The results of the regional WeBER monitoring of public administration reform in the area of service delivery and digitalisation have shown that Montenegro ranks second to last among the six Western Balkan countries, with 36 points out of a possible 100 – only 0.5 points ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As many as 37.5% of respondents in Montenegro believe that accessing electronic services is not easy. The report highlights that, despite strategic documents defining reform goals in the area of service delivery and digitalisation, there remains a significant gap between plans and implementation, particularly when it comes to involving citizens in shaping how administrative services are designed and delivered.
Montenegro achieved the second lowest score in the regional comparison, with Albania (57.25) and Serbia (52.75)leading the way. North Macedonia (46.75) and Kosovo (39.5) also scored higher than Montenegro, while Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked last with 35.5 points.
The findings of this report cover 2023 and 2024 and assess whether public services are designed based on citizens’ needs and how accessible they are to the public. The methodology combines analysis of strategic documents, legislation and practice, as well as assessments of results and impact through public opinion research and interviews.
The assessment in this area focuses on three aspects: How simple public services are to use in Montenegro; How accessible they are to different groups of people (such as persons with disabilities); Whether sufficient information is available on how to access these services and to what extent they are digitalised and can be completed without visiting a counter in person.
The sample of services, as in previous monitoring cycles, included property registration, business registration, vehicle registration, issuance of ID cards and passports, as well as VAT registration and payment.
For the purposes of this monitoring, a public opinion survey was also conducted, showing that citizens perceive Montenegro’s progress in service delivery and digitalisation negatively. When it comes to citizen participation in public services design, only 27.8% of respondents believe they have an opportunity to influence how these services are provided.
The survey also showed that 53.6% of respondents are aware that, when using public services, they are not required to resubmit documents already held by the state, yet only 19.9% reported experiencing such practice in reality.
Public perception of services indicates that respondents find counter services easier to access than electronic ones. A majority of respondents (52.9%) agree or strongly agree that they can easily obtain administrative services in person at offices or service counters, while 46.2% agree or strongly agree that they can easily use public services electronically (through portals such as e-Uprava or the Tax Administration).
At the same time, 37.5% of respondents believe that accessing electronic services is not easy, while 16.3% were unsure or had no opinion. The survey was conducted between 1 and 12 February 2025 in Montenegro on a sample of 1,010 citizens, while identical surveys were carried out across all Western Balkan administrations with a total of 6,077 respondents.
A detailed regional comparison of results is available in the Regional PAR Monitor report (available in English), while detailed findings for Montenegro can be found in the national PAR Monitor report on service delivery and digitalisation.
Civil Society Empowerment for a Reformed Public Administration in the Western Balkans – WeBER 3.0 is a project aimed at further empowering civil society organisations to contribute to a more transparent, open, and accountable administration that is citizen-oriented and, consequently, more aligned with the European Union standards across the Western Balkans region. The project is funded by the European Union, represented by the European Commission, and co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency and the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro.