Public procurement in Montenegro is no longer the shady business it used to be! Jelena Jovetić, head of the working group for Chapter 5, boldly states that our mission is to smash monopolies and ensure a transparent, efficient public procurement system based on European standards. Sounds like a dream? Nope! Competition on tenders used to be a pathetic 2%, but now there’s an average of 3 bids per tender. That means things are moving, but not without a fight. Jovetić stresses that the Ministry of Finance won’t stop until every public dime is spent in the best way possible, choosing the most economically favorable offers. But it’s not just about money — this is a fight against corruption, because public procurement is the heart of the rule of law. The system is complex, but Montenegro got a thumbs-up from Brussels that it’s on the right track. But will all this really be carried through? Or will the old players try to sneak back in? If you’ve got thoughts or have seen how public procurement works in your area, drop a comment below and share your take! Maybe it’s time we all shook up the system together!
