Montenegro initiates a review of all granted honorary citizenships
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has initiated a review of the practice of granting honorary citizenships, stressing that they should be awarded exclusively for specific services to the country — creating jobs, developing the economy and promoting Montenegrin interests. He warned that if it turns out that passports were handed out as “personal favors” or without clear criteria, this would discredit state institutions and encourage corrupt schemes. Spajić
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has initiated a review of the practice of granting honorary citizenships, stressing that they should be awarded exclusively for specific services to the country — creating jobs, developing the economy and promoting Montenegrin interests. He warned that if it turns out that passports were handed out as “personal favors” or without clear criteria, this would discredit state institutions and encourage corrupt schemes.
Spajić took this step against the backdrop of the procedure to strip Kosovo businessman Naser Ramaj of his citizenship. This case became a telling example of the review of the practice of granting honorary citizenship, especially amid the active movement of Montenegro toward membership in the European Union.
Ramaj, who received a Montenegrin passport in October 2023 as an investor in the large-scale Porto Budva project worth €80 million, now features in a criminal case over the embezzlement of €2.2 million. He is accused of systematic tax evasion in the implementation of this residential complex. Notably, the citizenship was granted under the previous government of Dritan Abazović, which casts doubt on the transparency of such decisions in the past.
Spajić particularly stresses that such cases damage the country’s international image at a critically important moment, when Montenegro is seeking to complete EU accession negotiations by the end of 2025. European partners have long expressed concern about the corruption risks associated with economic citizenship programs. The government’s current actions are aimed at demonstrating its determination to bring all procedures into line with European standards.
This precedent could become a turning point in Montenegro’s citizenship policy. The authorities are not only reviewing a specific decision but also conducting a systematic check of previously granted honorary citizenships, seeking to restore the trust of both their own citizens and the international community. The success of this initiative will be of key importance for the country’s further European integration, scheduled for 2028.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/930