Representatives of Montenegro’s airport unions have welcomed the government’s decision to forego airport concessions, calling it a strategic move in the interest of the state. Biljana Knežević of the Independent Airport Union noted that redirecting part of the airports’ profits to improve air accessibility effectively serves as a silent subsidy to low-cost carriers like Wizz Air.
The government plans to reinvest airport profits of approximately €22 million from the past four years into the sector. About €16 million will cover past losses, while the remaining €7 million, after taxes, will go to the state budget.
Over 30% of profits remain undistributed and will fund programs to enhance Montenegro’s air connectivity, coordinated by the Ministries of Finance and Transport in line with state aid rules.
Damjan Radulović, head of a larger airport union, emphasized that returning a portion of profits to aviation infrastructure highlights the importance of national airports for economic growth. Both union leaders argue that with the airport already expanding routes and attracting strategic partners like Wizz Air, abandoning the concession process is in the best interest of the country, its employees, and the general public.
