Late last year, responding to US and EU pressure, the Montenegrin government said it would require telecoms providers to phase out Chinese equipment. It has yet to do so, BIRN can reveal.
Ivan Ivanovic
For years, the US and EU have warned of security and privacy risks posed by Chinese telecoms equipment, arguing that the likes of Huawei and ZTE are vulnerable to pressure from the Chinese state to assist in cyber-espionage.
The US Federal Communications Commission formally designated Huawei and ZTE as national security threats in 2020; US intelligence services have also warned of risks from Chinese cyber operations targeting telecom networks and supply chains.
Montenegro’s 2024 Law on Electronic Communications liberalised the telecommunications market but allowed the government to restrict the procurement and use of equipment from manufacturers deemed harmful to national security.
Draft amendments to the law, published in March, envisage the possibility of “different conditions” being applied to companies outside Montenegro and the EU, “when justified and necessary to protect public order, national or internal security, or public health”.
The US embassy in Podgorica said Washington encourages Montenegro “to assess the security implications of its telecommunications infrastructure and consider trusted alternatives that protect sensitive data and critical networks”.
For its part, the Chinese embassy said no one would benefit from such a move.
“Chinese enterprises have not only provided quality products and services to people of all countries across the world, but also contributed to local and social developments as well as employment, and this is widely welcomed by various countries,” the embassy told BIRN. “Politicising trade issues will only disrupt normal technological exchange and cooperation and does not serve any party’s interest.”
None of the three big mobile operators in Montenegro responded to requests for comment.
Telecommunications expert Aleksandar Mastilovic said the wholesale replacement of such equipment is no small task.
“Financially, replacing the core and radio access network is the heaviest burden,” he said. “For a small market like Montenegro’s, the problem is amplified because operators lack the economies of scale enjoyed by major European players, making the unit cost of migration relatively higher.”
“Without some form of state or European support, a portion of that cost will inevitably trickle down to subscribers.”
Mandatory removal
