Visit-Montenegro.com : State Debt 915 Million

Podgorica – Total debt of Montenegro totals at Euro 915 Million, which makes up 31,6 percent of GDP projected for 2008 or Euro 2,5 Billion, government analysis of the economic policy for the first half of this year shows.

According to this estimates, each citizen’s debt is Euro 1,400.

State debt has increased by Euro 177,6 Million in comparison with the end of 2007, when it totaled at Euro 732,2 Million or 29 percent of the estimated GDP.

The increase of total debt had been influenced by the internal debt which increased from Euro 275,1 Million at the end of the last year to Euro 442,4 Million or 15,3 percent of the estimated GDP.

The cause for this increase had to do with the adoption of the Law on Compensation for the Users of Retirement and Disabled Persons’ Funds, which envisages the pay out of late pensions totaling at the amount of Euro 100 Million. Also, with obligations related to the commercial banks, in accordance with the adopted changes in the Budget.

“Internal debt will continue increasing in the upcoming period due to processes of restitution and taking over of the obligations for certain companies”, this government’s document reads. Paper fails to be precise about the exact amount of this internal debt’s increase.

Foreign debt of the state continues with the trend of mild downward sloping within the GDP. So, at the end of June, it stood at Euro 472,4 Million or 16,3 percent of the GDP, which is by Euro 10,3 Million lower in comparison to the end of 2007.

This decrease occurred due to the early payment of three installments of consolidating loan to the International Bank for Rebuilding and Development (IBRD) totaling at Euro 59 Million, as well as regular payments of the original amount, totaling at Euro 12 Million.

By: Ma.M.