30 years, 30+ stories: Montenegro, building transformation through credibility and trust

Montenegro is a small but historically rich country with a population of around 623,633 in 2023 (MONSTAT). Its strategic location in the Balkans and next to the Adriatic Sea has shaped its identity for centuries. Known as Crna Gora (Black Mountain) for its densely forested mountains. At the Berlin Congress in 1878, Montenegro received full international recognition and became a kingdom in 1910. 

Following the dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia, Montenegro achieved full independence in 2006 and is now actively aligning itself with European Union (EU) standards and reforms in its bid for EU membership, a process that officially began in 2010. 

The country opened negotiations with the European Commission in 2012 and temporarily closed Chapter 26 on Education and Culture in 2013. However, the Montenegrin authorities are also aware of the challenges they face, particularly around Social Policy and Employment related to Chapter 19 of the EU acquis, the other area where the European Training Foundation (ETF) is supporting the national authorities on their path towards EU integration.

Despite challenges and political instability in recent years, Montenegro has made progress in meeting EU accession criteria, and the recent stabilisation of the government has strengthened its commitment to governance reforms, including improving the quality of education and employment. In a recent meeting with Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also underlined that 'Montenegro is very advanced on the accession path.' A few days later, the European Commission published Montenegro's 2024 Report in its annual Enlargement Package, concluding that the country had generally 'met the interim benchmarks for rule of law chapters 23 and 24.'

According to Stylianos Karagiannis, ETF Human Capital Development (HCD) Statistician and Country Liaison for Montenegro, 'in the education sector, Montenegro has initiated the development of a comprehensive strategy to address systemic challenges. This strategy focuses on improving school infrastructure and teacher training to support the digital and green transitions within the education system. The government's efforts reflect its commitment to improving the quality of education and ensuring equal access for all children.'

The ETF's work to support Montenegro's commitment to the EU

The ETF is a key partner in Montenegro's transition, complementing the efforts of the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), including assistance to the EU Delegation. The ETF's involvement focuses on supporting Montenegro's vocational education and training (VET) reforms in line with the Osnabrück Declaration, the EU policy framework that guides Montenegro's VET system towards sustainable competitiveness, social equity and resilience. 

Montenegro's Strategy for the Development of VET 2020-2024 is in line with EU recommendations on competitiveness, resilience and social equity, as reflected in the ETF's latest Torino Process report on the country, and follows key EU priorities: adaptability to labour market needs, inclusiveness, digitalisation and quality assurance in VET. 

The political challenges Montenegro has faced in recent years have slowed some implementation progress which has been regaining its momentum since 2024 under the guidance of the new Minister Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović, with country being fully committed to advancing its digital and green transition in the education sector. Montenegro has demonstrated its commitment to aligning its policies with EU standards, particularly in promoting lifelong learning, strengthening the transition from school to work and upgrading skills to meet labour market needs.

The ETF is working closely with Montenegro to implement a dual VET system, improve skills development and promote digital literacy in schools through the SELFIE assessment tool.

The ETF's role also extends to providing evidence for EU policy monitoring and facilitating Montenegro's engagement in European dialogue platforms, such as the ETF Quality Assurance Platform, to promote policy innovation. 'This support has proven to be essential for Montenegro's efforts to align its VET system with EU standards, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth and improved employment opportunities for its citizens,' said Karagiannis.

Tackling youth unemployment remains a priority in Montenegro, where around 20.3% of young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). In January 2025, Montenegro will launch its pilot Youth Guarantee (YG) scheme, a promising step towards reducing youth unemployment. At the recent European Commission conference, Dragana Vojvodic, who is leading on YG's implementation in the Montenegro's Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, highlighted that Montenegro 'will prioritise ensuring that all youngsters, including from rural or remote areas, can access it, via digital and social media tools.'

Montenegro's path to the EU dovetails with a broader commitment by the European Union, which recently launched the €50 billion Growth Plan to support the Western Balkans. This robust financial support allows Montenegro to push ahead with reforms, an opportunity highlighted by Karagiannis. 'This is a good opportunity for the country to accelerate reforms and embed EU-oriented transformation. It also helps the ETF in its context-specific initiatives in Montenegro, especially in terms of promoting vocational education and training, skills intelligence and digital transition.'

Local partnerships drive the ETF's success in Montenegro

The ETF's success in Montenegro is based on strong partnerships with local stakeholders, including government officials such as Marko Vukašinovic, Acting Director General at the Ministry of Education Science and Innovation, whose cooperation with the ETF began even before Montenegro's independence, in 2003. 

Reflecting on the long-standing collaboration, Vukašinovic underlined that 'working with the ETF has been a truly rewarding experience. Our successful cooperation is a testament to our shared commitment and vision. A high level of credibility and expertise has always been brought to the table as we have worked together to improve VET in Montenegro.'

'We have been able to improve policy dialogue, the strategic framework, work-based learning, self-assessment, quality assurance, entrepreneurial learning and many other dimensions with our critical friends from the ETF. We have built a solid foundation and mutual trust, so that future work will definitely be part of the process and long-term cooperation developed in the previous period,' he continues.

Commenting on Montenegro's current priorities for VET and how the ETF's policy advice is shaping future initiatives in education and employment, Vukašinovic stressed, 'When it comes to national priorities for VET and the continuation of our cooperation with the ETF, we would first like to point to the improvement of the strategic framework through the development of the Comprehensive Education Strategy 2025-2035, which is underway, and the drafting of the Career Guidance Development Strategy, which is planned for 2025.' 

In addition, Vukašinovic notes that Montenegrin authorities see the ETF contributing to build the capacity of sectoral commissions for skills analysis and forecasting of skills needs, 'which will form the basis for the development of new and revision of existing VET qualifications, as well as for the establishment of incentive schemes for employers involved in work-based learning and those employing work-based learning graduates,' he says.

As Montenegro navigates the complexities of EU accession, the ETF's 30-year commitment to supporting sustainable economic development and education reform remains a key priority. This partnership exemplifies the ETF's lasting impact in improving vocational education and training and employment strategies, further strengthening Montenegro's path towards EU integration and sustainable growth. 

But complex and technical issues are also about human passion. Montenegro is a country that invests a lot in tourism, and its beautiful landscapes make it difficult for us to choose a specific place to present this article. Vukašinovic helped by providing his own photo of Boka Bay, along with many other outstanding images. He's passionate not only about education and vocational training, but also about visuals and communication. May the same multifaced passion inspire the growing cooperation between the EU and Montenegro.