February 2026, Pobjeda journalist Andrija Radović was reportedly threatened over the phone by Bojana Đačić, Director of the National Library, after requesting comment on accusations of financial misconduct. Đačić denied the allegations, threatened legal action, and told the journalist: “You should be careful of what you write, that’s all I can tell you.” Following public disclosure of the exchange, the National Library employees’ union condemned Đačić’s remarks.
On 5th February 2026, according to the SafeJournalists Network, TV Vijesti host Petar Komnenić was threatened with legal action by Police Director Lazar Šćepanović after the journalist asked him a critical question during a live interview. After being questioned about police inaction in a criminal case, Šćepanović responded by announcing legal proceedings against the journalist for “insulting the police”.
On 2nd March 2026, RTV Podgorica journalist Magdalena Ćelanović received “disturbing and sexually explicit messages” through the morning programme’s social media account, according to the SafeJournalists Network. Police arrested a suspect on 5th March, though a court later acquitted the individual. Prosecutors announced they would appeal. The same person had allegedly sent similar messages to Ćelanović in April 2025.
On 7th March 2026, RTV Podgorica Director Vladimir Otašević reported a verbal threat from the brother of a man he had previously identified as an organiser of cigarette smuggling in Montenegro. According to the SafeJournalists Network, the man approached Otašević outside his apartment at night and warned him to “watch out for cars — be careful around vehicles” before leaving. The incident was reported to the police.
On 7th March 2026, Suzana Raičević, wife of IN4S editor Gojko Raičević, reported threatening comments posted on the portal’s Facebook page. One of the profiles involved had previously shared a photograph of the Raičević family, including their young son, alongside threatening messages. The threats intensified after Gojko Raičević warned users to remove offensive comments or face legal action. The same profile subsequently sent additional threats to the portal’s page via private messages, while Raičević also received derogatory messages on his personal account.
On 8th March 2026, journalist Ena Pušija reported threats to her life and safety after receiving an Instagram message containing insults and violent threats directed at the “Vijesti iz Bijelog Polja” (“Bijelo Polje News”) portal, including the message: “You should be killed and burned.” As the portal’s only journalist, Pušija said she understood the threats as being directed personally at her. A suspect was arrested in Budva on 14th March.