Montenegro calls for stronger tobacco control in the Western Balkans

Tobacco causes 1.1 million deaths each year in the WHO European Region, including more than 50,000 in the Western Balkans.[1]This health burden costs these countries up to 5 billion of their GDP due to premature human losses and medical expenses. The region faces two major challenges: high tobacco consumption and a thriving illicit trade, which harms public health and deprives states of essential revenues. In response, Montenegro hosted several high-level technical and political meetings in March 2025, bringing together decision-makers, experts, NGOs, and representatives of international organizations. The aim is to strengthen regional cooperation, accelerate ratification of the WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, and combat tobacco industry interference.

Fighting tobacco in the Western Balkans: a public health and financial stability issue

On 12 and 13 March 2025, finance ministers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia committed to strengthening tobacco taxation and combating illicit trade, as these countries ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) between 2006 and 2009. Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco products is not optional; it is a priority. It undermines the rule of law, weakens the system, and endangers young people. " said Montenegrin Finance Minister Novica Vuković.

" The tobacco industry often claims that higher tobacco taxes promote illicit trade, using this narrative to delay or weaken tobacco tax reform. However, as the WHO and international researchers have pointed out, the evidence shows otherwise: countries with strong governance and tax administration can raise tobacco taxes while reducing illicit trade. ", explained Dr. Mina Brajovic, head of the WHO country office in Montenegro.

The illicit trade in tobacco products is primarily a supply-side problem. The WHO Protocol proposes concrete measures such as the traceability of products from their manufacture to their retail sale, the strengthening of controls incorporating a system of licenses, record keeping, and customs controls, as well as international cooperation.

Parliamentary mobilization for a tobacco-free future

On March 25-26, 2025, a parliamentary summit on tobacco control was held in Budva, Montenegro, with elected officials from the region. They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting young people from nicotine addiction and recognized that tobacco control is also an economic, social, and environmental issue.

Among the proposed priority measures are a ban on flavorings, the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products, regular tax increases, strict regulation of new nicotine products, and completely smoke-free indoor spaces in public places. These measures are achievable, evidence-based, and cost-effective. Political will and parliamentary leadership are essential to protect health, save lives, and ensure a tobacco-free future for the next generation. " said Dr. Mina Brajovic.

In 2021, the Prime Ministers of the Western Balkan countries approved the "Roadmap for Health and Well-being in the Western Balkans, 2021-2025." This roadmap serves as a foundation for placing health on the political agenda and for the concerted implementation of effective initiatives.

These initiatives also come against a backdrop of alarming smoking prevalence in Eastern Europe, which remains the highest on the continent. In Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Greece, and Bulgaria, more than 30% of adult men were smokers in 2020.[2].

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]World Health Organization, Montenegro pushes for stronger action to advance tobacco control in the Western Balkans, published May 13, 2025, accessed May 14, 2025

[2]Tobacco-free generation, WHO: Smoking prevalence down in Europe, published July 1, 2020, accessed May 14, 2025

National Committee Against Smoking |