Biljana Papović

Biljana Papović is the State Secretary at the Ministry of European Affairs in the Government of Montenegro. With over 15 years of experience in policy analysis and institutional reform, she was involved in shaping Montenegro’s legislative frameworks, strategic policies, and governance structures, with a strong focus on the rule of law, public administration reform, electoral processes, and European integration. From May 2023 to July 2024, she served as the Advisor to the President of Montenegro for the political system and domestic policy, where she provided strategic guidance on key domestic policies, facilitated inter-party dialogue in a highly polarized environment, and worked to enhance institutional cooperation with the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Prior to her role in the President’s Cabinet, Biljana was the Deputy Executive Director and a Board Member at the Center for Democratic Transition (2009 – 2023), one of Montenegro’s leading civil society organizations focused on democratic development. There, she led major initiatives on judicial and public administration reforms, transparency, and electoral integrity. She was instrumental in developing policy recommendations, managing international projects, overseeing strategic planning, and representing the organization at high-level international forums. Her early career includes intern positions in Montenegro’s Ministry of Defence, where she worked on NATO-related policies, and in the Parliament of Montenegro, Committee for Constitutional Questions and Legislation, where she was involved in legislative research and legal reforms.