Business
30 May 2019 - From the beginning of the year, more than 4.500 workers have been engaged in seasonal jobs. That is by 50% higher than in the same period last year. The so-called permanent seasonal workers are included. They are persons who renew their contracts with the same employer, said the Chief of the Regional unit Podgorica, Mr Dragan Marović.
He pointed out that mediation was one of the most important roles of the Employment Agency and a challenge at the same time.
According to him, between 9.000 and 10.000 persons are employed via the Employment Agency every year. That is one-quarter of the total number of unemployed persons.
“There is a deficit in the sector of tourism and hospitality. The reason is that the periods of tourism and agriculture season overlap,” said Mr Marović.
Experience suggests that employers look for qualified and auxiliary workforce. Records of the Agency indicate that there is not enough qualified workforce.
“We must devote more effort in order to increase the share of the domestic workforce. “Zaposlimo domaće – Da Crna Gora radi” state campaign has produced good results. We have organized trade fairs in the central and northern part of Montenegro,” said Mr Marović.
Auxiliary jobs are generally intended for women: maids, hygienists, laundry workers, kitchen workers. However, due to family reasons, women are often tied to their domicile and sometimes men do these jobs. Marović says that employers do not plan their needs for the employees on time and they do not invest in their training and protection.
He points out that salary is not always the priority for a seasonal worker. Some of the determining factors are accommodation, working hours and the employer-employee relationship.
Salaries for unqualified seasonal workers range from 250 to 350 EUR. As for the qualified workers, it goes from 350 to 600 EUR.
Source: Cafe del Montenegro
29 May 2019 - Montenegrins in Kosovo and Albanians in Montenegro are two pillars of a cooperation bridge between our countries and we will work together not to make an unstable Balkan bridge, but to make a solid European bridge, Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the opening of the Development Centre of Montenegrins of Kosovo.
"The Centre will contribute to strengthening ties with the home country as a place of gathering of the Montenegrin community and cherishing identity, culture, tradition and its values. At the same time, the Centre will be another strong link for strengthening existing ties and strengthening the overall cooperation between the two friendly states – Montenegro and Kosovo," said Prime Minister Marković, who is paying an official visit to Kosovo.
He added that he is glad that talks with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj and other leaders, at the same time friends of Montenegro from Kosovo, convey decisive messages of a strong commitment to improving the status, constitutional recognition of Montenegrins in Kosovo, gaining seats in the Parliament.
"The evidence of this commitment is precisely today's activity, which, besides the great contribution of the Association of Montenegrins of Kosovo, the Diaspora Administration, the Embassy of Montenegro in Kosovo and other friends, was supported by the competent institutions of Kosovo, not only in material, but in the essential sense," Prime Minister Marković said and thanked his counterpart Haradinaj for seeing significance of everything that the Development Centre is and should become in the upcoming period.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the spirit of contemporary Montenegro built on democratic values has the elements of multiethnicity, multiculturalism and respect for equality among its citizens, regardless of their nationality, political or religious orientation. That is, he said, the asset we are proud of.
"I want to use this festive occasion to convey a message to all Montenegrins living in Kosovo and anywhere in the world – Montenegro will never forget your contribution to the preservation of Montenegrin identity and awareness of its importance while being constructive and loyal citizens of the countries you live in. I assure you that Montenegro will continue to support all your activities that are aimed at cherishing such values," Prime Minister Marković stressed.
He emphasised the importance of respecting diversity and cherishing European civilization values. PM Marković said that good-neighbourly cooperation is the basis for the joint goals of our two countries, reflected in the commitment to belonging to European and Euro-Atlantic structures.
Opening the Centre with Prime Minister Marković, Prime Minister of Kosovo Haradinaj said that Kosovo is the home of all citizens. President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said that the Republic of Kosovo and Montenegro will always be friendly countries, while President of the Assembly of Kosovo Kadri Veseli said that the Montenegrins in Kosovo should feel like they are in Montenegro.
President of the Association of Montenegrins of Kosovo Slobodan Vujačić said that the Development Centre will be the home of all Montenegrins from Kosovo and urged the Government of Montenegro to strengthen the economic presence in Kosovo.
Alongside the highest officials of Kosovo – the President of the State, the President of the Assembly and the Prime Minister, representatives of the diplomatic corps and numerous representatives of Montenegrins in Kosovo also attended the opening of the Centre.
Prime Minister Marković continues his visit to Kosovo with a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Haradinaj, after which a joint press conference will be held. During his stay in Kosovo, the Prime Minister of Montenegro will attend the opening of the Arben Xhaferi motorway.
Igor Noveljic, Managing Director of Elektroprivreda Montenegro (EPCG), announced that the first phase of works for the solar power plant in Ulcinj, near Bliska Gora, will begin, with a deadline of 18 months for construction and is expected to be in production by the end of 2021. Noveljic said that the establishment of the project company (SPV), based in Montenegro, is in the final phase, which will be in charge of the project, whose total value exceeds 200 million euros.
The ownership structure of the company will be made by the winners on the state tender for the construction of a solar power plant: Finnish Fortum and EPCG with 49 percent of the shares, and Sterling & Wilson with two percent of the shares.
Noveljic specified that around 45 million relates to the first phase, which includes the procurement of the module and the overall scope of designing, purchasing and installing equipment along with works stipulated by the contract. The value of the investment in the transmission network, i.e., the power transmission system of Montenegro, including the construction of the substation "Bar 2", is estimated at about 30 million.
"The benefit of the project implementation will be multiple for EPCG, state, local government, domestic companies, and finally, citizens and consumers. Only based on lease costs, the investor will pay over 50 million euros into the state budget for a term of 25 years, not counting any other anticipated fees, taxes and costs that will be a significant part of the municipal budget," Noveljic said.
He added that, after the completion of both phases, 226 workers are expected to be employed, and he expects that up to 1,000 workers will be employed on the site during construction, as well as the participation of domestic firms will be around 20 million euros.
The contract between the state and consortium EPCG representatives, Fortum and Sterling & Wilson for land lease and construction of a solar power plant over 250 megawatts was signed last year, on December 28th. EPCG's Director, in response to what has been done to date, responded that negotiations with Sterling & Wilson, the world's largest EPC contractor in the field of solar power plant construction are ongoing, and about EPC contract design, equipment procurement, and solar power plant construction:
"Additionally, in the final phase, preparation of the necessary documentation regarding the establishment of a project company that will be in charge of the realization of the project, i.e. the contract of the members of the company, will soon be the subject of approval by the company's management, the Board of Directors and the EPCG Shareholders Assembly. After that, it will be established and registered," Noveljic said. The planned annual solar power plant production, after completion of both project phases, will amount to approximately 450 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually.
The agreement foresees the lease of state-owned land of 6,621,121 square meters, out of which 2,930,243 square meters have valid spatial planning documentation for the purpose of building solar power plants, and for the remaining area it is necessary to obtain the spatial planning documentation.
Text by Ivana Gudovic, on May 29th, 2019, read more at Vijesti
27 May 2019 - President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović met in Budva with the Regents of San Marino, Michele Muratori and Nicola Selva, who are on a visit to Montenegro on the occasion of the Games of Small States of Europe.
President Đukanović said that bilateral relations between Montenegro and San Marino are extremely good, that since the renewal of Montenegrin independence, they have been promoted in a spirit of mutual understanding and trust, and that there is a considerable space for their further progress. To this, as the President said, the high delegation's visit will also significantly contribute as an important step in intensifying the political dialogue that is the cornerstone of successful cooperation.
"Montenegro sees this event as yet another opportunity to connect and strengthen the cooperation of small countries, and to promote sports, economic potentials and confirmation of openness and friendship," Đukanović said. He particularly welcomed the holding of the small-scale economic forum as a good opportunity for connecting businesspeople.
The meeting assessed that Montenegro and San Marino, two small, friendly countries, have many similarities: a long and rich history and significant cultural heritage, and recognized as countries that respect tradition, at the same time follow the achievements of modern civilization and are committed to the affirmation of European values, but also of its peculiarities. Regents have shown great respect for the achievements of Montenegro, stressing that San Marino is looking for a more dynamic economic development and a European perspective.
"We are honored and pleased to stay in Montenegro rich in history, culture, and beauty. We are divided by the Adriatic Sea, but our nations are connected," said Muratori and Selva. Regents of San Marino called on President Đukanović to visit their country, which was accepted with pleasure.
During the conversation, numerous areas have been identified in which there are a mutual interest and opportunities for cooperation in the field of economy, tourism, and culture.
It is jointly assessed that the implementation of the concept of sustainable development, the preservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage, and the readiness for cooperation in this regard is extremely important for the two countries.
President Đukanović wished success to San Marino teams at the upcoming Games.
27 May 2019 - A weeks-long protests of citizens, who have been claiming that the construction of two small hydropower plants on Bukovica River would significantly affect biodiversity, attracted the public's attention, after which the Government of Montenegro, that is, the Ministry of Economy decided to re-examine the concession agreement.
The executive director of the consortium Hydra MNE, Boban Garović, which has been constructing these small hydropower plants on the Bukovica River, says announced controls over the concession agreements won’t find anything wrong, because their documentation has even more than envisaged by the law.
“The Ecology Institute within the Podgorica-based Institute for Development and Research in labor safety prepared the environmental impact assessment study. Mr Aleksandar Perović of the NGO ‘Ozon’ represented Šavnik residents. The study was twice returned for reconsideration in order to conduct additional researches,” said Mr Garović.
He stressed that the study came as a result of months-long researches, and besides additional analyses, a hydrogeological map and sanitary protection zones were made. Small hydropower plants, according to him, represent an opportunity for the better quality of living in the north, with a minimal impact on the environment.
The President of the Municipality of Šavnik, Mijomir Vujičić, says that before they approved the projects on Bukovica River, all the facts had been taken into consideration, and one should not forget Šavnik is an extremely underdeveloped municipality with only 2,000 inhabitants.
“The construction of 2 small hydropower plants represents the largest private direct investment in the history of Šavnik, with an estimated value of 8.8 million EUR. The project will be lasting 24 months and there’s a chance for recruiting around 60 people,” Mr Vujičić clarified for Dnevne Novine daily.
Source: Cafe del Montenegro
May 25, 2019 - Under the motto "Blaze the Trail," the seventh Spark.me, one of the largest marketing conferences in Southeast Europe, began today at the Porto Montenegro Auditorium in Tivat. The organizer of Spark.me is the company doMEn, the registration agency of the Montenegrin national internet domain.me, and the general sponsor is the company M-tel.
22 May 2019 - At the IMEX Fair, which takes place from May 21 to 23, Montenegro was awarded as one of the top eight MICE destinations for 2019.
National Tourism Organization of Montenegro is currently exhibiting at the IMEX Fair, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. Based on the evaluation of over 450 European professionals from the congress industry, Montenegro ranks among the eight best MICE destinations for 2019! According to the results that Montenegro achieved, the "Pro Sky Destination Award 2019" was presented to the representatives of the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro.
Pro Sky, a German international corporation specialized in customized jet travel, recently published the Annual Pro Sky Destination Report 2019. This report covers the most beautiful destinations, event industry, and travel trends based on the responses of 456 European survey participants. A recent trend that is in the focus of this year’s report is MICE destinations – destinations for meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions.
The interest in Montenegro in this segment of tourism offer records continuous growth throughout the years. According to the currently organized and contracted events, an increase of not less than 10% in comparison to the previous year is expected by the end of the year.
During the three days of the IMEX Fair, over a hundred meetings with event organizers from the markets of Germany, Russia, Poland, Great Britain, France, America, etc. were held at the Montenegrin stand. During these meetings, the Montenegrin MICE offer and possibilities for organization of events in Montenegro were presented.
"IMEX", one of the most important European fairs of the congress industry, business and incentive (motivational) travel, is held from May 21 to 23, 2019 in Frankfurt. The fair attracted around 14,000 business visitors, of which 3,500 exhibitors from 160 countries. The majority of interested MICE event buyers present at this fair are from the markets of Germany, USA, UK, France, Russia, and Scandinavian countries.
At the stand of Montenegro, Local Tourist Organization of Budva, Montenegro Stars Hotel Group, Hotel Avala Resort and Villas, Hotel Lazure Hotel & Marina, The Chedi Luštica Bay, Montenegro Tourist Service, Explorer and Montenegro In Style presented their offers.
21 May 2019 - Construction of the second block in the Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja is currently not a priority of the Electric Power Company of Montenegro, as this company has started a massive investment momentum in order to diversify energy production from renewable energy sources, in the first line wind and sun, the Chairman of the Board of Directors within the company, Đoko Krivokapić.
“If we were to compare this year’s results from the first quarter with the ones we had in the same period last year, I would say we are not quite satisfied with them. The company’s business revenues in the first trimester of 2019 amounted to 90.4 million EUR, while the new profit of the company amounted to 10.7 million EUR. The total electricity production in the first quarter of 2019 was 845 gigawatt-hours, which is by 12.7 per cent or 123 gigawatt-hours less compared to 2018,” said Krivokapić regarding the Electric Power Company of Montenegro results
Having in mind hydrology which was below the average level, Krivokapić added that he was satisfied with the electricity production and the company’s business results in the first quarter.
According to him, the Electric Power Company of Montenegro expects a public procurement procedure soon to be announced, in order to implement ecological reconstruction of the Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja, while the works should be completed from 2019 to 2021. The implementation of a project referring to the reconstruction of the existing block in Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja, based on the preliminary design, is estimated at around 45 million EUR.
When asked whether the Electric Power Company of Montenegro was going to give up the construction of the second block, Krivokapić said that this project was not the topmost priority for the company, as the cooperation with the Czech Republic’s Skoda Praha, which was supposed to provide funds for the construction of the Thermal Power Plant Pljevlja’s second unit, had been terminated.
Source: Cafe del Montenegro
20 May 2019 - Minister of Defence of Montenegro Predrag Bošković spoke with the commander for TAAC-North, German Brigadier General Gerhard Ernst-Peter Klaffus at the Marmal base in Afghanistan.
Minister of Defence of Montenegro, Predrag Bošković thanked General Klaffus for supporting Montenegro's troops from the German contingent during the execution of tasks in the Resolute Support mission. He also added that he hopes that the international forces made up of NATO allies and partners are the best guarantor of security in that country and that their presence is still necessary.
He also said that Montenegro sent its soldiers to Afghanistan for the first time in 2010 and that we have been continuously present since then, first in ISAF, then in the Resolute Support mission, with the gradual increase in the number of soldiers. emphasising that Montenegro, as a member of NATO, is trying to contribute to the Alliance's policy of designing stability maximally.
Back in December 2018, the Information on the accession of the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense to the framework Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Defense of Germany and combat forces of Sweden, with reference to the “Resolute Support” mission, announced by the Government of Montenegro, said that costs of the Army of Montenegro and its soldiers in this mission will amount to 2.000.000 EUR on annually. The costs will include contribution fees, accommodation, and travel costs, moving of forces, as well as other expenditures arising from the engagement of members of the Army of Montenegro into the mission in Afghanistan.
19 May 2019 - The Prime Minister recently spoke to the Luxury Collection Montenegro Magazine, on which occasion he especially emphasised the importance of the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Structures and their sustainable factor.
"Montenegro, just like many societies in transition, including the countries where capitalism is well-developed, underwent the “concreting” stage, marked by construction without any strategic overview of space, and without taking into account the sustainable factor. Now we do things differently. We have made a fundamental change: this Government created Structures, which, for the first time, offers a unified treatment of space as our resource," said Marković.
He continued that the Law was attacked exactly by those people who wished to hold on to their old positions and pursue the concreting approach, without focusing on sustainability. The goal is for the state to carefully manage space by giving priority to sustainable development which creates benefits for the economy and citizens in terms of income and of increased employment opportunities, not giving special treatment to the particular interests of any group or individual.
"In this regard, we offer investors an embodiment of our vision of Montenegro through full compatibility of spatial plans on all levels – from the state level to the lowest levels. We offer a clear and open strategic framework so that anyone can find room for themselves and be sure that tomorrow, or in a year, nothing will happen that will foil their business plans," pointed out Marković.
Asked to tell the Montenegrin readers his vision of Montenegro, Prime Minister Duško Marković reminded that the state exactly knows what they are doing, and that is creating a better environment for our children.
"We Montenegrins love history and literature and this is what I will focus on to give the best answer to your question. There have been two great poets who described Montenegro and Montenegrins – Ivan Mažuranić spoke of Montenegrins as martyr-fighters and knights, and Njegoš talked about Montenegro as rocky karst, drenched in tears and blood," stressed Marković.
He added that Montenegro is no longer dealing with historical myths, but with growth and raising the standard of life of its citizens.
"We are no longer focusing on being described as fighters and knights but as successful people creating a better environment for their children. We do not see Montenegro as rocky and karst, but as a Mediterranean gem. Therefore, we know exactly what we want, we are very dedicated to reaching the goals we set, we have come a long way together, and this is what we were talking about at the beginning of this interview – we went from being an undeveloped Yugoslav republic to the most developed country in the region. And we are still growing. Therefore, the best message for investors is that Montenegro is a success story, and that it is a high quality, reliable and safe harbour for investment, clearly the safest in the region, and even elsewhere. You just need to dock here while there is still room," the Prime Minister concluded.
Source: The Luxury Collection Montenegro
18 May 2019 - On May 18, Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković officially launched and put into operation three large investment projects of the company 13. Jul Plantaže. The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Montenegro Milutin Simović, Executive Director of the company Verica Maraš, the company’s board of directors headed by President Veselin Vukotić, management and employees of 13. Jul Plantaže, as well as numerous other state officials.
The launched projects include three strategically important steps for the company: Biomass boiler, Cold Storage with the purpose of reception, storage and manipulation of fresh fruit, as well as New vineyard plantations on a total area of 55 hectares (ha). The total value of investments in modern plants and plantations representing the highest world standards is 4.100.000 EUR.
By implementing these projects, the company 13. Jul Plantaže will significantly strengthen its capacities in primary production and optimize work processes in primary processing. These steps will affect the security, stability and strengthening of the leadership position as the basis for increasing the flexibility of the business and the response to the increasingly dynamic requirements of the domestic and foreign markets.
To ensure future efficient operations, around 19 million EUR has been invested in the processing facilities and equipment of company 13. Jul Plantaže for the last ten years. As a socially responsible company, to achieve sustainable development, in recent years, Plantaže has been firmly implementing systematic measures in the field of environmental protection, improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources. In this regard, within the Plantaže production facilities, Biomass boiler was installed. This boiler uses vineyard prunes created by winter vineyards cuttings as its raw material. In this way, Plantaže eliminated the use of fossil fuels and reduced the emissions of harmful CO2 by 740 tons annually. This investment can be considered and classified into ecological projects that have a Zero Waste Rate because all of the ash, which is produced by combustion of biofuels, is used for fertilizing vineyards and new plants. The power of the new Biomass Boiler is 2 MW, which is sufficient to supply all consumers of heat energy necessary for the smooth operation of processing capacities.
This is just one of a number of projects in the field of energy efficiency and sustainable development that will be implemented in the future, respecting the environmental protection postulates, and its total value is 600.000 EUR without VAT. In the last 10 years, Plantaže has invested about 13 million EUR in raising its plantations of vineyards and orchards by 700 ha. The new vineyard plantations, which the Prime Minister visited today, are located at Šipčanik area. The plantations cover a total area of 55 ha and have not been utilized until now.
Dušan Kankaraš, one of the directors at Plantaže, informed the representatives of the Government of Montenegro about the investment project, pointing out that this is the most modern vineyard plant with complete support infrastructure, which in this case implied the construction of a new exploration and exploitation well with a capacity of 90 litres of water per second, as well as the installation of a drip irrigation system on the entire surface. The total value of the project is 1.500.000 EUR.
Dedicated development planning, permanent investments, setting up and achieving ambitious goals will be the way Plantations will continue in the upcoming period. The business policy of the company 13.jul Plantaže is focused on long-term stable growth and development, achieving good business results and further strengthening of the leading position their products have on the Montenegrin market and the markets of the region.
Data acquired from 13. Jul Plantaže Official Website.
Remax Property of the Week
Editorial
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07 Mar 2018, 08:08 AMWelcome to Total Montenegro News!
Interview of the week
- 09 Nov 2020, 20:21 PM
Ranka Vukasovic Botica on Montenegro as a Maritime Country
