The quality of seawater on Montenegrin beaches showed the best class results in 85 per cent of the analyzed spots. The results for 100 public beaches, which was conducted by the Institute of Marine Biology from 31 July to 4 August, showed that on the 85% of the beaches, the seawater quality was K1 class, while 15% of the baths were K2 classes. These results confirm that the seawater at the Montenegrin beaches is of good quality, i.e., that it is sanitary and safe for bathing and recreation, as stated from the Public Enterprise Sea Property.

Out of the total of 16 beaches in the Ulcinj Municipality, 15 of them had excellent seawater, while one of them had K2 class.

The K1 seawater quality was recorded at 11 bathing areas in Bar, while two bathing facilities showed the K2 class.

The seawater in Budva, out of a total of 26 beaches, was defined as K1 class in 23 locations, while in the remaining 3 in the analysis showed class K2.

When it comes to water quality in Tivat, analysis has shown K1 class at a total of 7 baths, while at 2 beaches the water was of K2 class.

In the municipality of Kotor out of a number of 15 bathing areas, seawater of K1 class was recorded at 12 bathing sites, while at 3 bathing areas the water had K2.

Talking about the analysis of seawater on the coast of Herceg Novi, the quality of K1 was at a total of 17 bathing areas, while at 4 bathing areas, the water was K2.

The results of testing the sanitary quality of seawater, as well as the data on sea temperature, air temperature and salinity for each individual bathing area, can be viewed on a separate application available on the website www.morskodobro.com.

6 August 2019 - The service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs "Cameras at Border Crossings" has been put into operation, and thanks to it, citizens will be able to be informed about the situation at border crossings at any time and plan their travel accordingly.

According to the Ministry, the service can be accessed through the MIA (MUP) website www.mup.gov.me/ministry via the eponymous banner or directly by accessing the camera.mup.gov.me web address.

“The service provides a visual representation of the entry and exit of the two-lane border crossings - incoming and outgoing. At this moment, the cameras are installed at the six of the most frequent border crossings, and it is possible to see the current situation at the Bozaj and Sukobin border crossings towards Albania, at the Vracenovići BC (GP) towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, at Dracenovac and Dobrakovo BCs towards Serbia, at Debeli Brijeg BC towards Croatia," states the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

They announce that the system for three more border crossings - Scepan Polje, Sitnica and Rance will soon be put into operation.

"Camera shots can be accessed from both PCs and mobile phones, using the mobile Internet or WiFi signals. Video streams are loaded into the HTML5 player, which means that no additional application is required. All you have to do is click on the desired border crossing and wait for the video to load," MUP explained.

The implementation of a system for visually and timely informing the public about traffic intensity at the borders is of particular importance during the summer tourist season, as estimated in the Ministry.

"The goal is to facilitate border crossings for both our citizens and guests residing in our country," they concluded from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, recalling that they are continuously undertaking activities to improve electronic services in order to provide even more efficient service to citizens and to justify their confidence.

06 August 2019 - The Ministry of Economy of Montenegro is launching a new phase of the Energy Efficient Home program tomorrow, August 7, which aims to reduce heating costs and increase household comfort, achieve a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, and develop the market for heating systems for modern forms of biomass in Montenegro.

The Program entails an attractive and sustainable financial mechanism for the implementation of energy efficiency measures in households, reports PR Office of the Ministry. For the purpose of this Program, the Ministry of Economy has provided 100.000 EUR for subsidizing interest and fees for processing loans to households in Montenegro for:

- the purchase and installation of heating systems for modern forms of biomass (pellets, briquettes), including boilers/furnaces, pipework and/or radiators;

- installation of thermal insulation on the facade of the residential building and

- installation of energy-efficient facade joinery.

Under the Program, citizens will be able to apply for interest-free loans up to a maximum amount of 10.000 EUR, with a repayment period of up to six (6) years, for the implementation of the aforementioned energy efficiency measures in their households, while the Ministry of Economy will subsidize interest costs and loan processing for the entire loan repayment period.

The Ministry of Economy is implementing this program in cooperation with partner companies (contractors): Mikromont (Bijelo Polje), Home Systems (Podgorica), Plam Engineering (Podgorica), Veneta Plamen (Podgorica), Energos (Podgorica) and the consortium "LD gradnja-Cerovo "(Nikšić) as well as partner banks: Hipotekarna Bank and Lovćen Bank.

The program provides for a citizen to contact a qualified contractor to obtain more detailed information on the offer under the Energy Efficient Home Program. Upon receiving the bid for the works, the citizen applies to the Ministry of Economy, with a request for confirmation that he or she is eligible to participate in the Energy Efficient Home Program, with supporting documentation proving that the object on which the works will be performed is legal, or that is in the process of legalization.

The request and supporting documentation can be submitted to the archives of the Ministry of Economy (Rimski trg 46, 81000 Podgorica) in person, by mail or by email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If the request is approved, the Ministry of Economy issues a certificate that the citizen is eligible to participate in the Program, after which the citizen applies to the bank and applies for a loan.

Procedures for implementation of the Energy Efficient Home Program, contacts of partner companies and banks, unit prices of materials, equipment and services offered under the Program, application form for obtaining a certificate for participation in the Program can all be downloaded at the website www.energetska-efikasnost.me.

The Energy Efficient Home program is a continuation of the Energy Wood program, which has been implemented by the Ministry of Economy through three phases since 2013, and has installed around 1,010 pellet and briquette heating systems throughout Montenegro.

All information regarding the said program can be obtained by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by tel. 0038220 482 186. Information on the dynamics of implementation of the Program will be regularly published on the website: www.energetska-efikasnost.me.

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

06 August 2019 - Are the rivers in Montenegro polluted? Recently conducted research by the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro shows that rivers Morača and Bojana mostly have a 'moderate status', which means that the chemical status in these rivers is not good.

Tara also has a moderate status in terms of water quality, while the water in Ćehotina is of low quality, the research shows. The cleanest river in the country is Cijevna, but the fact that the latest research did not include Piva, which had the highest quality water so far, should be taken into consideration when concluding.

A new water testing methodology, which was implemented by the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology this year, classifies rivers’ status as “very good, good, moderate, bad or very bad”. "This new water testing methodology includes the determination of the chemical and ecological status of the waters of each river. The interpretation determines the category of the river, according to the status, which can be very good, good, moderate, bad or very bad," said Water Quality Department Chief of the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology, NevenkaTomić in an interview for RTCG.

Research showed that, as in previous years, Ćehotina has a low-quality status (bad water quality), but also that river Tara is no longer clean as it used to be.

"River Tara has certain turbidity that causes the tested parameters to step out of their “ideal” range. This turbidity is probably influenced not only by the construction of the highway, but also by the flow of the Kolašin River, which during the spring and now when tunnel construction is underway causes washing of soil and materials, especially in the rainy season.“ Tomić said.

There are several causes of such a state of the rivers in Montenegro. "The main reason, as always, is wastewater. All of our cities do not have treatment plants, as in the case of Podgorica, which means we have various other discharges, landfills, rinses, in some situations oil or fuel spills, and also there are road constructions that affect the state of the rivers," Tomić warns.

Read more information on lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

06 August 2019 - Due to incredible interest, Air Serbia will increase the number of flights between Belgrade and Tivat. By the end of August, there will be 26 flights per week. Passengers will have almost 2.000 seats at their disposal in the Airbus and ATR aircraft. The Serbian national carrier introduced direct flights between Niš and Tivat on 16 July. From today until the beginning of winter season, flights will be operating three times per week.

Representatives of the Air Serbia stated that their company is committed to developing air traffic with Montenegro, as CdM reports.

“Tivat and Podgorica are out most frequent destinations, with 216 return flights in August. Increased flight intensity comes as no surprise considering that Tivat is a very popular tourist destination. We firmly believe that we will make trips so much easier for our passengers,” said CEO of Air Serbia Duncan Naysmith.

Danilo Orlandić, CEO of the Airports of Montenegro, said that Air Serbia was a very important partner for Montenegro. Last year they transported over 245.000 passengers to and from Montenegro.

“That number is going to be higher this year, especially thanks to the new Niš-Tivat line. That will contribute to the improvement of our economy. We expect that the Airports of Montenegro will serve 2,6 million passengers,” pointed out Orlandić.

Serbian national air carrier and Airports of Montenegro have been cherishing successful partnership for decades.

Recently, the latest annual report of Airport Council International was published, which states that the Airports of Montenegro significantly boosted air accessibility. The report suggests that Tivat Airport is among the leading growing destinations with 352 per cent growth rate, Executive Director of the Airports of Montenegro Danilo Orlandić stated.

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

06 August 2019 - Budva-based companies Adriatic Properties and HTP Miločer, are going to construct the new Queen’s Beach Hotel. Acting chief state architect, Dušan Vuksanović, gave consent for a conceptual design for this hotel, as CdM reported.

The old Queen’s Beach Hotel in Pržno was recently torn down, making space for the new 5-star hotel at an area of 37,296 square meters. The Adriatic Properties management earlier announced the construction of the new, 70-million worth hotel would start after all the necessary permits are obtained. The construction should be finished in two and a half years.

The new hotel was designed by Podgorica-based Studio K in line with the urban and technical requirements issued by Montenegro’s Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism on 31 December 2015 and 12 April 2019. The total area is 12,255 square meters. The technical part of the project suggests that hotel capacities are going to be significantly expanded, thus enabling the development of high-end tourism compared to the old hotel.

Queen’s Beach Hotel is going to have two underground levels with 137 parking lots, a ground floor and four floors. There will be 126 accommodation capacities in it, of which 60 rooms and 66 luxury apartments.

Adriatic Properties earlier emphasized that preservation of natural beauties and cultural heritage of this area had been their topmost priority while selecting the conceptual design for the new hotel.

The old hotel, built in the early 1980s was removed following the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism decision of 7 June 2017. Adriatic Properties is a long-term leaseholder of the town-hotel Sveti Stefan and Villa Miločer, as well as Queen’s Beach Hotel based on the 2007 lease agreements with HG Budva Riviera and HTP Miločer.

Petros Stathis is the President of the Board of Directors of Adriatic Properties, while Goran Bencun is the CEO. HTP Miločer CEO is Dragan Miković, the President of the Board of Directors is Milena Radulović, while the Government of Montenegro is its owner.

The area of hotel rooms will be ranging from 30 sqm to 70 sqm, projected as single and double rooms. Apartments’ surface will range from 62 sqm to 317 sqm, and they have been projected as double, three-bed, four-bed, five-bed and 6-bed suites. The apartments are going to have a dining room, a living room, 2-4 bedrooms with a separate bathroom and a wardrobe, a workroom, a staff room, a kitchen and a terrace surrounded by greenery.

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

05 August 2019 - One of the UK's largest walking and outdoor holiday providers with over 100 years of experience, HF Holidays, created an exceptional guided walking holiday which includes the cultural discovery of Montenegro, the ‘Black Pearl’ of the Balkans.

“Montenegro is one of the smallest and newest Balkan countries. Walk around its beautiful Lovćen National Park, pass through traditional villages and enjoy a boat ride on Lake Skadar, one of the largest lakes in Europe. It has 40 different kinds of fish and 270 bird species! It has a mountainous interior and a superb Adriatic coastline. The footpaths in the hills are seldom walked and are rich in natural beauty, ”says the detailed explanation of the tour provided by the organisers.

They also explained that Kotor Bay is one of the most famous areas of the country, located in the Adriatic Sea. Its landscape and features make it difficult to define what it is, due to the unusual geographical information surrounding it. Places of interest include the Blue Grotto, St. Tryphon's Cathedral and Mount Orjen, providing a variety of activities and day trips throughout the holiday.

Situated on the beautiful Montenegrin coast, the small resort of Petrovac is a very attractive base from which to explore the local area. The town itself centres on the pretty promenade and picturesque harbour, where tourists find a good selection of souvenir shops, bars and cafés. Immediately behind rise the Paštrovići Mountains, the foothills of which form the basis of some of the walks within the holiday. Just to the north of Petrovac is the stunning old town of Sveti Stefan built on a tiny island and reached by a spit of land. Inland lay the beautiful waters of Lake Skadar, and the tour will include a cruise after a walk above its shores. The highlight of a fantastic week’s walking will be the day spent in Lovćen National Park high above the dramatic Kotor Bay, and a trip to the perfectly preserved old towns on the bay is highly recommended for the planned free day.  A visit to Montenegro, the Black Pearl of the Balkans, is a fascinating cultural experience and walks and sightseeing visits of the tour provide great insight into this charming new country.

The offer includes a full programme of guided walks with 2 options every walking day, all transport to and from walks, the services of experienced HF Holidays leaders, "with flight" holidays include return flights from the UK and hotel transfers, 7 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms and a half board - continental breakfast and evening meal.

The holiday package includes accommodation the 4-star Hotel Palas in the Petrovac resort, which is located on the promenade with attractive terraces and gardens planted with orange and olive trees.  It is within easy walking distance of the shops and behind the hotel is the towering Paštrovići Mountains.  The hotel owns part of the sandy Lučice beach.  WiFi is available throughout the hotel.

Get more information about the holiday, including tips on what to bring and the review of the tour at HF Holidays' official website.

05 August 2019 - Once considered a hidden treasure of south-eastern Europe, Montenegro has become a tourist magnet over the past few years. Its excellent location and exceptional beauty have put the small country firmly on the map as the go-to holiday destination, particularly for those seeking a more luxurious experience.

“After all, when you have such a gorgeous country and God gave you this incredible location, it would be a sin not to do something about it, don’t you think?” says Nikola Milić, co-founder of Hotel Casa del Mare Mediterraneo in an interview for Cecilia Calatrava, Communications advisor for EBRD.

This one-of-a-kind family-owned 4-star boutique hotel on the waterfront of the Bay of Kotor is one of the country’s hottest destinations, and one of the more than 600 small businesses in Montenegro the EBRD has supported since 2002.

“People who come to our hotel are looking for uniqueness and a personal touch. That’s why every room has a completely different interior that brims with the charm and tradition of Kotor Bay,” explains Milana Milić, co-founder and Nikola’s wife. “Our idea was to capture the local Mediterranean vibe.” 

Indeed, the hotel is a symphony for the senses: the stunning seaside, the fresh herbal-fruity scent of the lavender fields, mimosa trees, summer pomegranate, tangerine, olive trees. Each of its seven rooms triggers a slightly different experience which transports guests directly to their happy place.

This jewel, now completely renovated, dates back to 2010, when Nikola and Milana (then 24 and 23 years old) decided to get married, have a baby, and also open their first hotel.

“It all happened very suddenly. At the time, people thought we were crazy. Kamenari – the town the hotel is located in - was not known as a tourist destination, but rather as ‘the fishermen town where the ferry boat stops’, and that’s pretty much it”, explains Nikola.

 “This was not in our favour when we tried to get some financial support, which we needed at the time. But when nobody believed in us, the EBRD did, which still means a lot to our family,” he adds.

The EBRD, with funding from the Netherlands, paired the hotel with a consultant to help install new software that allowed them to manage the reception and accounting much more efficiently.

Several ‘Wild Beauty Awards’ for the best small hotel on the Montenegrin coast, and seven brand new boutique hotels later, the Casa del Mare hotel group has become one of the best examples of a successful business in Montenegrin tourism.

But the couple didn’t stop there. In 2014, Nikola and Milana decided to give a final polish to the hotel by giving their waterfront restaurant, Bocasa, a first-class reputation.

With the help of an EBRD-funded consultant, they designed a new menu that gives a modern twist to local flavours and ingredients.

“The biggest move forward is the switch from the à la carte model to a tasting menu where we want to present our guests with the strongest postcard of Montenegro,” explains Vanja Puskar, Head Chef at Casa del Mare Mediterraneo and founder of New Balkan Cuisine.

The EBRD’s support also included a training programme for the next generation of chefs taking Balkan cuisine to the next level.

When asked about their secret ingredient to success, the couple’s answer is always unanimous: “love and dedication” – a concept that resonates across both the restaurant and the hotel.

Read more about this Mediterranean gem at EBRD's website, or find more recommendations on which places in Montenegro you should visit at TMN's dedicated page.

The Treasures of Dobrota Palaces exhibition will be opened on Thursday, 8th August at 8 pm at Kotor’s Gallery of Solidarity (Galerija Solidarnosti). The Municipal Public Institution “Museums” will open up part of the precious legacy of the Radimir Family of Dobrota to the public. The exhibition is curated by ethnologists Dragana Lalošević and Danijela Đukić and will be opened by Milica Martić, Head of the Business Development Directorate for Cultural Heritage in the Ministry of Culture.

Estate of the Radimir family

“Within the two houses and the Church of Saint Michael (Crkva Sv. Mihovila), of which the Radimir Palace and Church of Saint Michael are the cultural property of Montenegro, the Radimir family houses its collection of antiques that, with its 525 items, also holds the status of cultural property of Montenegro.

It includes items that are classified in ethnographic and cultural-historical collections, those of civic dress, Dobrota costumes and a collection of dobrota lace with Dobrota, Bijela, and mixed embroidery. It also includes parasols, sticks, music scores, musical instruments, measuring instruments, household items, tools, philately, writing implements, books, photographs, and archives. This traditional, maritime and civic collection is a family legacy created in Dobrota over three centuries.

 By way of the cultural heritage hidden within the stone walls of the Dobrota Palace and the Estate of the Radimir family, we have tried to pull together, in one place, part of the collection from this famous Dobrota family. The main idea was to document its development and with it not only the development of Dobrota and Kotor, but also of the whole of Boka.

The primary goal of the exhibition is to show our cultural heritage, and through this, we can get a clear picture of the life of one civilian family, their importance and their place in society, through particular events and personalities. We can, therefore, see how the whole of society was developing at that time, with a particular emphasis on seafaring, which was the basis for all other aspects of life on the Boka coast,” reads the announcement of the exhibition, signed by ethnologist and exhibition curator Dragana Lalosevic.

The Maritime Museum of Montenegro Kotor, as part of its regular activity, continues the tradition of preserving and presenting national history, primarily maritime. The Museum is preparing an exhibition and film programme entitled "Catalog of Balšići / Fim Exhibition" by screenwriter and director Gojko Celebic in two segments, as has been announced.

The first segment is the exhibition of 14 charters of Zeta rulers Balšić, from their State Office sent to Dubrovnik in the period 1368-1397. This exhibition is thus a kind of celebration of the 650th anniversary of

business and legal charters of Balšić, which represent important documents from the Montenegrin state history.

The charters are now kept at the National Archives in Dubrovnik and an enlarged visual form, an Old Slavik printed form and transmission to the modern language will be exhibited at the Gallery of the Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor.

The second segment is the feature film "Catalog Balšići" as a working projection within the exhibition, lasting 60 minutes - the Balšić era seen through the prism of the charters given, through available data and movie genre.

The film was shot in this version recently, in the Czech Cheb, on the border with Germany - it is just a working version, which will be shown as a screening for friends. The cast includes Montenegrin, Czech, Serbian and German actors.

The genre is feature and documentary at the same time, and is profiled as melodrama and related to the period of Balsa II's reign (1378-85), that is, to his personality and family.

Young Balšić, a ruler with variable luck, prone to intellectual interests in this version as well fascinated by the great inventions of his time (mirror, glasses, etc.) is played by Vuk Celebic, and his

first wife, Princess Komnina of Valona plays Czech actress Karolína Jägerová. The court doctor, whom the people of Dubrovnik send him "as a brother and a friend," interprets Michal Schwartz,

the Counselor is played by Andrija Kovač (Consigliere), cousin Vojislava by Klara Marxova, etc.

The film was shot in the authentic setting of the castle in Cheb, which was the residence of the German emperor Friedrich Barbarossa. The sequel of the Balsic’s death in the battle of the Saur field on 18 September 1835 is also planned to be filmed there.

So for now, it's important to note that this is not the official projection of the film, but the working one, as it is pointed out from Maritime Museum. Exhibition “Catalog Balšići / Film Exhibition” will be opened on August 8, at 9 pm at Grgurina Palace and will last until September 1st.

Zeljko Aprcovic, Mayor of Kotor will open the exhibition.