Montenegro’s national census will be carried out from 1 to 5 November this year, suggests the Information adopted by the outgoing cabinet at its latest session. The census will cost around EUR 5 million. The Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT) informed the CdM portal that they planned to engage from 4.000 to 4.500 people in it: census-takers, instructors, state instructors, controllers and other persons.
The Finance Minister, Aleksandar Damjanovic, said at the government’s session that he hoped the census would be carried out unhindered, regardless of the political context. According to him, there were some speculations that it might be hindered.
Montenegro has been stuck in a political crisis for a long time, whereas the census might stir tensions additionally. Despite the recommendations to skip it in the election year and during the political instability, the outgoing government didn’t want to give up on it.
The question is what is going to happen if a citizen refuses to provide answers and whether they are going to be punished for it?
“The census methodology envisages certain measures in case a citizen refuses to talk to the census taker – the instructor then interferes and tries to convince that household to cooperate,” MONSTAT told CdM.
In case the household again refuses to cooperate, the instructor shall inform the census commission about it, and then one of its members visits the household and tries to convince them to cooperate. Again.
“If the household refuses to cooperate, Article 35 of the Census Law foresees penals for physical persons – they will be fined from EUR 100 to EUR 500 for a misdemeanor if they don’t provide the requested information and if they don’t give an accurate and complete answer to every question”, they clarified for CdM.
