Introduction
According to a report from the Ministry of Justice, the Montenegrin government allocated €376,201 from the 2024 budget to support religious communities. The largest share went to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro, followed by the Islamic Community and several others, including the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, the Catholic Archdiocese of Bar, and the Jewish Community. In total, 36 funding requests were approved by the Ministry of Justice’s Directorate for Cooperation with Religious Communities.
In March 2025, the Balkan Investigative Research Network (BIRN) published an investigation highlighting the emergence of Montelibero, a libertarian community established in 2021 in Pečurice by Russian and Ukrainian émigrés. The community promotes anarcho-capitalist ideals, operates its own cryptocurrency, and maintains an informal judicial system, although some of its buildings reportedly lack official permits. Several founders are linked to a Russian lawmaker convicted in the United States as an unregistered foreign agent, and some members are allegedly connected to pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s Donbas region.
Freedom of association
The shutdown of USAID by the Trump administration in March triggered a wave of online attacks against civil society organisations (CSOs) and independent media across Southeast Europe. In Montenegro, pro-government portals falsely claimed that USAID had provided $77 million to Montenegrin “mercenaries”, although fact-checkers confirmed the actual figure was under $9 million. The funding freeze weakened support for civil society and emboldened nationalist voices seeking to discredit organisations promoting democracy and human rights.
On 8th April, hateful graffiti containing a homophobic slur was sprayed on a building in Podgorica where two transgender activists reside. They reported the incident to the police, but authorities have not issued a public statement. Montenegro’s LGBT Forum Progress and the Social Centre condemned the attack, describing it as part of a persistent pattern of violence and discrimination faced by the LGBTQI+ community in Montenegro.
In March, the CSO Civic Alliance submitted an initiative to the Ministry of Justice advocating amendments to the Law on Free Legal Aid. The proposal calls for explicitly including “civilian victims of war” among the beneficiaries, addressing decades of institutional neglect. Although recent legislative reforms have formally recognised their status, many victims still face administrative and financial barriers to accessing justice.
Civil society organisations also remained active in promoting transparency and accountability. In April, the Centre for Civic Education urged Montenegro’s Agency for the Prevention of Corruption to investigate a possible conflict of interest involving one of its Council members, who is simultaneously representing a state-owned company in a legal dispute against the Agency. The Centre denounced this as a clear breach of ethics and criticised the Agency’s continued inaction, noting that it had similarly ignored previous appeals to address conflicts of interest among Council members engaged in state contracts.
Meanwhile, CSOs continued to speak out on issues of justice, equality, and historical accountability. On 6th March, a coalition of over 20 Montenegrin organisations condemned the promotion of a monograph about Pavle Bulatović at the Cultural-Information Centre “Zeta”, describing it as an attempt to glorify an individual implicated in the 1992 illegal deportation of Bosnian-Herzegovinian refugees. They argued that such events insult victims and their families and undermine Montenegro’s efforts to confront war crimes and align with European democratic values. The same day, Montenegro’s Movement for Solidarity with Palestine denounced the Parliament Speaker’s visit to Israel and his participation in a tree-planting ceremony honouring victims of the Nova Festival attack. The group labelled his actions a betrayal of justice and urged Parliament to distance itself from his stance, arguing that his show of support for Israel did not reflect the position of most MPs or citizens.
Civil society also continued to hold institutions accountable in cases of human rights violations. On 18th March, the NGO Human Rights Action (HRA) criticised a Podgorica court’s acquittal of five police inspectors accused of torturing a citizen in May 2020 to extract a false confession in a bombing case. Despite medical reports and expert testimony supporting the victim’s claims, the court dismissed the case on procedural grounds, which HRA described as a failure of justice.
On 25th March, eleven CSOs jointly condemned discriminatory remarks made on Gradska TV, where a commentator suggested that a member of a national minority should not lead foreign policy in a majority Orthodox country. Activists described the statement as nationalist and contrary to Montenegro’s secular and inclusive values, urging stronger editorial standards and more robust safeguards against hate speech in public media.
Civil society initiatives also sought to mobilise public action on social and economic issues. On 14th March, the organisation Alternativa Crna Gora called for a nationwide boycott of supermarkets and retail chains to protest the soaring prices of essential goods and to pressure the government to take stronger measures against inflation. The boycott followed earlier protests targeting specific retailers and reflected mounting frustration over the rising cost of living. Alternativa urged the Ministry of Economic Development to introduce emergency measures, including talks with major retailers, subsidies for domestic producers, guaranteed purchases of local goods, and clear labelling of Montenegrin products in stores.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
The student group “Kamo śutra?” organised a six-hour protest in front of the Government on 13th February in response to the authorities’ handling of the mass shooting in Cetinje, which left 13 people dead. Protesters demanded accountability from senior officials, including the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Deputy Prime Minister for Security. The group continued demonstrations for over a month before announcing its dissolution in April, citing political interference, media attacks and fatigue, despite public support.
On 24th February, Podgorica marked three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a tribute to the Ukrainians killed and displaced by the war. Citizens, diplomats, and members of the Ukrainian community attended the event, lighting candles, observing a minute of silence, and playing Ukraine’s national anthem.
On 6th March, several hundred employees from Montenegro’s state administration and judiciary protested outside the Government. Organised by the Union of Administration and Justice, the demonstrators demanded higher wages, improved working conditions, and better housing. Their seven-point list of demands included a 20% salary increase, a seven-hour workday, and the dismissal of the Labour Minister.
Protests erupted in Podgorica on 7th March after suspects were acquitted in the 2021 murder of a security guard during a robbery. The victim’s family and supporters gathered outside the Prosecutor’s Office, condemning the verdict as a miscarriage of justice. They accused the judiciary of corruption and inefficiency and demanded legal reforms to ensure accountability and justice for victims. Similar protests had taken place days earlier in Nikšić following the same acquittal.
On 8th March, the Centre for Women’s Rights organised a protest in Podgorica calling for stronger protection against violence and an end to institutional neglect. The Centre for Civic Education noted that, although women make up more than half of Montenegro’s population, they remain underrepresented in leadership, with only six female ministers in the 32-member government and no female deputy prime ministers. A day earlier, the CSO Građanska Alijansa (GA) criticised the misuse of funds intended to empower women in politics, alleging that the money had been diverted to cover party-related expenses. GA urged political elites to comply with legal frameworks promoting women’s participation, stressing the need to challenge patriarchal norms and build more inclusive state policies.
On 19th March, organisations representing people with disabilities protested against government plans to amend the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities. They argued that the proposed changes would discourage employers from hiring people with disabilities and limit their earnings. Protesters demanded the government withdraw the draft law and engage in meaningful dialogue. Following public pressure, the government paused the legislative process and agreed to further consultations with stakeholders.
A protest took place in Podgorica on 24th March against the planned demolition of a mosque in the Roma settlement of Konik. The Ministry of Spatial Planning had ordered the demolition on legal and planning grounds, but the Islamic Community, local residents, and several political parties opposed the decision. They appealed against the order and called for the mosque’s legalisation to prevent its destruction.
Throughout March and April, residents of Ulcinj repeatedly protested against a government agreement granting a UAE-based company a 99-year lease on a local beach. The deal raised concerns over environmental damage, cultural erosion, and the lack of community consultation. The Ulcinj municipality, backed by all local political parties, organised the demonstrations, stressing that the community had been excluded from decision-making.
Cooperation between the two countries led to heated public debate following the signing of a new bilateral agreement on tourism and real estate cooperation between Montenegro and the UAE on 28th March. More than 20 Montenegrin CSOs expressed deep concern that the deal allows UAE investors to lease and develop prime natural areas for up to 99 years without public tenders or environmental reviews. They warned that the agreement could lead to the privatisation of public land, threaten biodiversity, and erode democratic oversight. In April, the CSO Action for Social Justice (ASP) criticised a tax agreement with the UAE that exempts UAE state-owned companies from paying taxes on dividends, interest, and royalties. Originally intended for government entities, the exemption was extended in 2016 to include the Investment Corporation of Dubai, which owns the Porto Montenegro superyacht marina. ASP warned that such arrangements lack transparency and could harm Montenegro’s economic interests.
On 2nd April, parents of children with autism protested in front of the Government to mark World Autism Awareness Day, demanding stronger state support. They called for the establishment of a national autism registry, early intervention programmes, a new day centre in Podgorica, and a modern autism centre. Other demands included more special educators, sensory rooms in schools, and legal recognition of caregiver parents. Protesters accused the state of neglecting their needs and failing to deliver on earlier promises.
Freedom of expression
In February 2025, the SafeJournalists network published the report “Montenegro – Indicators on the Level of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Index 2023”. The report notes modest improvements in Montenegro’s media environment, including slightly higher salaries and fewer attacks on journalists. However, inflation has offset the pay rises, while unresolved assaults continue to foster insecurity. Superficial, politically negotiated reforms are insufficient: legislation must result from broad stakeholder consultations rather than backroom deals. Censorship and self-censorship persist, and the media sector still lacks effective self-regulation. Authorities must intensify and professionalise their efforts to resolve high-profile attacks on journalists and ensure accountability. Only through deep, systemic reform, such as strengthening legal protections, consultation processes, and investigative capacity, can journalists in Montenegro work without fear and uphold press freedom.
Between February and April 2025, the SafeJournalists platform recorded three cases of harassment and threats against journalists. On 3rd March, a journalist from the Montenegrin newspaper Pobjeda faced online harassment following the publication of an article. A Facebook user accused the journalist of accepting payment for an interview and “poisoning the media scene”. The journalist reported the incident to the police, who swiftly arrested the individual. However, the public prosecutor declined to pursue the case, which remains under investigation. On 12th April, a journalist from the daily Vijesti received a death threat from a woman identifying herself as the sister of a Serbian citizen recently expelled from Montenegro. On 26th April, a journalist from Gradska RTV in Podgorica reported receiving insulting, threatening, and sexist messages via email and social media over several days. Media organisations and press freedom advocates condemned these threats as attempts to intimidate journalists and called for thorough investigations.
On 20th February, the Montenegrin Parliament voted to establish a new investigative committee to examine decades of attacks on journalists dating back to the 1990s. The decision followed long-standing concerns over the persistent lack of accountability. The committee aims to uncover the truth behind unsolved cases, including the 2018 shooting of an investigative journalist, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
Also on 20th February, the CSO PCNEN issued a statement highlighting systemic problems concerning citizens’ access to public information.The Administrative Court was reportedly burdened with more than 26,000 cases, nearly half resulting from state institutions failing to respond to requests, revealing widespread non-compliance with transparency obligations. PCNEN stressed the urgent need for legal reforms to ensure effective oversight, consistent enforcement, and stronger institutional capacities to safeguard citizens’ right to information.
On 14th March, police withdrew a misdemeanour charge against journalist Brano Mandić. Authorities had initially planned to charge him under a provision stipulating “a fine of 100 to 400 euros or imprisonment for up to 30 days” for “whoever insults another person or behaves insolently in a public place”. The case stemmed from a satirical column in which Mandić criticised a sexist remark made by a university professor towards another journalist. Police ultimately cited international conventions and freedom of expression standards in their decision to terminate the proceedings.
In April, a proposed TikTok ban triggered national debate after a mother called for action when her autistic son was mocked in videos posted on the platform. Although she reported the bullying to school officials and police, authorities responded only after public pressure. Some parents supported the proposed ban, but CSOs and digital experts argued it was not a real solution. They emphasised the need for systemic measures such as better age verification, digital literacy education in schools, and stronger safeguards against online abuse.