Montenegro allocates 103,000 euros for fox rabies vaccination campaign

The Government of Montenegro is redirecting approximately 103,000 euros from its budget reserve to fund an oral rabies vaccination campaign for foxes. This additional funding is required because existing grants from the European Commission’s Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) do not cover the full market cost of the campaign.

The planned campaign involves the distribution of 275,000 vaccine baits. While the EU grant provides 0.95 euros per bait plus a 7 percent allowance for additional costs, market research indicated that the most favorable offer for the campaign is 1.30 euros per bait, excluding VAT. The total cost for the operation is estimated at 382,525 euros.

Maintaining this vaccination program is considered critical for Montenegro to preserve its status as a rabies-free country and to achieve official recognition of this status by the European Commission. In 2023, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) accepted Montenegro’s self-declaration regarding its rabies-free status.