The most substantial housing allowances are allocated to Montenegrin ambassadors in Argentina, Denmark, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the Vatican, and Spain, as well as to the Consul General in Istanbul.

This decision stems from recent amendments to the Regulation concerning supplementary salaries, reimbursements, and other income while serving in diplomatic and consular missions, which the Government approved in its latest session.

In these nations, high housing allowances are also extended to advisors, advisor 1, secretary 1, secretary 2, secretary 3, and attaches.

These allowances are financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) budget, overseen by Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic. This year’s MFA budget anticipates allocating approximately 16 million euros for the operations of diplomatic and consular missions.

The Regulation states that the special salary supplement for employees working in a diplomatic or consular mission is calculated by multiplying a gross basis determined individually per receiving country, with adjustments for special working conditions and a cost-of-living index.

The gross calculation basis is set as a percentage of the initial gross base for each specific position assigned to the employee, tailored for each recipient country. This initial gross base is established annually as a percentage of Montenegro’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, as determined by the relevant statistical authority.

The gross base for living cost calculations is adjusted according to a cost-of-living adjustment index established for the calendar year prior to the adjustment.

The cost-of-living adjustment index, specified in the Regulation, is derived from the living costs indices of various countries, published annually by competent UN bodies.

For ambassadors, the housing cost reimbursement percentage for Argentina stands at 108.42%! for an ambassador and 73.64%! for a minister advisor. In Denmark, it is 104.98%! for an ambassador and 75.73%! for a minister advisor, while in Italy, it is 102.41%! for an ambassador and 70.62%! for a minister advisor.

Currently, Montenegro lacks an ambassador in Argentina but has an ambassador in Denmark. Snezana Radović recently officially took on the role of the first resident ambassador to Denmark, whereas the position in Italy is held by Milena Šofranac Ljubojević.

A Minister Counselor is a diplomatic title that can serve as Charge d’Affaires when there is no ambassador present.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to inquiries regarding the criteria for determining housing allowance percentages, whether these changes are a reaction to increased living expenses abroad or other factors, or the total annual costs associated with these allowances.

According to the Regulation, the percentage for housing allowances for the ambassador to Poland is 101.74%! and for the minister-counselor 70.27%! For the ambassador to the United Kingdom, it stands at 106.16%! and for the minister-counselor at 73.99%! The ambassador to Ukraine’s percentage is 104.12%! and for the minister-counselor, it is 71.38%!

In the United Kingdom, the Minister Counsellor/Charge-de-Charges is Natasha Jovovic, while in Poland, the 2nd Secretary/Charge-de-affaires is Milena Mumin.

The reimbursement percentage for housing costs for the ambassador to the Vatican is 102.41%! and for the minister advisor 70.62%! In Spain, it is 100.52%! for the ambassador and 69.20%! for the minister advisor.

In Greece, the ambassador’s housing cost reimbursement percentage is 98.99%!, in Slovenia it is 99.19%!, and in Belgium and the Netherlands, it stands at 96.23%!

In addition to the ambassador, Montenegro has three consuls general abroad, including Snezana Zeković in Frankfurt, Nevenka Cirovic in Sremski Karlovci, and Branislav Karadzic in Istanbul.

The reimbursement percentage for the Consul General in Frankfurt is 92.50%!, in Sremski Karlovci it is 58.09%!, and in Istanbul it is 107.22%!

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