The largest foreign investors in Montenegro for the period January-May this year are Russian citizens, who invested EUR 52.5 million, according to data from the Central Bank (CBCG).
They invested the most money in the purchase of real estate EUR 28.9 million, in companies and banks in Montenegro EUR 12.3 million, and in intercompany debt – loans to their companies in Montenegro EUR 13.2 million.
This confirms that regardless of the damaged diplomatic relations between Montenegro and Russia, due to the Ukrainian crisis and the introduction of sanctions against Russia, Russian citizens still come to Montenegro in large numbers and bring their capital to invest.
That this is so, is also shown by the data that Montenegro issued 21.5 thousand work permits to foreigners for the period January-June this year, of which 7.41 thousand or 34.3% of the total number refer to citizens of Russia.
Investors from Russia have a very small outflow of investments from Montenegro, unlike others. Of the EUR 52.5 million invested, Russian citizens withdrew EUR 11 million from Montenegro in these five months, mostly through the sale of real estate for six million.
The second most valuable investors are citizens and companies from Serbia, who invested EUR 48 million, of which the most EUR 26.1 million was in the purchase of real estate, EUR 10.5 million in loans to their companies in Montenegro, and EUR 8.2 million in investments in companies. and banks registered in Montenegro.
In the same period, investors from this neighboring country withdrew EUR 25.3 million from Montenegro, mostly EUR 12.4 million through the sale of real estate.
In third place are investors from Switzerland, who invested EUR 39 million in Montenegro in these five months.
In fourth place in terms of value of direct foreign investments are citizens and companies from Turkey with an investment of EUR 32.1 million. They spent the most on buying real estate, EUR 21.6 million, and then on loans to their companies in Montenegro, EUR nine million, while they invested EUR 815,000 in companies and banks.
A country that is a member of the European Union (EU) is only in fifth place in terms of the amount of foreign investments, namely Germany with EUR 28.3 million.
Citizens and companies from this country invested the most money in the purchase of real estate, EUR 18.5 million, EUR 5.6 million in domestic companies and banks, and EUR 4 million in loans to their companies operating in Montenegro.
Investors from this country had an outflow of investments worth EUR 9.7 million, of which EUR 7.6 million refers to the withdrawal of money from domestic companies and banks.
After these big five in terms of investments in Montenegro, Cyprus follows with EUR 24 million, the United Arab Emirates with EUR 19.8 million, the United States of America with EUR 18.9 million and Austria with EUR 13.5 million.
In tenth place are investments from Ukraine of 9.4 million, of which 8.6 million were invested in the purchase of real estate.
For these six months, investments were recorded from 45 ranked countries or territories, and the least amount of money came from Jordan EUR 308,000, Slovakia EUR 315,000, Monaco EUR 362,000, Moldova EUR 365,000, Malaysia EUR 400,000, Bulgaria EUR 408,000.
