The Forest Law requires amendments to extend the deadline for establishing a new company. Moreover, forestry engineers should be recognized as a scarce resource to boost employment opportunities.

This statement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Vladimir Joković, during a session in Parliament, addressing questions posed by members.

The Forest Law became effective in mid-August of the previous year, with full implementation slated for January 1 of this year. However, a new company to oversee forest management has yet to be formed, no funding has been allocated in the state budget for its operations, and the necessary machinery remains unprovided.

In response to inquiries from a Democratic Party of Socialists member about why this process hasn’t begun, Joković questioned where it specifies in the Law that the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for forming this company, noting that the Ministry of Economic Development or the agency managing state properties could also take on this responsibility.

“The ministry refrained from creating a state-owned enterprise for various reasons. While the Forest Law needed to be drafted and passed for practical considerations, issues related to staffing and finances for equipment acquisition impeded the timeline. Amendments are planned for the end of the year to modify sections of the law regarding equipment maintenance and logging designations. The parliamentary boycott prevented these changes prior to the law’s enforcement,” he explained.

Reluctance to Transition to a New Company

Joković further noted that the conditions required to create the company were not met. Given the limited timeframe, the Ministry of Finance allocated 7.5 million euros for the Forest and Hunting Management Administration’s operations in 2025. However, the staff and their union opposed the new company, with nearly all employees—including 77 forestry engineers—signing a petition against its establishment. The law intends for some current employees to transition to this new entity.

“Their petition clearly indicates that they are not interested in joining the proposed forest management company,” Joković stated, adding that workers from the Administration were wary of similar regional models.

He emphasized the need for amendments to the Law to extend the establishment deadline for the company, ensuring a high-quality setup and the declaration of forestry engineers as a scarce resource. He also suggested that the Ministry offer scholarships to students pursuing related studies in the region.

According to an analysis, around 27 percent of Montenegro’s exploitable forests are privately owned, with the remainder being state-owned. However, due to restitution and ongoing legal processes, approximately 58 percent of forests are now in private hands. A supplementary study is needed to evaluate the necessity and operational model for the new company, particularly as a similar entity in Republika Srpska is facing significant financial deficits.

MP Aleksandra Despotović questioned Joković’s role given that many issues had already been raised in parliamentary discussions. She mentioned that the World Bank had sent a letter at the end of February regarding a potential loan of 80 million euros, contingent on the implementation of necessary reforms.

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