The hybrid ship "Graciana", of the Italian company Bella Boka, with a capacity of 60 passengers, is scheduled to start operating from Monday 19th August on the route Tivat - Herceg Novi in ​​five terms.

It is a 19m long trimaran with a capacity of 60 passengers and a ticket to Herceg Novi is 4 euros.

Departures will be from Tivat from the Pine waterfront and from Herceg Novi from the City port.

The first departure from Tivat is at 8.30 am, and later at noon, 3.30 pm, 7 pm and 10.30 pm. From Herceg Novi to Tivat, the boat leaves at 9.15 am, 12:45 pm, 4. 15 pm, 7.45 pm and 11.15 pm.

Text by Boka News, on August 15th 2019, read more at Boka News

15 August 2019 - The Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Sports and Youth are continuously working to support young people and youth organisations in the area of strengthening their skills and competences in order to become active citizens and bearers of positive social change.

The open and partnership relationship that the Ministry of Sports and Youth nurtures for young people in various fields of social life, with full respect for their ideas and creativity, is one of the best indicators of the Government of Montenegro's readiness to empower young people in their most sensitive period of maturity and transition to adulthood.

"Young people in Montenegro have the knowledge and power to contribute to positive change and must believe that through their activism they create a better future for themselves and the society to which they belong. Responsibility for improving the position of young people lies not solely with the State and its institutions, but also with the youth who need to mobilize, unite, stand in solidarity and strive to contribute to the advancement of their position in society through their actions," said Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro Nikola Janović on the occasion of International Youth Day – 12 August.

"Dear youth, with the sincerest congratulations on the occasion of International Youth Day, I would like to urge you, respecting the principles of equality, dialogue, tolerance, and responsibility, while fostering empathy and sensibility, understanding and acceptance of diversity, to choose activism believing in its power," reads Janović's letter speaking about youth in Montenegro.

Read more news about lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

15 August 2019 - The Ministry of Defense of Montenegro will acquire optoelectronic devices for the units of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. Optoelectronic devices include uncrewed aerial vehicles whose total value is estimated at 322.000 EUR, reported CdM.

Optoelectronic devices are means used for night surveillance and shooting, which convert image from an invisible infra-red area into a visible area.

Units of the army require four thermovision sets, “first responder aerial kit” which includes gyrostabilized camera and an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) that is able to fly not less than 25 minutes. The Ministry also requested that thermal camera image resolution should not be less than 640 x 512 pixels and that entire kit should have at least two control devices with a screen for monitoring and documenting the identified situation in the field.

The Ministry of Defense is planning to provide the army with two thermal multi-functional devices for target location which can magnify the image by at least six times and which have image resolution not weaker than 1280 x 1024 pixels in limited visibility mode.

Devices must have integrated GPS receiver for exchange of data with commercial GPS systems.

Units of the Armed Forces also need binocular devices for night observation, as well as 28 spyglasses. They will also acquire four thermovision targets capable of detecting humans at a distance of 1.500 meters, recognizing humans at a distance of 600 meters and identifying humans at a distance of 360 meters.

This equipment will cost the Ministry 472.680 EUR and it will include equipment for infantry armament, equipment for Joint Terminal Attack Controller, diving equipment and kit for rescuers. The equipment for infantry armament will cost 33.680 EUR.

JTAC equipment will cost 23.000 EUR, diving equipment will cost 60.000 EUR, whereas equipment for rescuers will cost 34.000 EUR.

According to the Defense Strategy published earlier, the Ministry is planning to train and equip 50% of land forces for taking part and 10% of land forces for sustainable engagement in NATO peace and crisis response operations. The maximum contribution to NATO forces will be the engagement of a reinforced infantry company deployed in two six-month rotations. One infantry company will be engaged to contribute to leading NATO peace and crisis response operations.

Armed Forces will be equipped with 68 light-armored vehicles. By the end of the year, the Ministry should have signed a procurement contract.

The best-equipped armies around the world are extending technological boundaries. One of the fastest-developing weapons is uncrewed aerial vehicle.

For example, M19 Reaper drone has radically changed how the USA is carrying out military operations. It was first used in 2001 and it’s been used in a great number of missions across Iraq, Somalia and Pakistan ever since.

Military drones usually perform reconnaissance, spy and direct military tasks. American Air Force is planning to drastically increase its fleet of uncrewed vehicles in the operational use.

Read more news about business in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

14 August 2019 - The construction of Boulevard from Jaz to the Tivat Airport (reconstruction of the Adriatic Highway) will start next year. This project will considerably improve the conditions of this section. In summer it is often jammed, with little movement on the roads. The project will cost around 26 million EUR and the construction will take around two years, reports Cafe del Montenegro.

“The tender will be invited at the end of September. By the end of the year, we will know the contractor,” said the Director of Transport Administration Savo Parača.

The development of tender documentation for the contractor is following the procedures established by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Boulevard will be 16 kilometers long and Parača added that the Regional Water supply system has joined the project. Simultaneously with the construction of boulevard, the extension of capacities of the water supply grid will be well underway.

“The regional water supply system joined the project because it uses the loan granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. That project is worth between 10 million euros and 12 million euros. We thought it would be much cheaper and faster if we joined these two projects together. Everything has to be done according to European standards,” concluded Parača, using the opportunity to announce another important project.

“Complete reconstruction of the thoroughfare from Kamenovo to Bar is planned. The project is in the final phase. The tender procedure is going to be initiated in autumn,” stated Parača.

Read more news about business in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

14 August 2019 - Since the beginning of 2019, tourists from more than 170 countries have visited Budva.

As representatives of the Tourist Organization Budva report, most arrivals and overnight stays were made by guests from Russia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany and Ukraine. The fact that guests from Germany were dominant is encouraging, as Germany is considered the most important emitting market, as CdM reported.

“According to the official data provided by the Statistical Office of Montenegro, tourists from European countries usually opt for hotel accommodation in the city. The greatest emitting markets are Germany, Russia, Serbia, Albania, China and France,” stated the representatives of Tourist Organization Budva.

This year, Budva welcomed many tourists from distant destinations, such as Japan, India, Indonesia, South African Republic, Cuba, Malaysia or Taiwan. There are also tourists who come from less expected, interesting destinations like Papua New Guinea, Mauritius, Cambodia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Seychelles and many others.

“In the middle of August, the streets of the city are featuring the diversity and richness of different world languages,” pointed out the representatives of Tourist Organization Budva.

According to the latest report by the European Travel Commission, Montenegro is the 'Star of the Mediterranean' in the first quarter of this year.

Read more news about traveling through Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

Montenegro national bocce (bowling) team will participate in the Nations Cup in Belgrade, as has been announced from National Bocce Association.

Bocce lovers and anyone who wants to get acquainted with this attractive sport will have an ideal opportunity to do so during this event, featuring Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and BiH.

The competitions start on Friday nd the matches will be conducted until Sunday at the fields in Zemun (Altina).

The selection of Montenegro, which has returned from almost no major competition in the last ten or more years without a medal, is moving towards Belgrade with great ambitions. Selector Dejan Stjepcevic and coach Nenad Rankovic are taking Miroslav Petkovic, who belongs to the world cream when it comes to bocce to the competition, then Tomislav Rankovic, Marko Lukovic and Rade Zec.

"We look forward to the competition that follows. The Cup of Nations in Belgrade will be a nice opportunity for affirmation of bocce, for the promotion of this extremely attractive and dynamic sport. I invite everyone who knows bowling, as well as those who want to get acquainted with its charms to come to Zemun, to come to the open fields in Altina and to be convinced with what I have said. The Cup of Nations will also be a great check for all the selections, as the Youth World Cup for in Italy and the World Cup for Seniors in Turkey are coming soon, but that does not mean, of course, that the result is in the background. We will fight, we will do our best to reach the podium, as we did last year when we won the bronze medal, "said Montenegrin coach Dejan Stjepcevic.

The Cup of Nations is named "Bruno Lezije and Sandro Anzur", according to the legends of the world bocce, I.e. the people who started the competition, which has been gathering selections from the territory of the former Yugoslavia for ten years.

The Municipal Committee of the Social Democratic Party of Kotor has come out in favour of introducing excursion fees for Perast, starting next tourist season. They pointed out that particular attention needs to be given to the area, using sustainable regulations to ensure infrastructure and living conditions can be improved.

“In 2018, Kotor Tourism Organisation, in consultation with representatives of the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, considered the introduction of an excursion fee for Perast. In spite of this, for unknown reasons, the former authorities in Kotor did not understand the severity of the situation and therefore did not seek the agreement of the Government of Montenegro. This issue particularly came to the fore due to the unfolding chaos in Perast, a situation from which the town reaps absolutely no benefit,”  Kotor SDP stated.

On the other hand, they add that current information from the global tourist market warns that our country is being threatened by so-called overtourism, meaning that there are so many visitors in one location that there is a negative impact on local life and the environment.

“Perast is, after the Old Town, the most visited part of Kotor Municipality, with more than one-third of cruise tourists visiting the town. All visitors from Dubrovnik arrive by bus, along with over half the hotel guests from Budva, Tivat and Herceg Novi Municipalities, where agencies organise excursions,” they state.

The SDP notes that the number of visitors in the Old Town last year was over half a million, whereas in the first seven months of this year alone the figure was 305,000.

“On this basis, by the end of this year, at least 550,000 tourists are expected. This means, calculated for one euro per person for groups of more than five tourists, an income of 550,000 euros. Using these indicators, the income from an excursion fee for Perast would be at least 250,000 euros, which would, on the basis of a specially-designed plan, be allocated solely for the development of local infrastructure and to improve the living standards of locals in Perast,” concluded Kotor SDP.

14 August 2019 - "Crazy Grass" by Jordan Radickov, directed by Margarita Mladenova continues the drama programme at the City Theatre Festival Budva on Thursday, 15 August.

The play "Crazy Grass" will be performed at 9 pm, at the scene between churches, according to the City Theatre Press. The play is a production of the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory in Sofia.

Tea Schmidihen told the www.kazalište.hr about the Sfumato Theatre and the play "Crazy Grass":

"Jordan Radickov is one of the most popular Bulgarian writers in general, and his works are among the most performed on Bulgarian theater boards. His works often depict the relationship between the village and the city, with special reference to the traditional and the rural, as is the case with the drama Crazy Grass, written in 1980.

Director Margarita Mladenova, on the other hand, is known in Bulgaria for her unique directorial practices and different performances. In addition to Ivan Dobchev, he co-founded the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory, which is known in Sofia as a meeting place for various performance practices and innovative readings.

Crazy grass was created in Sfumato as part of the Noah's ark cycle, whose symbolism is also addressed in drama. In an ironic age of simultaneous hyperlinking and losing contact, this kind of theme attempts to combat collective amnesia, or a kind of barbell in the eyes of society.

 At first glance, Crazy Grass is a bit of a cryptic idea of ​​the disappearance of a Bulgarian village, but Margarita Mladen presents Jordan Radickov's text as a drama about the crisis of Bulgarian (national) identity and tradition in the context of globalization. The emphasis is on folklore and national heritage, which is not only Bulgarian but Slovenian.

Especially striking is the character of an unaccountable old man, a local who has lost his mind wandering on crazy grass. He represents a nation stripped of memory, tradition and meaning, which has gone mad in the pursuit of its identity.

This is a kind of warning of a general loss of authenticity and authenticity due to institutionalized globalization, with particular emphasis placed on militarized groups that leave no room for resistance and other options. Margarita Mladen's Crazy Grass presents viewers with a direction they have never seen, with actors who are also skilled in dance, song, gig and acrobatics, but also an intriguing story that drives one's thinking about identity in today's age of alienation. "

Directed by Margarita Mladenova, stage design by Michael Dobrev and Boris Dalchev, music composed by Hristo Namliev. Cast: Albena Georgieva, Zana Raseva, Galia Kostadinova, Katalin Stareyshinska, Nadja Keranova, Biljana Georgieva, Antonio Dimitrievski, Ivan Nikolov, Dimitri Krumov, Rumen Draganov, Georgi A. Bogdanov.

14 August 2019 - From today, August 14^th, smoking in enclosed public venues will be prohibited in Montenegro with the new Law on Restriction of the Use of Tobacco Products entering into force. The Law strictly prohibits the use of tobacco products indoors, except for casinos. Anyone who violates the provisions of this Law will be fined up to €20.000, said the Health Minister of Montenegro, Kenan Hrapović in an official statement published by the Government of Montenegro.

As TMN previously reported, the new law prohibits smoking in any room or area where food and drinks are served and consumed.

In addition, the law bans the use of tobacco products in any part of enclosed space where state or local authorities and services perform their activities, in areas where educational, healthcare or cultural activities are performed, in the areas of social protection, sport and recreation, trade, production or storage of food, recording or public broadcasting, as well as in the areas where meetings and public gatherings are held. It is possible to designate a specific part of the space that the owner or user designates solely for this purpose. The law clearly stipulates the conditions of insulation, surface, position and equipment of that part of the space: the room must be insulated in such a way that no tobacco smoke can flow into the rest of the space, and the surface must not be less than 10 square meters, must not occupy more than 20 per cent of the workspace or public space and should not be intended for passage to other spaces.

The new law also prohibits the sale of tobacco products that are not labelled with printed warnings covering 65% of the front and rear end of a pack.

Violation of the Law on Restriction of the Use of Tobacco Products will lead to strict penalties going up to 20.000 EUR.

Ministry of Health will be in charge of monitoring the implementation of the law.

An international exhibition entitled "EXODUS. BIRUCHIY 019. MONTENEGRO "will be opened on Friday, August 16, at 8 pm, at the Montenegrin Art Gallery "Miodrag Dado Djuric" in Cetinje. The exhibition, organized by the National Museum of Montenegro, will feature works by artists from Ukraine, Montenegro, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic and Serbia, participants in an international artistic residency who visited Gornji Morinj during June, working on the biblical theme "Exodus".

Ukraine, according to Konstantin Doroshenko, project curator, “suffered imperial aggression and external attempts to restore it to the status of a colonial state and de-modernization forces. And Montenegro was once in the midst of the catastrophe of the Balkan War, where it also faced a desire for freedom, human rights problems, and the development of colonial policies. The post-war Biennial of Contemporary Art in Cetinje created the entire school of new Montenegrin art as an area of ​​international dialogue. That’s why independent Montenegro has become a place of the new international art project “Exodus. Biruchiy 019. Montenegro”.

Project participants are: Apl Aplov (Odessa), Sergej Bratkov (Kharkov-Moscow), Volodimir Budnikov (Kiev), Milka Delibasic (Niksic), Vitalij Kravets (Kiev), Nikita Kravtsov (Paris), Matvej Krilov (Herceg Novi), Roman Mikhailov (Kharkov), Mladen Miljanovic (Banja Luka), Pavla Nikitina (Brno), Jiri Pec (Brno), Karina Pustovalova (Kiev), Vlada Ralko (Kiev), Sinisa Radulovic (Podgorica), Kamilla Sanjez (Paris), Selma Selman (Bihac-New York), Zoran Todorovic (Belgrade), Jelena Tomasevic (Podgorica) and Vlatka Vujosevic (Podgorica).

The curator of this project is Konstantin Doroshenko - Ukrainian art critic and journalist, curator of art exhibitions and cultural projects in Ukraine, USA, China and Kyrgyzstan. The commissioner is Petar Cukovic, Montenegrin professor of art history, one of the commissioners of the Biennale Cetinje, director of the National Museum of Montenegro (1995-2007), curator of the National Pavilion of Montenegro at the Venice Biennale (2001 and 2011) and exhibitions in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Italy. The international exhibition at the National Museum of Montenegro will last until September 7 and will be held with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation - a government institution that promotes the development of national culture, the Exodus Social Club and the International Symposium of Contemporary Art BIRUCHIY - the largest artistic residency in Ukraine.

Text by CdM, on August 13th, 2019, read more at CdM