meta_id 3394075

On July 17, 2025, the Council of the Central Bank of Montenegro passed a decision amending the Decision on the Detailed Method, Requirements, and Procedure for the Consumer Creditworthiness Assessment, which was originally published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro (OGM 135/25). The amendment modifies Article 3 of the original decision to strengthen creditworthiness assessment standards. The Central Bank (CBCG) expanded the definition of consumer creditworthiness to explicitly require creditors to consider disposable income remaining after meeting minimum living costs and other regular consumer obligations. Additionally, the CBCG introduced a new paragraph establishing that consumer loan obligations exceeding half of a consumer's regular monthly income should be considered an increased risk to repayment sustainability. However, creditors may determine otherwise if documented regular income and other relevant facts demonstrate the consumer's capacity to meet obligations even in such cases. The amendment removes previous language restricting creditworthiness assessments to limitations set out in the Consumer Credit Law (OGM 15/25 and 87/26). These changes strengthen consumer protection by requiring creditors to conduct more comprehensive assessments of borrowers' financial capacity, taking into account living expenses and existing obligations rather than gross income alone. The amendments align with consumer credit regulations across the European Union and aim to reduce over-indebtedness among Montenegrin consumers. The decision entered into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of Montenegro. The amendment applies to all creditors operating in Montenegro's consumer credit market.