Montenegro to Create State-Owned Company to Manage .me Domain

The government of Montenegro has approved the establishment of a fully state‑owned joint‑stock company to take over management of the national internet top‑level domain .me. The new entity will be granted status as a company of strategic national interest, with a minimum capital of €25,000, a two‑tier governance structure (supervisory board and management) and a five‑member assembly appointed by the government for two‑year terms. Technical operations will be outsourced to an external operator under a Managed Registry Service model, while the company will retain control over data, registration policy, contracts with registrars, financial management and security compliance.

Revenue from .me registrations has grown to roughly €114 million through the end of 2024, of which more than €46 million has already been transferred to the state budget and the former operator, doMEn, reported a net profit of about €35 million. Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Minister of Economic Development Nik Đeljošaj announced the initiative, emphasizing that bringing the lucrative digital resource under state control strengthens Montenegro’s digital sovereignty and ensures that future earnings support national development. The government expects to finalize the legal framework and company setup within six months.