Within the project “Municipalities for the EU – Empowering local communities in the process of EU integration of Montenegro,” on June 27 in Podgorica, the first meeting of the Thematic Network for Social Protection, Demography and Family Care was held.
Representatives of state institutions, local self-governments, and the expert community discussed concrete challenges and opportunities facing the system of social and child protection. The goal is to create a fairer, more inclusive, and more sustainable system of support for the most vulnerable – through open dialogue about upcoming reforms and the steps that lie ahead. Branka Mračević, team leader of the project, in her opening address emphasized the importance of thematic networks as spaces where local needs, EU policies, and national priorities can be connected into concrete measures.
As she stated, stronger involvement of local self-governments in these processes is a prerequisite for sustainable reforms that bring results on the ground. In the continuation of the meeting, Maja Bahović from the Ministry of Social Protection presented the draft of the new Law on Social and Child Protection. The key novelties relate to the increase of material support, the development of new services, deinstitutionalization, and the implementation of an integrated approach, which implies close cooperation of several sectors – from health and education to employment and local administration.
Special attention was directed toward empowering local communities which, as was repeatedly emphasized, know best the needs of their citizens. Ivana Nedović, Secretary of the Committee for Social Affairs of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, shared examples of good practice from several Montenegrin municipalities, but also pointed out the challenges brought by decentralization – especially when it is not accompanied by clear financial solutions.
She also presented concrete proposals for improving the legal framework, particularly in the part of support for children and young people without parental care, as well as mechanisms that provide mentoring support and supported housing after leaving institutional accommodation.
Through dialogue, participants emphasized the need for more precise normative solutions, better alignment with the Law on Local Self-Government, as well as the need for all future obligations of municipalities to be planned in accordance with their real capacities and budgets. Several municipalities shared concrete experiences and initiatives – from establishing day care centers and subsidizing housing, to creating local structures that will deal exclusively with social protection.
The conclusions of the meeting indicate broad agreement among all actors: for reforms to be successful, they must be inclusive, financially sustainable, and guided by the real needs of users. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of a partnership relationship between the state and municipalities, building a system of integrated services, and strengthening capacities at the local level.
This first step showed that there is readiness for joint action and open dialogue. In that spirit, participants announced the continuation of cooperation through working groups, thematic networks, and future joint initiatives, with a clear goal – for the system of social protection in Montenegro to become more accessible, more efficient, and closer to the real needs of people.
