07 February 2019 - The excellent results of the Government's economic policy and the implemented reforms provided a quality basis for further business development, job creation and improvement of the quality of life of citizens, the meeting of Prime Minister Duško Marković and the most successful Montenegrin business people assessed. 

Recalling the economic growth of 4.9 percent for the nine months of 2018, which is among the largest in Europe, and the results of fiscal consolidation, Prime Minister Marković told business people that this year he wants to continue with similar growth rates, strengthen the fight against the gray economy, change laws to strengthen competitiveness and eliminate business barriers and increase the efficiency of administration. 

The Prime Minister said that the consistent application of the law is important and that part of the challenges faced by business people stem from bad practice and inadequate application of the rules. 

Business people have said that the government has done a lot to improve the business environment, but that there are still specific challenges to be addressed. Prime Minister Marković and business people agreed that an intense fight against the gray economy is necessary for the areas of tourism, construction, trade and the labor market. Prime Minister Marković also talked with business people about the necessity of increasing salaries and improving the working conditions of private sector employees and how this can be achieved. 

The Prime Minister told business people that the state never paid more money for development and business, and reminded that the capital budget of EUR 320 million was the largest since the independence renewal. 

"There is money and opportunity for work. We have to organise ourselves to use them and turn them into a common good," Prime Minister Marković said. 

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović, Finance Minister Darko Radunović, Economy Minister Dragica Sekulić, Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism Pavle Radulović and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Investment Development Fund Zoran Vukčević.

06 February 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović participated in the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS in Washington. The meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, focused on a review of the Coalition's further activities to stabilise the situation in Iraq and Syria. 

During his presentation, Minister Darmanović praised the Coalition's efforts to free the territory of Iraq and Syria from the ISIS, stressing the importance of adjusting the future activities of the Coalition as response to new methods and techniques of ISIS warfare. 

In this context, he emphasised the importance of continuing assistance in stabilising and reconstructing liberated areas and preventing the return of ISIS to liberated territories. 

Minister Darmanović pointed out Montenegro's readiness, as a member of the Coalition and NATO member, to continue to contribute to the fight against ISIS and global terrorism, which was also shown in the Coalition's activities, as well as the support to the Trust Fund for Iraq and the NATO mission in Afghanistan. 

The meeting in Washington agreed to future activities of the Global Coalition in order to completely neutralise the ISIS activities in Syria and Iraq.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović recently participated in the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting, which took place on 6-7th December in Milano, Italy.

Speaking about the role of the OSCE in strengthening security, Minister Darmanović said that the activities of the organisation and the full respect of the fundamental values of the OSCE are of paramount importance in resolving security challenges. "The current crises just confirm the relevance of the concept of comprehensive OSCE security and show the importance of the role that the OSCE has in providing a single platform for a constructive dialogue on the most important security issues," Darmanović said, pointing out the need for firm commitment to the OSCE's core values – respect for democracy, the rule of law, and human rights and freedoms. 

February 6, 2019 - The Wild Beauty Award Winner, the best luxury hotel in our country in 2018 - The Chedi in Luštica Bay in Tivat is opening its doors to host a recruitment fair on 22 and 23 February.

The Utility company Tivat will generate an income of a total 2,671,900 euros this year, which is almost five percent more than the total revenues of that municipal company in 2018.

As stated in the Financial and Work Plan of the Utility Office for 2019, this company will receive EUR 734,000 from the municipal budget.

The utility revenues are planned to amount to 1,939,500 euros, of which the most 1.4 million euros, is the revenue from the collection of rubbish collection services for citizens and the business entities. As far as expenditure is concerned, the Utility company expects to spend a total of 2,666,050 euros by the end of the year, of which 1,698,800 euros will be spent on earnings of permanent and seasonal workers.

Material business costs will amount to EUR 905,250, of which the largest item is the costs of a garbage dump to the landfill and transport to the landfill site at Mozura near Ulcinj or Cetinje. A total of 275,000 euros will be spent for such purpose this year, over 30,000 euros more than the last year.

Parking Service Tivat (PST), which operates in public parking lots in the city center and at the airport, plans to reach a total of 718,000 euros income this year.

The total expected PST costs would amount to 689,729 euros, which means that it is expected to receive an income of EUR 28,000.

PST has already transferred an income of over 70,000 euros from last year, and as previously announced by the management of this company, most of this money will be used for investments in further improvement of the main activity of the Parking Service.

Text by Sinisa Lukovic, on February 5th 2019, read more at Vijesti

04 February 2019 - Ministry of Defense of Montenegro is planning to form reserve military forces from 2019 to 2026. These forces should be an integral part of the Armed Forces of Montenegro.

The long-term defense plan, adopted by the Government, states that the military units will be complemented by contractual reserve and strategic reserve. The contractual reserve will count up to 100 persons and it will be used to fulfill special formation positions in the Armed Forces of Montenegro.

“By the contract and required needs, they will be engaged in the permanent composition of the Armed Forces during training, drills, participation in international forces, provision of assistance to the citizens and their protection from the consequences of natural and other disasters. Furthermore, they will be engaged in the performance of other tasks related to the field of defense and demanding engagement of additional forces. Contractual reserves will be composed of “persons who have adequate specialist knowledge and skills that are scarce,” reads the defense plan.

As far as the strategic assigned reserve is concerned, it will count up to 2.691 persons and they will fulfill the reserve units of the Armed Forces.

“They will be engaged in the activities of the preparation and organization of defense and in assisting the citizens and in protecting them from the consequences of natural and other disasters. This strategic reserve will be composed of persons who had served the voluntary military service, i.e., persons who had been trained to perform military duties in the conditions of warfare or emergencies,” as stated in the defense plan.

Strategically unassigned reserves will be used in case the need for reinforcing defense abilities arises. These persons will be in the military records and case of warfare or any other emergency, and they will be mobilized and invited to serve in the Armed Forces. Members of the active and inactive reserve will go through the general and specialized military training. The focus will be on basic military skills, conditioning, and specialized training.

To bring the military training to a higher level, the Ministry is planning to form a Regional center for mountain warfare, by the end of 2019, among many other things.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

February 5, 2019 - 3D geophysical research of the Montenegrin submarine on blocks 30 and 26, according to the Concession Agreement for Oil and Gas exploration and production with the Greek company Energean, will begin in the next ten days, the Department for hydrocarbons said.

February 5, 2019 - Russian Rospotrebnadzor - State Control and Inspection Body in Trade and Consumer Rights have not responded to the Plantaze company's claim to abolish the temporary ban on imports of that company’s wine in the territory of Russia, said Plantaze's Director Milan Milutinović.

03 February 2019 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović and Director General of National Television of Montenegro Božidar Šundić signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and National Television of Montenegro on donation of necessary equipment for the needs of the Radio of Montenegro, in particular the realization of the show "Sundays about countryside and agriculture".

The Memorandum was signed immediately after Deputy Prime Minister Simović was a guest in this show, traditionally held every year after the adoption of the Agro budget. On this occasion, representatives of National Television of Montenegro also received equipment in the form of laptops and digital recorders, which will greatly facilitate their work in the field.

DPM Simović expressed his satisfaction to have the opportunity to show respect for the show, which has been continuously broadcasted on the Radio Montenegro for seven decades.

On the same occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović was a guest at the Radio of Montenegro, on the "Sundays about Countryside and Agriculture" show regarding the Agro budget for this year and the trends in the development of Montenegrin agriculture in general. In the context of supporting the development of the north, he especially pointed out that in the Agro budget only were created 24 rural measures for rural development, in the amount of 32.7 million EUR.

"This means that in this year we have a growth of funds of over 9 million euros or about 40 percent to support rural development," Simović said while reminding that last year a dominating number of realized projects and support funds was in the north. 

According to Simović, the amount of funds for the implementation of measures to improve the quality of life on the countryside has been significantly increased.

"The funds for the construction of infrastructure have been increased by about 1 million EUR, and for this purpose will be allocated 2.260.000 EUR," Simovic said, adding that the Government is also investing significant funds in the implementation of projects to improve other infrastructure needed for rural areas such as educational and other needs of the population. He also announced that starts construction and equipping of the Agriculture House for the North of Montenegro in Bijelo Polje, where all expert and advisory services will be consolidated and will become a recognizable address of all manufacturers in the north. 

Speaking of the overall support to Montenegrin agriculture, which covers three areas with Agro budget: agriculture (within which is rural development), fisheries and operational programs, Simović expressed satisfaction that the Agro budget this year increased by 31 percent and amounted to 52.4 million EUR. He reiterated the assessment that the Agro budget is both European and domestic, as it represents an expression of the EU's provided support, as support to Montenegro's overall progress on its European path, the expression of Montenegro's agrarian policy, in financial and meaningful sense, with the increase of funds from the national budget as a responsible Government attitude towards valuable hosts and entrepreneurs and the strengthening of domestic institutions. 

02 February 2019 - The Laboratory for milk and dairy products, located at the Biotechnical Faculty in Podgorica, is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and will be one of the important segments in improving the raw milk quality in Montenegro. 

Procuring equipment worth 400,000 EUR was supported by the EU pre-accession funds through the Project "Support to the veterinary sector". The beginning of work of the new equipment was marked by today's visit to the Laboratory by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović and EU Ambassador to Montenegro Aivo Orav. 

DPM Simović expressed satisfaction with the implementation of another joint and valuable project that will contribute to the further achievement of EU standards, specifically the European quality of milk, which will bring benefits to Montenegrin farmers, processors and consumers. 

"I am glad that we are together at the Biotechnical Faculty today. Together – our European partners, the Government of Montenegro and the University of Montenegro. I express my gratitude to the European Commission for its significant support for the purchase of new equipment. Modern equipment will further strengthen the technical capacities of the laboratory, the analysis of samples will be more precise and reliable for both farmers and dairies, and consumers will be provided with safer and more quality dairy products," DPM Simović said. 

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that numerous support measures will be provided in this year's Agro Budget, adding that particularly significant support is non-refundable support to primary production and processing through the implementation of a large IPARD. 

"I am sure that together, with valuable and responsible work, we will achieve the set goal and we will achieve European quality standards for milk for the benefit of both farmers and processors and consumers," DPM Simović said. 

EU Ambassador to Montenegro Aivo Orav said that the Laboratory represents the latest technology for analysing raw milk and fully meets the standards required by the European Union. 

"I am glad to say that with this equipment, the Montenegrin milk laboratory does not differ from any laboratory of its kind in the EU member states," the Ambassador stressed. 

He said that the analysis of the quality of raw milk is necessary in order to ensure that farmers produce the best quality milk, from which high quality dairy products will be produced. He added that analyses are important to exclude risks to human health, but also to ensure the health and well-being of animals. 

Ambassador Orav said that the EU is Montenegro's most important partner when it comes to reforming the veterinary sector. He reminded that today's donation is part of the EU's greater support to the Montenegrin veterinary sector, with a total value of 2.3 million EUR. 

"In addition to joint efforts to improve the quality of raw milk, we support Montenegro to reach EU standards related to veterinary control systems, animal health and welfare, eradicating the rabies and improving the control of stray and abandoned dogs," Ambassador Orav highlighted.

31 January 2019 - The key commitment of the Government of Montenegro in 2019 is to create conditions for the growth of citizen's living standards, deputy prime ministers, Milutin Simović and Zoran Pažin, told a press conference following 107th Government of Montenegro session.

DPM Simović noted that the Government defined four priority goals for this year:

DPM Pažin said that when it comes to the Government's priority - the process of accession to the European Union, it has set out concrete and measurable objectives.

"This year we expect to fulfill the conditions for opening the last negotiating chapters, getting clear guidelines from European partners for finally closing negotiations in key chapters dedicated to the rule of law, and gradually closing negotiation chapters," he underlined.

Speaking about the continuation of strong economic growth, Deputy Prime Minister Simović said that expectations are based on hugely successful two previous years. He added that the Government's ambition is to continue with stable economic growth rates to achieve the final goal as quickly as possible - high quality of life for citizens. He stressed that this goal is based on the achieved macroeconomic stability of the State, preservation of the stability of the financial sector, the carrying out of major infrastructure projects, sustainable resource valorisation and implementation of the Development Programme for Acquisition of Montenegrin Citizenship by Admission for Investment Purposes.

Concerning suppressing the grey economy, as the third priority of the Government, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System announced the launch of comprehensive activities against the informal economy in all its forms, full coordination of all relevant institutions and further cooperation with stakeholders, especially with social partners. "We think that this should be a common platform," said DPM Simović.

As a result of the real achievement of these goals,he added, the Government expects the continuation of ceating new and improving quality of existing jobs, increasing the living standards of citizens through clear and measurable indicators: minimal wage, further regularity of pensions and their alignment, and reviewing reducong tax rates, which increases the competitiveness of our economy and opens up space for job creation.