Krapović: Higher Salaries for Air Force Personnel and Additional Recognition for Critical Staff

The Government of Montenegro has adopted a regulation amending the regulation on salaries of military personnel, improving the material position of the Army members and creating better conditions for retaining existing and attracting new, especially critical, staff. The regulation increases the basic salaries of the Montenegro Army Air Force personnel, as well as allowances for search and rescue in air operations, while introducing a special coefficient for calculating the basic salary for new roles in cyber operations and artificial intelligence. Our goal is to ensure that Montenegro Army personnel are adequately valued for their knowledge, responsibility, and risks, and to create conditions for skilled professionals to remain in the defense system and for young people to see a career perspective in the Army," said Minister of Defense Dragan Krapović. Special attention is directed towards the Montenegro Army Air Force, where there is a need to preserve and expand highly skilled personnel, aerospace engineers, and technicians, considering the plan for the Army to modernize by 2030. The introduction of a special coefficient for roles in cyber operations and artificial intelligence allows for a more appropriate valuation of expertise and responsibility, preventing double valuation through accumulation with existing allowances. The development of these capabilities is crucial for further modernization of the Montenegro Army, especially with the formation of a Cyber Operations Center in the General Staff, procurement of modern equipment, and support from the European Union and the United States for developing Montenegrin cyber capacities.