Skopje, 21 June 2025 (MIA) – Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska – Kochoska, who is paying a working visit to Montenegro, met Saturday in Podgorica with her Montenegrin counterpart, Finance Minister Novica Vuković. The focal point of the meeting was the formal takeover of the presidency of the Centre of Excellence in Finance (CEF) Governing Board by the Finance Ministry from the Montenegrin Finance Ministry.

The ministers discussed CEF’s future priorities, mainly the role of the institutions in advancing the capacities for public finance management, as well as the significance of the member countries cooperating.

“Special attention was paid to budget planning in the context of the fiscal rules of the European Union – maintaining a budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP and public debt below 60 percent. Minister Dimitrieska-Kochoska shared Macedonia's commitments to respecting these criteria, while Minister Vuković shared Montenegro's experiences in budget planning and monitoring fiscal discipline. Additionally, measures to reduce public debt and curb informal economy were discussed. In that context, the alignment of regulations related to the Public Revenue Office and the Customs Administration was also mentioned in order to improve fiscal transparency,” said the Finance Ministry.

The ministers also shared views on challenges emerging from online purchases from abroad, especially from the customs and tax policy point of view, before sharing practical experiences from the two countries.

They voiced readiness to enhance bilateral and regional cooperation and to share experiences in the EU integration process, said the press release. 

Photo: Finance Ministry