Citizens are seeking information about compensation every day, while the Government still has no decision on the percentage or timeline of payments

Citizens of Podgorica who suffered damage in the large fires last August are still waiting for compensation payments to begin. While the city administration states that affected residents contact them almost daily to ask about the payment timeline, the final decision on both the percentage and schedule, despite the estimated damage of nearly 1.7 million  euros and about 824,000 euros in planned funds, still has to be made by the Government.

Most cases resolved

Large wildfires swept through Podgorica in August last year, affecting forest and rural areas, particularly in the Piperi region and nearby settlements. The blaze consumed more than 300 hectares of forest land and vegetation, while numerous farms, vineyards, and private properties were also damaged. More than 43,000 grapevines were destroyed in the fires, dealing an additional blow to local producers and agriculture.

The President of the Commission for the Assessment of Damage from Natural Disasters Nikola Jočić told Portal ETV that from August to December 2025 they received 334 requests, while the estimated amount of damage reached nearly 1.7 million euros.

Of the total number of requests, 284 related to fire damage. Jočić said that 244 cases have been resolved, while the remaining cases have not been completed due to incomplete documentation.

- During the same period, 35 requests were received for damage assessments caused by hail, and all of those assessments have been completed. Additionally, 15 requests were submitted on other grounds caused by natural disasters (such as livestock deaths, destruction of beehives, and similar cases), and damage assessments were also conducted in those cases – Jočić said.

According to Jočić, the Capital City’s commission went into the field as quickly as possible, visited all affected areas, and inspected each household. In accordance with its responsibilities and authority, the commission prepared official records and conducted damage assessments.

- Due to the large number of submitted reports, the assessment process lasted around four months. The municipal commission, consisting of five members, including the president and secretary, visited more than 300 households during that period and conducted inspections, prepared reports, and estimated the damage for each of them – Jočić said.

Government promises still pending

Jočić noted that individual assessments and payments based on those assessments fall under the jurisdiction of the Commission for the Assessment of Damage from Natural Disasters established by the Government of Montenegro.

He recalled that the Government and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić promised assistance to citizens affected by the fires last year, and that a donor account was opened at the Ministry of Finance to collect funds for damage recovery.

Additionally, Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Joković stated in several media appearances after the fires that he would advocate for citizens’ damage to be fully compensated.

- According to official data, about 124,000 euros was collected in the donor account last year. Meanwhile, the Government announced an additional 300,000 euros in support for individuals and businesses, while the Eco Fund of Montenegro and the Ministry of Ecology allocated another 400,000 euros. Based on these figures, the total amount of funds intended for recovery and reconstruction after the fires amounts to approximately 824,000 euros - Jočić said.

Despite the time that has passed since the damage assessments were submitted, payments from the Government commission have not yet begun. Citizens, Jočić emphasized, come almost every day to ask about the payment timeline.

Percentages still uncertain

At the beginning of the year, the Capital City of Podgorica announced that the planned payment could amount to around 20 percent of the assessed damage. However, media reports recently stated that affected citizens might receive compensation of up to a maximum of 10 percent of the assessed value, and that decisions on payments would be made after the documentation process is completed.

Jočić recalled that representatives of the Government commission had previously stated through the media that they would consider increasing the 10 percent limit provided by the current decision, and that there was also the possibility of allocating additional funds.

- The final decision on the percentage and payment schedule can only be made by the Government of Montenegro – he said.

Until then, citizens who suffered damage in last year’s fires continue to wait for concrete information about when payments will start and how much compensation they will receive.

- For all additional information about the allocated funds and the method of assistance to citizens, it is necessary to contact the competent authorities - Jočić said.

Government commission has not considered the requests

Portal ETV asked the General Secretariat of the Government for information about the number of submitted compensation requests, the planned amount of state aid, and the reasons why compensation is limited to up to 10 percent of the estimated damage. No response had been received by the time this article was published.

At yesterday’s session, the Government decided to allocate up to 400,000 euros from the current budget reserve to assist citizens, including 200,000 euros for resolving submitted requests for aid and compensation related to damage caused by natural disasters.

The Government document states that the Commission for the Assessment of Damage from Natural Disasters requested 300,000 euros at the beginning of March.

However, the commission responsible for distributing part of the budget reserve did not consider the requests submitted after the August 2025 fires, because they were finalized only in January this year. The total estimated damage reported by the municipal commission of the Capital City amounts to around 2 million euros.

The document also states that a significant number of decisions submitted by the commission to the Ministry of Finance have not been implemented due to a lack of funds. This concerns 102 decisions with a total value of 64,944.95 euros.