The Central Bank of Montenegro published a clarification on citizens’ concerns about the expiry of older identity cards and the potential impact on access to banking services, stressing that it has no jurisdiction to implement the Law on Identity Cards and that this falls under the Ministry of Interior. The central bank’s role is to supervise how licensed entities, including banks, apply the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. Identity cards issued under the previous law ceased to be valid on 30 September 2025. Under the AML/CFT framework, banks must carry out customer identification in the cases and in the manner prescribed by law, using an identity card, passport, or other documents permitted under the law, with the central bank noting that identification also helps protect against abuses and fraud. The Central Bank of Montenegro also expects banks to inform clients of their rights and obligations in a timely and transparent manner to support uninterrupted service provision, and said it remains available to provide further clarifications on consumer protection and legal obligations in banking operations.
Central Bank of Montenegro 2025-10-01
Central Bank of Montenegro clarifies it does not enforce identity card replacement and reminds banks of AML CFT identification rules
The Central Bank of Montenegro clarified it doesn't oversee the Law on Identity Cards, managed by the Ministry of Interior, amid concerns about expired cards affecting banking access. The bank supervises compliance with the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, requiring banks to verify customer identity with valid documents. It emphasized banks must inform clients about their rights and obligations to ensure uninterrupted services.