Centre for Civic Education (CCE) points out that the practice of engaging personal consultants for MPs, introduced in 2025, cost citizens €85,200 net in the first five months of 2026 alone. This option was used by 22 MPs from five parliamentary groups, some of whom changed consultants during the period, bringing the total number of individuals engaged to 27. The net value of all submitted contracts, including those extending beyond 31 May 2026, amounts to €147,800, in addition to the applicable taxes and social contributions.
When announcing this budget item in November 2024, President of the Parliament Andrija Mandić stated that each MP would be able to engage one adviser “to assist them in their work”. The first engagements under this arrangement began in August 2025, while CCE’s analysis covered the period from 1 January to 31 May 2026, focusing on the scope of the engagements, the level of remuneration and the professional profiles of the individuals engaged.
MPs from New Serb Democracy (NSD) engaged the largest number of consultants – ten in total – with the aggregate net value of their contracts amounting to €46,000. Aleksandar Mijović, a law graduate, was engaged for MP Jelena Božović. MP Milan Lekić was supported, during different periods, by geography specialist Vujo Grbović and Ana Dromljak, whose educational background was not specified in the documentation. MP Milica Rondović was advised by law graduate Velimir Vukašinović and economics graduate Miroslav Laketić, while MP Velimir Đoković engaged history and geography teacher Pero Radonjić. Milivoje Krgović, a graduate in economics and management, was engaged for MP Vaso Obradović, while political science graduate Dušan Babić was engaged for MP Dejan Đurović. MP Bojana Pićan was advised by teacher Nataša Jevrić, while MP Jovan Jole Vučurović engaged Boban Radević, whose educational background was not specified.
The highest overall contract value was recorded among MPs from the Bosniak Party (BS), who will allocate a net total of €51,000 for eight consultants. MP Amer Smailović is advised by Aladin Osmanović, a graduate in political science and security studies. MP Kenana Strujić Harbić was supported, during different periods, by Mirsad Džudžević, who holds a master’s degree in management, Emrah Demić, who holds a master’s degree in architecture and design, and Amer Demić, a vocational economist specialising in financial management. MP Edina Dešić was advised by Adeleta Ledinić, a professor of English language and literature. Amina Ljajljević, a specialist in international relations, and Adnan Muhović, a graduate engineer in management, were engaged for MP Jasmin Ćorović, while economics graduate Albina Fetahović advised MP Adel Omeragić.
Three MPs from the Socialist People’s Party (SNP) and CIVIS engaged three consultants, whose contracts have a combined net value of €18,000. Balša Dragović, whose educational background was not specified, advised MP Bogdan Božović; international relations specialist Vuk Vlahović advised MP Maja Vučelić; and Tanja Vukotić, a graduate in marketing management, advised MP Slađana Kaluđerović.
MPs from the Democratic People’s Party (DNP) engaged four consultants, whose contracts have a combined net value of €16,800. Milo Popović, who completed undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Montenegro, was engaged for MP Dragan Bojović. Aleksandar Sekulić, a specialist in applied computer science, was engaged for MP Milan Knežević. It should also be recalled that Sekulić served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Health and, while intoxicated during working hours, caused a traffic accident and fled the scene. Following his resignation under public pressure, he applied for and received a former office-holder allowance for 12 months after leaving public office. Shortly after this entitlement expired, he became an adviser to the president of the political party in which he also holds an official position. Ivana Marković Vujović, a specialist in political science, advises MP Vladislav Bojović, while Vera Bulatović, a specialist in internal medicine, was engaged for MP Jelena Kljajević.
Independent MPs from the Special Parliamentary Group engaged two consultants, with a combined net contract value of €16,000. Dr Mira Šorović was engaged for MP Radinka Ćinćur, while Ilmira Lika was engaged for MP Ilir Čapuni. Their educational backgrounds were not specified in the submitted documentation.
MPs from the Europe Now Movement (PES), the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the Democrats, the URA Civic Movement, the European Alliance, the Albanian Forum, the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI), as well as independent MPs without a parliamentary group, Nikola Janović and Miodrag Laković, did not engage advisers.
Although the professional profiles of those engaged cover a broad range of fields – including law, political science, international relations and economics, as well as management, computing, architecture, medicine, geography, languages and marketing – the job descriptions are mostly identical or very similar. The contracts envisage tasks such as analysing draft laws and other acts under parliamentary consideration, assisting with the preparation of amendments, draft laws and reports from parliamentary committee sessions, monitoring Montenegro’s European Union accession process, analysing reports of the European Commission and the European Parliament, maintaining contacts with institutions, non-governmental organisations and the diaspora, preparing media content, monitoring media reporting, and carrying out various administrative and organisational tasks.
CCE considers that expert support for MPs can contribute to better preparation of legislative initiatives, amendments, parliamentary questions, public policy analyses and parliamentary oversight. Nevertheless, a legitimate question arises as to whether, in addition to the parliamentary services and the possibility for parliamentary groups to engage secretaries and expert consultants, it is justified for each MP to receive an additional personal adviser at the expense of citizens. Moreover, no significant difference is currently apparent in the level of activity of MPs who have received these “reinforcements”.
It is particularly important to clarify the practice of successively concluding multiple contracts with the same individuals, as well as long-term engagements that, in some cases, extend over almost the entire year. Such a model may indicate work of a continuous nature, thereby raising questions about the distinction between occasional consultancy services and regular professional, administrative or media support.
The rights afforded to MPs, as well as to all other public officials, must go hand in hand with accountability for the manner in which public funds are spent. Without clear information demonstrating how more than €147,000 has improved the quality of Parliament’s work, citizens know how much was spent, but not what concrete results their money produced.
Nikola Đurašević, Programme Associate