BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 27. The World Bank has revised downward its economic growth projections for Montenegro, reflecting broader regional headwinds affecting the Western Balkans, Trend reports.
According to the latest WB ECA Economic Update, Montenegro’s GDP is expected to expand by 3 percent in 2025, unchanged from the 2024 estimate but 0.5 percentage points lower than the bank’s January 2025 forecast. Growth is projected to slow slightly further to 2.9 percent in 2026, marking a 0.3 percentage point downgrade compared to earlier projections.
The downgrade aligns with a broader weakening trend across the Western Balkans, where growth is forecast to ease to 3.2 percent in 2025 before rebounding to 3.5 percent in 2026. Persistent trade policy uncertainty, supply chain disruptions spilling over from the euro area, and domestic political challenges continue to weigh on the region’s outlook.
Montenegro’s economy had previously shown strong momentum, recording growth rates of 13 percent in 2021, 6.4 percent in 2022, and 6.3 percent in 2023. However, a sharp deceleration is already underway, with GDP growth estimated at 3 percent for 2024, reflecting fading post-pandemic recovery effects and external pressures.
