2026-01-01
The Council of the Central Bank of Montenegro issued this Decision to establish the calculation methodology for the Maximum Distributable Amount (MDA) when credit institutions fail to meet combined buffer or leverage ratio buffer requirements. The regulation mandates that institutions calculate distributable profits by applying specific quartile-based factors to their capital metrics and notifying the Central Bank of their intended distributions. These provisions apply to all credit institutions, with specific application to global systemically important institutions deferred until Montenegro's accession to the European Union.
[unofficial translation] Pursuant to Article 44 paragraph (2) item 3) of the Central Bank of Montenegro Law (OGM 40/10, 6/13, 70/17, 125/23) Article 167 paragraph (4) and Article 167a paragraph (6) of the Law on Credit Institutions (OGM 72/19, 8/21, 24/25), the Council of the Central Bank of Montenegro, at its meeting held on 25 July 2025, passed the following DECISION ON THE METHOD OF CALCULATING MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTABLE AMOUNT OF CREDIT INSTITUTIONS Subject matter Article 1 This Decision shall govern the method of calculating maximum distributable amount in connection with Common Equity Tier 1 capital, or the leverage ratio calculated by a credit institution that fails to meet the combined buffer requirement, or the leverage ratio buffer requirement, and notifying the Central Bank of Montenegro thereof. Calculation of maximum distributable amount in the case of failure to meet the combined buffer requirement Article 2 (1) A credit institution that fails to meet the combined buffer requirement shall calculate the maximum distributable amount (hereinafter: MDA) in connection with Common Equity Tier 1 capital by multiplying the sum of profits referred to in paragraph (2) of this Article by the factor referred to in paragraph (3) of this Article. (2) The sum of profits referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be calculated by reducing the sum of the amounts referred to in items 1) and 2) of this paragraph by the amount referred to in item 3) of this paragraph, as follows:
[unofficial translation)
Decision on the Method of Calculating Maximum Distributable Amount in Credit Institutions (OGM 94/25) 2 3) amounts which the credit institution would be required to pay by tax if the profit items specified in items 1) and 2) of this paragraph were to be retained. (3) The factor for the calculation of the MDA referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be determined depending of the combined buffer requirement quartile to which Common Equity Tier 1 capital belongs which the credit institution does not use to meet any of the own funds requirements set out Article 134 paragraph (2) items 1) to 3) of the Law and the additional requirement for capital above the minimum requirement referred to in Article 281 paragraph (1) item 1) of the Law when addressing the risks other than the risk of excessive leverage, expressed as a percentage of the total risk exposure amount in accordance with paragraphs (4) and (5) of this Article. (4) Common Equity Tier 1 capital referred to in paragraph (3) of this Article, expressed as a percentage of that capital and total risk exposure amount, shall be deemed to belong to a specific quartile of combined buffer requirement if it is within the bound of such quartile specified in the following table: Quartile of the combined buffer requirement Quartile bounds Factor First quartile 0≤ K ≤ 0.25ZKB 0 Second quartile 0.25ZKB < K ≤ 0.5ZKB 0.2 Third quartile 0.5ZKB < K ≤ 0.75ZKB 0.4 Fourth quartile 0.75ZKB< K < ZKB 0.6 Where:
[unofficial translation)
Decision on the Method of Calculating Maximum Distributable Amount in Credit Institutions (OGM 94/25) 3 (7) A credit institution shall calculate the MDA using data for the balance as of the day of compiling latest reports on own funds and capital requirements which it has submitted to the Central Bank of Montenegro (hereinafter: the Central Bank). (8) A credit institution shall reduce the MDA calculated in accordance with paragraphs (1) to (6) of this Article by each amount arising from any of the actions referred to in Article 167 paragraph (2) of the Law. Calculation of maximum distributable amount in case of failure to meet the leverage ratio buffer requirement Article 3 (1) Maximum distributable amount that the credit institution may pay in the case of failure to meet the leverage buffer requirement (hereinafter: L-MDA) shall be calculated by multiplying the sum of profits referred to in paragraph (2) of this Article by the factor referred to in paragraph (3) of this Article. (2) The sum of profits referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be calculated by reducing the sum of the amounts referred to in items 1) and 2) of this paragraph by the amount referred to in item 3) of this paragraph, as follows:
[unofficial translation)
Decision on the Method of Calculating Maximum Distributable Amount in Credit Institutions (OGM 94/25) 4 on Capital Adequacy governing the calculation of leverage ratio, and in accordance with paragraph (4) of this Article. (4) Tier 1 capital referred to in paragraph (3) of this Article, expressed as the percentage of total exposure measure of the credit institution calculated in accordance with Part Five of the Decision on Capital Adequacy, shall be deemed to belong to a specific quartile of the leverage ratio buffer requirement, where it is within the bound of that quartile as established in the following table: Quartile of the leverage ratio buffer requirement Quartile bounds Factor First quartile 0≤ OK ≤ 0.25ZBKFL 0 Second quartile 0.25ZBKFL < OK ≤ 0.5ZBKFL 0.2 Third quartile 0.5ZBKFL < OK ≤ 0.75ZBKFL 0.4 Fourth quartile 0.75ZBKFL < OK < ZBKFL 0.6 Where:
[unofficial translation)
Decision on the Method of Calculating Maximum Distributable Amount in Credit Institutions (OGM 94/25) 5 Notifying the Central Bank Article 4 (1) A credit institution that fails to meet the combined buffer requirement in accordance with Article 165 paragraph (4) of the Law and intends to distribute any of its distributable profits or undertake an action referred to in Article 167 paragraph (2) of the Law, shall notify the Central Bank thereof, and provide the following information:
[unofficial translation)
Decision on the Method of Calculating Maximum Distributable Amount in Credit Institutions (OGM 94/25) 6 Entry into force Article 6 This Decision shall enter into force on the eighth day following that of its publication in the Official Gazette of Montenegro. THE COUNCIL OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF MONTENEGRO CHAIRPERSON Decision number GOVERNOR Podgorica, 25 July 2025 Irena Radović, m.p.