The World Bank has approved a €33 million loan to Montenegro to strengthen its fisheries and agrifood sector, recognizing these industries as vital to the country’s economic development, rural livelihoods, and progress toward European Union accession. The financing will support improved service delivery, upgraded infrastructure, and stronger compliance with EU standards, helping Montenegro build a more resilient and competitive agrifood economy.
A major component of the project is the construction of Montenegro’s first modern fishing port at Cape Đeran–Velika Plaža in Ulcinj Municipality, a key southern coastal area with strong links to tourism and fisheries. The new port will be equipped with cold storage, refrigeration, packaging and distribution facilities, maintenance and repair services, and ice supply systems. Together, these upgrades are expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve product quality, and enable fishers to access higher-value domestic and export markets.
The project will also strengthen institutional capacity by establishing a regional office of the Paying Agency responsible for implementing elements of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. This office will bring services closer to farmers, improve the efficiency and transparency of payment processing, and support the rollout of the Integrated Administration and Control System, which is essential for managing agricultural subsidies and ensuring compliance with EU rules.
In addition, the project will help Montenegro develop an environmentally sustainable system for the safe collection, disposal, and processing of animal by-products in line with EU regulations and national legislation. These investments will be complemented by institutional reforms and capacity-building efforts aimed at improving governance, regulatory compliance, and overall service delivery across the agrifood sector.
Overall, the initiative supports Montenegro’s national development priorities and aligns with its strategies on sustainable development, tourism, and agriculture and rural development. By modernizing infrastructure and strengthening public institutions, the project is expected to enhance climate resilience, improve competitiveness, and support Montenegro’s longer-term economic growth and EU integration goals.
