Governor Radović and Montenegrin Debaters at Masters of the Digital Future in Ljubljana: Financial Education in the Spotlight for Central Banks
23/05/2026
CBCG Governor, Irena Radović, participated in the international roundtable discussion “From Financial Literacy to Financial Stability”, held in Ljubljana and organised by the Bank of Slovenia.
The event, held as part of the Masters of the Digital Future project under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, brought together governors and board members of the central banks of Slovakia, Estonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Austria and Slovenia.
The roundtable opened with a keynote address by Annamaria Lusardi, Professor at Stanford University and one of the world's leading experts on financial literacy. She emphasised that financial education is now an essential prerequisite for responsible decision-making, consumer protection and the preservation of financial stability. Professor Lusardi highlighted that financially literate citizens manage their money more responsibly and make decisions that are important not only for their personal financial security but also for the resilience of the economy. She therefore stressed that financial education must begin at school but should not end with formal education. Rather, it should continue throughout life.
This was followed by a discussion in which Primož Dolenc, Governor of the Bank of Slovenia, Peter Kažimír, Governor of the National Bank of Slovakia, Madis Müller, Governor of Eesti Pank, Irena Radović, Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro, Bojan Fras, Vice-Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Petar Chobanov, Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank; and Josef Meichenitsch, Member of the Governing Board of the Austrian National Bank, shared their views and experiences.
Governor Radović accentuated that the CBCG regards financial education as an integral part of its broader contribution to safeguarding financial stability and strengthening societal resilience.
“Financial literacy is no longer simply about understanding money and basic financial concepts. In an era of digitalisation, rapid technological change and increasingly complex financial products, it has become an essential life skill. Financially literate citizens are better equipped to identify risks, manage their money responsibly, make informed use of financial products and protect themselves against fraud. Financial education must therefore be a continuous process and a shared responsibility of institutions, the education system, the financial sector and society as a whole,” Governor Radović stated.
She underlined that, through its numerous financial education initiatives, the CBCG seeks to improve understanding of financial concepts, products and risks, particularly among young people, but also across other target groups.
As an example of successfully combining financial education, innovation and engagement with young people, Governor Radović presented the Robotics for the Youngest project, implemented by the CBCG in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
Participants in the roundtable agreed that financial literacy is more important today than ever before, particularly in the context of growing financial complexity, digitalisation and economic uncertainty.
The Masters of the Digital Future event, held in Ljubljana on 21 and 22 May, also featured an international debate competition on the introduction of the digital euro. Montenegro was represented by a team of secondary school students: Andrija Vukeljić and Vanja Vasiljević (Petar I Petrović Njegoš Gymnasium, Danilovgrad), Luka Deretić (Grammar School “Slobodan Škerović”, Podgorica), Anja Šćepanović (Mixed Secondary School “Danilo Kiš”, Budva) and Nađa Stanić (Grammar School “Tanasije Pejatović”, Pljevlja), accompanied by their mentor, teacher Maida Delić.
The Montenegrin secondary school pupils exchanged arguments on the benefits and challenges of introducing the digital euro with their peers from Slovenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia and Slovakia, demonstrating a high level of knowledge, critical thinking and constructive dialogue. The debaters identified faster, more efficient and more secure payments in the digital environment as potential benefits of introducing the digital euro, while highlighting data privacy, cybersecurity and the implications for banks as key challenges.
Governor Radović congratulated the young debaters on the knowledge, enthusiasm and maturity they had demonstrated, emphasising that understanding modern financial developments is now one of the essential skills for everyday life.
By participating in events of this kind, the CBCG reaffirms its commitment to advancing financial literacy, promoting financial inclusion and building a more resilient financial system.
During the visit to Ljubljana, the CBCG delegation, comprising Governor Radović, Vice-Governor Zorica Kalezić and Adviser to the Governor Biljana Gligorić, also held a series of bilateral meetings and visited the Centre of Excellence in Finance (CEF).