A new chapter in life: Starting a business in Montenegro

Selim, 24, was granted international protection in 2022 while his family remained in his country of origin. His journey was long and exhausting as he travelled across the territory of seven countries, mostly on foot before he reached Montenegro.

“You can’t even imagine my journey – often without food and water,” he said. “From Bosnia, I took a bus to Montenegro. I googled and saw that Montenegro is a good country where you can achieve your rights, so I decided to come here.”

While in Montenegro, he only has positive experiences: “Everyone I met treated me well. People in Montenegro are kind. Also, there is a big difference between my country of origin and Montenegro. For example, in my country, they don’t wear pants and jeans, which I have gotten used to now.”

Selim is very proactive regarding work: “I founded a construction company in April this year. A friend from Montenegro helped me with the procedure, so I opened the company without any problems. I have 17 employees from Azerbaijan and cooperate with two companies in Montenegro. It is going very well so far.”

He recalls, “When I decided to open a company, some people told me not to do it. They didn’t encourage me, but I knew I could, and I’m proud of myself. 

In my opinion, you shouldn’t wait for someone to give you something. People in Montenegro are kind and show you the way to do things.” 

When it comes to his future, he says: “I plan to stay in Montenegro. That’s why I opened a company.”

Selim concludes with a message to people in a similar situation: “If someone ends up like me, he should be proactive. As I hear, many people who come here and receive documents leave the country. In my opinion, they are making a wrong choice. I started from zero. If I went to another country, I would have to start from zero again. That’s why I decided to build my life in Montenegro.”
 

By: Nina Scepanovic