Europe > Montenegro
1. Montenegro is a strategically located, unilaterally euroized economy. After gaining independence in 2006, the country was buffeted by the Global Financial Crisis. Following a period of tourism-driven growth averaging 4 percent in 2015-19, the economy was hit hard once again by COVID, contracting by over 15 percent in 2020. A strong recovery has taken root since 2021, and tourism has exceeded its pre-pandemic levels. The war in Ukraine has significantly impacted the economy through both real (via robust consumption growth due to migrants) and nominal (via inflation) channels, thereby improving its fiscal position. However, on current policies Montenegro's fiscal position is likely to gradually weaken once again over the medium term.
Public investment is expected to play a significant role in the post-pandemic economic recovery in Montenegro. Due to the importance of the tourism sector, the pandemic has had a deep economic impact. In addition, as government debt already exceeds one hundred percent of GDP, fiscal space to increase public investment is limited. Nevertheless, the completion of the first phase of the Bar-Boljare Highway (BBH), by the end of 2021, should free up public resources within the budget constraint, that could be used for public investments. In this context, a strengthened public investment management (PIM) framework would contribute to maximize its impact on economic growth.