National Debate Competition for High School Students in Budva Concludes: Montenegro Selects Team for International Contest in Ljubljana
07/02/2026
The National Debate Competition for High School Students, centred around the introduction of the digital euro, was successfully concluded in Budva on 6-7 February 2026. Organised by the CBCG, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, and the Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva, the event saw participation from around thirty students from across Montenegro.
The competition aimed to promote debate, critical thinking, and financial literacy among youth, while also serving as the qualification event for forming Montenegro’s national team for the "Masters of the Digital Future" international debate competition, which will be held in Ljubljana in May 2026.
During the two-day event, pupils competed in several debate rounds on the topic of the benefits and challenges of introducing the digital euro. They demonstrated high knowledge, argumentation, critical thinking, and dialogue culture. The debaters highlighted faster, more efficient, and secure payments in a digital environment as potential benefits of introducing the digital euro, while identifying privacy protection, cybersecurity, and the impact on banks as key challenges.
According to the expert jury, the first place in the team category was went to the team from the Grammar Scgool “Tanasije Pejatović” from Pljevlja, consisting of Božica Ćurčić, Sergej Laušević, and Nađa Stanić. The second ranked was the team from the Grammar School “Petar I Petrović Njegoš” from Danilovgrad, while the third place was awarded to the team from the Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva.
In the individual category, the best debaters were: Andrija Vukeljić (Grammar School “Petar I Petrović Njegoš”, Danilovgrad), Andrija Savić (Secondary Economics School „Mirko Vešović“, Podgorica), and Anja Šćepanović (Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva).
In accordance with the regulations of the national debate competitions, Montenegro’s team for the international competition in Ljubljana was formed by the national team selector based on the rankings in the individual category, with a prior commission review of the debaters’ English language proficiency, as the international event will be held in English.
Montenegro’s team at the “Masters of the Digital Future”, international debate competition to be held on 21-22 May 2026 in Ljubljana, will consist of: Vanja Vasiljević (Grammar School “Petar I Petrović Njegoš”, Danilovgrad), Andrija Vukeljić (Grammar School “Petar I Petrović Njegoš”, Danilovgrad), and Anja Šćepanović (Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva). These young Montenegrin debaters will have the opportunity to compete against peers from Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Addressing at during the closing ceremony, the CBCG Governor Irena Radović congratulated the young debaters for the knowledge and maturity they demonstrated:
“The topic you debated – the pros and cons of introducing the digital euro – is one of the most important contemporary economic issues, and you have shown that young people in Montenegro not only follow these changes, but are also ready to think critically, responsibly, and with strong arguments about them. Understanding contemporary financial processes is an essential life skill today, and events like this contribute greatly to the creation of a financially and digitally literate, self-aware, and responsible society.”
The Governor also highlighted the importance of institutional collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, noting that joint initiatives confirm how vital knowledge, technology, and innovation are for developing young people. She also expressed gratitude to the Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva for the outstanding organisation of the competition.
The Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Anđela Jakšić Stojanović praised both the teachers and students’ enthusiasm, owing to which debate now holds a deserving place within Montenegro's educational system. She also highlighted that the Ministry would continue to support debate as a teaching method that fosters critical thinking and contributes to the development of soft skills.
The Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, Naida Nišić, who also attended the event, commended the selection of the topic, emphasising that the introduction of the digital euro would have a positive impact on the inclusion of vulnerable groups in society.
Krsto Vuković, Director of the Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš” from Budva, underlined the importance of debate as a critical thinking skill, recalling the nearly thirty-year tradition of debate coopetitions in Montenegro.
The most successful teams and individuals were awarded trophies, certificates, and cash prizes in recognition of their achievements and debate skills.
The National Debate Competition in Budva once again confirmed the significance of investing in knowledge, dialogue, and the empowerment of youth, as well as the commitment of the CBCG and the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation to developing financial and digital literacy in Montenegro.