In Montenegro, a heated debate has been taking place in recent months about shortening working hours.

Many have already believed that the country has switched to a four-day workweek, but that is not correct. Montenegro has not introduced a four-day workweek, but is considering the possibility of shortening the daily working time from eight to seven hours.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced on May 23, 2025, that the government is very close to a decision on introducing a seven-hour workday. On that occasion, he stated that Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Naida Nišić would begin official talks with trade unions and employers at the beginning of the following week. The goal is to reach an agreement on a new work model that could be applied throughout the country.

The idea of shortened working hours first appeared during the campaign for the parliamentary elections in June 2023. The Europe Now Movement then promised to reduce the workweek from forty to thirty-five hours. It is a measure that, according to the announcements at the time, would increase the quality of life of employees and encourage productivity.

Despite media headlines, no law or regulation introducing a four-day workweek has yet been adopted. For now, the government is speaking exclusively about a seven-hour workday, which means that employees would still work five days a week, but for fewer hours.

The Employers' Union of Montenegro said that such a model can be good if it remains at the level of an option, not an obligation. Employers believe that forced shortening of working hours would increase operating costs, especially in sectors such as tourism and construction. They warn that such a change would have to be implemented gradually, with a clear analysis of the effects on the economy.

Trade unions, on the other hand, support the idea of a seven-hour day, but demand guarantees that workers' pay must not be reduced. The presidents of trade union organizations emphasize that shorter working hours do not mean less responsibility and that with good work organization, productivity could even increase.

The debate on the reform has also sparked numerous disputes in public. Some experts believe that the change would bring a better balance between work and private life, while others warn that Montenegro is not yet ready for such a model because the economy relies heavily on labor in sectors where continuity of work is necessary.

For now, only one thing is clear. Montenegro has not introduced a four-day workweek. All decisions on the new form of working hours are still in the phase of consideration and consultation. If a new labor law is adopted by the end of the year, it is more likely that the workday will be shortened to seven hours, while the number of working days per week will remain at five.

Labor reform in Montenegro thus remains an idea, not a reality. Whether the country will opt for a seven-hour day or an even deeper change will be shown by the negotiations that are yet to come.