Tax Administration (PU) and director Miomir M. Mugosa are the winners for the results achieved last year in the category of public finances and state administration.

The acknowledgment to PU and Mugosa was awarded by the European Association of Managers - Directorate for the selection and promotion of the most successful businessmen and companies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, South East and Central Europe.

"Recognition has been awarded because of the excellent results achieved in the implementation of the Tax Administration reform, the collection of public revenues and the increase of the level of respect for tax regulations, and the strengthening of cooperation at the level of the tax authorities in the region," the statement said.

Mugosa, addressing the audience at the award ceremony held in Sarajevo, said that the fact that the efforts of the Tax Administration are recognized at an international level are affirmative and encouraging, but it certainly increases the responsibility for further investment in PU development in accordance with its strategic orientation and good international practice.

Mugosa pointed out that it was even closer to regional cooperation, not only for the exchange of information and experiences but also for the establishment of a unified approach to dealing with common challenges, such as the fight against the gray economy and tax evasion, by welcoming established bilateral and multilateral relations with tax administrations of the Western Balkans.

He said that the PU expects more intense activities in the further realization of comprehensive tax administration reforms, which include modernizing business processes and investing in information technology, all in order to establish a modern tax administration that can respond to market demands and provide a high level of public revenue collection.

The Independent Management Association was established in 1995 in Zenica and deals with the selection of the most successful business and management representatives on the basis of results, achievements, and their ratings.

The award ceremony was preceded by an international business forum featuring Regional Economic Cooperation and Development, which was also attended by the Montenegrin Tax Administration.

Prizes were given in various categories to the owner of the restaurant “Jadran” and “Beer & Bike Club” Krsto Niklanović, as well as the directors of hotel “Splendid” Mirjana Mrkalj, and the Airports of Montenegro Danilo Orlandic.

The winners of the award are the directors of Uniprom Vesko Pejovic, Sava osiguranje, Nebojsa Scekic, and AMC Communications, Velibor Zolak.

President of Slovenia Borut Pahor won the prize for the person of the year.

Ambassador of Slovenia in North Macedonia, Milan Jazbec is the best ambassador and the best mayor is Vili Basanese from Umag.

Text by MINA Business, on July 5th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

7. July 2019 - “Miklja is the best journalist amongst writers and the best writer amongst journalists”, some used to say, but what does it really mean? Dušan Miklja himself laughs at this, simply continuing his work.

Miklja was born in Belgrade, where he lives today, except when he spends his time in Boka. He graduated English language and literature at the Faculty of Philology, Belgrade University.

He has been Tanjug’s (ex Yugoslavia’s official news agency) correspondent from all over the world, but especially from Africa, out of which he reported on many dramatical historical events. He knew many world leaders in person, as well as guerilla leaders. He was awarded for lifetime achievement in 1995 from the Association of Journalists of Serbia and Montenegro.

Miklja is the author of many collections of stories, travel-essayist prose and novels. His passion for Boka started long ago, before he bought a part of a house in Krašići almost thirty years ago, making him Boka's summer resident. He talks about his feelings towards this special bay in the Mediterranean for TMN:

“I try to stay here as long as I can, since it is so nice. It is good for a man to change his whereabouts from time to time. I travelled a lot, but Boka is one of my favorite places. Boka is a small cosmos. It brings together all the virtues in which a man wants to enjoy. There are a few bays and places in the world that can be compared to Boka. All the beauty is condensed in such a small space. But, a lot has changed in Boka and Tivat. Maybe for the better. But I love old towns, old streets. That's why Kotor is so dear to me, especially those old places that have been preserved. We should not leave ourselves completely covered by concrete. I am not in favour of such urban policy. We should build new, but planned, with good balance. It must be a continuous string. Because tourists have become more selective. Montenegro has so much to offer. Her traditions, customs, herbs, meals cannot be found elsewhere."

One of his novels, “Summer” (“Leto”) is dedicated to Boka:

"My book Leto happens in Boka. It is a sort of a youth thriller, but with a lot of melancholy. It happens in a small place in Boka; you can guess which one. It is about a family meeting, how they spend holidays there, gathering from different parts of the world…” After that novel, Miklja started publishing in the Laguna publishing house. The last one, “Before It's Too Late”, speaks about plenty of reasons for concern in the world.

Spending his summer in Boka, Miklja is working on his new novel. He admits to us that he expects a lot of it. It's a novel about arms traders. But there is also a love story. Despite his careful synopsis writing took him in some other direction, Miklja said. We are yet to see where.

07 July 2019 - From season to season, Herceg Novi and the Bay of Kotor attract more and more tourists who want to explore Montenegro's underwater world. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in diving courses offered by Diving Club Adriatic Blue on Škver.

The Diving Club Adriatic Blue was founded 15 years ago and ever since, its members have been actively organizing diving training and diving tours. Two instructors and three dive masters are the main members of the club. “Diving classes are attended by children from 8 to 14 years old, while the diving school is accessible to individuals older than 14 years, which is the precondition for getting the certificate issued by the Diving Association of Montenegro,” said the director of the club Danijel Đorđević for Radio Jadran.

Training for divers who want the CMAS certificate of the first, second or third category, lasts for an average of 6 days. The theoretical part is processed daily, followed by practical training under water.

Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) is an international federation that represents underwater activities in underwater sport and marine sciences, and oversees an international system of recreational snorkel and scuba diver training and recognition. It is also known by its English name, the World Underwater Federation. The CMAS has developed a CMAS International Diver Training Certification System that consists of Diver, Speciality Diver, Technical Diver and Leadership Diver Training Standards and which allows divers that have been trained in accordance with the prescribed CMAS International Diver Training Standards to have their certifications recognised throughout the world in countries that are members of the CMAS family of divers.

The underwater area of Bay of Kotor is extremely attractive, due to nature and configuration itself, but also due to the wreckage of ships and planes that have been found at the bottom of the sea throughout the years.

“At the area from Cape Dobreč, through the island Mamula to Blue Cave (Montenegrin: Plava špilja), we have a very attractive terrain, riffs that extend up to 40 meters deep and several caves, such as Blue Cave, Zlatne vale, Jakubića cave, that are harmless even for beginner divers. In terms of shipwrecks, the most attractive ship is Patrolac at Žanjice, because it is accessible for all CMAS categories. It is the most visited wreck on the entire Montenegrin coast,” says Đorđević.

He also highlighted that better cooperation between diving clubs and the Municipality of Herceg Novi and the Tourist Organization of this city is of great importance in order to more actively promote diving tourism before, during and after the tourist season. “If we had more support, Herceg Novi would become a great diving destination, because all foreigners that come and go on our diving tour are delighted with the visibility, the warmth of the water and the diversity of locations on a relatively small area, at a short distance from the city,” Đorđević concluded.

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

7 July 2019 - The University of Art in Belgrade in cooperation with the Public Institution - PI Cultural Centre "Nikola Djurkovic" Kotor organizes Summer School 2019, which will take place from 07 to 14 July in Kotor.

“This year's Art Quake Art School is inspired by the precious cultural heritage of Kotor, where cultures of the East and the West had met and permeated for centuries, molding it as a place of outstanding beauty, indigenous and unmistakable cultural and artistic heritage.," it has been announced from the Culture Centre.

"The city of Kotor and its area were declared a natural and cultural-historical heritage in 1979 and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1979, Kotor suffered a severe earthquake. Though the damage of time was remedied and cultural monuments have been restored, the earthquake-induced devastation remains in the collective memory of the city  Like the artistic expedition, the Summer School will find and map new creative incentives in this unique reservation of natural and artistic treasures. Using contemporary art, students will be able, through individual and interdisciplinary work, to showcase their personal artistic sensitivity and translate it into a contemporary concept. Contrary to the devastating and destructive earthquake forces, this project seeks to stimulate and affirm artistic and creative earthquakes. ArtQuake is, therefore, a phenomenon that occurs within the very art of being, the earthquake of the internal organs as a reaction to the external irritation, the tectonic shaking of the body when it comes to the scene of unusual beauty, it has been said in the announcement."

The Art Quake Summer Art School is designed for internationally oriented, highly motivated students from a wide range of art disciplines, who wish to connect in interdisciplinary ways, explore and expand their creative practices and deepen their understanding of artistic and cultural diversity.

The Art Quake manifestationwill be completed on July 13, with a video presentation, exhibition and stage motion, on the Square of Cinema at 20 p.m. On this final event, the artists will show the result of their workshops (painting, drama and audio-visual), which will be held in the premises of the Cultural Center and the City Library and reading rooms, and occasionally on the squares in the Old Town.

Source Cultural Centre "Nikola Đurković" Kotor Facebook

06 July 2019 - Research of the Service for the Protection of the Natural and Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development of the Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro has shown that the Jezerski peak in the National Park Lovćen is threatened by the complete degradation of the endemic species of pines, which is included in the European Habitats Directive - NATURA 2000.

To preserve this very important, rare and protected species in Montenegro, the PE National Parks of Montenegro, in cooperation with the protected areas in Italy and Albania, started the 2014 - 2020 Interreg IPA CBC Italy – Albania - Montenegro Project Low Adriatic Species and Habitat - LASPEH.

The contraction of biological diversity (number, variety and variability of living organisms) affects not only the natural environment but also our economic and social goals. The priority of preserving biodiversity, and the possible consequences of not doing so, makes it a cross - border issue: it is important to maintain and strengthen ecosystems by giving them space to develop all their functions and to flexibly react on climate change and human effects.

For these reasons four management bodies of parks and protected areas in Italy (three located in Puglia and one in Molise) and both national agencies for the management of national parks of Albania and Montenegro decided to implement together a common action to promote and support the biodiversity safeguard and to develop joint management plans for cross-border habitat and ecosystem, explains Keep.eu.

Particularly, the project LASPEH - Low Adriatic Species and Habitat focused its attention on three species and three habitats very important for their ecological value, extinction concerns or endemic aspects in the Low Adriatic basin. The three species (and their pilot areas) are: tetrao urogallus (National Park Mali Tomorrit/Albania), botaurus stellaris (Regional Natural Reserves of the Eastern Coast of Taranto/Puglia) and aythya nyroca (Regional Natural Park "Litorale of Ugento"/Puglia); the three habitat (with their pilot area) are: pseudo - steppe with grasses and annuals of Thero - Brachypodietea (Regional Natural Park "Coastal dunes from Torre Canne to Torre San Leonardo"/Puglia), Tilio - Acerlon forests of slopes, screes and ravines (Oasi WWF Guardiaregia-Campochiaro/Molise) and Macedonian pinus peuce forests (National Park of Lovćen/Montenegro).

For each identified species/habitat PPs will develop a specific pilot project activity and plan (together) common cross - border guidelines for the management in the program area of the same species/habitat.

06 July 2019 - One of the most famous world travel guides, Lonely Planet, has published another interesting article about Montenegro, in which it advises on how best to meet the charm that Montenegro has, recommends Northern Montenegro as an ideal place to escape the summer crowds, introduces readers to the turbulent history of this country, but also speaks about the mentality of the Montenegrin people.

Bursting at the seams with majestic mountains, breath-taking beaches and larger-than-life locals, minuscule Montenegro proves once and for all that good things do indeed come in small packages, the author highlights.

Lonely Planet’s article explains that Montenegro offers a warm welcome for all tourists. “It's nigh on impossible to come across a travel section without someone trumpeting Montenegro as the new 'it' destination. And though the country is rightfully revelling in the spotlight, the people remain as they've always been: candid, convivial and charming. Unlike in many other emerging destinations, hassling and scamming visitors isn't big on Montenegrins' agenda; for the most part, you're more likely to encounter a spontaneous bear hug than a bothersome tout. Whether you're chasing highland hospitality or coastal comradery, expect gregarious greetings, the shirt off your host's back and the addition of at least 5kg; these folks love to feed,” it is stated in the article.

It's not even 300 km from tip to toe, but Montenegro's coastline crams in some of Europe’s most spectacular seaside scenery. Mountains jut sharply from crystal-clear waters in such a way that the word 'looming' is unavoidable. Ancient walled towns cling to the rocks and dip their feet in the water like they're the ones on holiday. In summer, the whole scene is bathed in the scent of wild herbs, conifers and Mediterranean blossoms. All of this – and much, much more – is wrapped up into an area two-thirds of the size of Wales.

When the beaches fill up with Eastern European sun-seekers, intrepid travellers can easily sidestep the hordes by getting off the beaten track in the rugged mountains of Durmitor and Prokletije, the primeval forest of Biogradska Gora, or in the many towns and villages where ordinary Montenegrins go about their daily lives. Hike, horse ride, mountain bike or kayak yourself to somewhere obscure and chances are you'll have it all to yourself. This is, after all, a country where wolves and bears still lurk in forgotten corners.

Ever since the Roman Empire split in two 1600 years ago, Montenegro has sat on the borderline between east and west. The richness of its cultural history can be seen in the mosaic floors of Roman villas, flamboyantly painted Orthodox monasteries, ornate Catholic churches, elegant minarets of mosques, and the sturdy fortresses built by the numerous powers that have fought over these lands. Then there's the legacy of 50 years as a non-aligned communist state, independent of both the Eastern Bloc and the West. For those with even a passing interest in European history, it's a fascinating place.

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

06 June 2019 - After the development of the Spatial Urban Plan of Herceg Novi, the local administration started developing the Herceg Novi Investment Map, in order to “open” the city to investors and new projects. The completion of the spatial urban plan means that now all interested investors can have access to the necessary planning documentation and can build objects which are necessary for the development of the city in various parts Herceg Novi.

According to the statement that the Advisor of the President of the Municipality of Herceg Novi Tamara Vujović made for Radio Jadran, one of the most important capital projects within the Herceg Novi Investment Map that the local administration wants to implement is the Bus Station in Igalo.

“Aside from the Bus Station in Igalo, we also want to build business-residential buildings in various parts of the city, a business centre with a market in Igalo and a cable car from Njivice to Žvinja. There is also the construction of a bypass, i.e. the map covers projects from those who don’t require major investments to the crucial capital projects, which Herceg Novi does not currently have,” said Vujović.

The investment map is in the final stages of development and will be presented at the first next business forum, which means that Herceg Novi is ready to open its doors to investors and people who want to beautify the city.

The investment map is based on the Spatial Urban Plan of Herceg Novi, which was adopted at the end of last year.

The local government also plans to develop the City Development Strategy for the period 2020-2027. The Advisor of the President of the Municipality told Radio Jadran that the local government is currently gathering a team to develop this strategy.

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

06 July 2019 - According to the announcement by local News Agency Radio Jadran, the first installation to point out the plastic pollution and the problems that such pollution has on the environment, and primarily the sea, was created for the Kotor Children's Theatre Festival. This installation and the whole movement is organised within the framework of the program Youth for Clean Adriatic (Montenegrin: Mladi za čist Jadran) financed by Beyond Plastic Med and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

The stunning installation was made by the skilled hands of the Kotor-based artist Mijo Milovanović, and further upgraded by the hard-working young hands of volunteers of the NGO Naša akcija, as well as the Kotor Children's Theatre Festival.

NGO Our Action (Montenegrin: Naša akcija) was founded in 2012 as a non-governmental association whose general goal is the development of the citizens' awareness and their inclusion in the social, economic, ecological and cultural development of society, the quality of life of citizens and the local community as a whole.

Beyond Plastic Med, the initiative that supports the Youth for Clean Adriatic Program, is an international platform, dedicated to research and implementation of solutions against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. This task force aims at bringing together the private sector, civil society, political and regional initiatives in a global cooperation network. To this effect, the BeMed Platform carries a « call to action » open to all Mediterranean countries. It supports and encourages environmental conservation projects and thus launch the process of restoring and protecting the Mediterranean Sea.

Aside from this installation in Kotor, there are also other planned installations that point to the plastic pollution of the sea, and young volunteers during the festival diligently work on the second interesting installation.

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

July 7, 2019 - Continuing our look at the real estate opportunities via the RE/MAX catalogue, an affordable one-bedroom apartment just 5 minutes from Kotor Old Town.

It is one of the most enchanting places in Europe - Kotor Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which epitomises the Montenegrin Tourist Board's slogan, Wild Beauty. 

Apart from the stunning fjord, the main attraction is the gorgeous old town of Kotor, home to centuries of history, culture and tradition, with its improbable walls snaking up the mountainside. 

Imagine owning a property with a view of the spectacular bay and within 5 minutes of the old town at an affordable price. 

Welcome to the latest RE/MAX property of the week, yours for just 119,000 euro. From the official property description:

Fabulous one bedroom fully furnished apartment built to a very high standard and ready for immediate occupancy. The apartment has secure underground parking with a supermarket below and a petrol station close. Kotor Old Town is within 5 minutes walking distance. 

The village of Skaljari is right next to the Old Town of Kotor. Skaljari covers the slope between Vrmac and Mount Lovcen. It's one of the Boka Bay settlements which has preserved the best the local Bokelian dialect. 

Price for this 50m2 apartment - 119,000 euro.

For more information, photos and to book a viewing, check out the original listing. 

06. July 2019- The Herceg Novi – Tivat speed boat line started last week, bringing passengers from one side to the other of the Boka Bay in twenty minutes. Nataša Bajat, the owner of Montenegro Boat Company, launched this interesting offer. She has lived and worked in New York since 1997, but she spent the last summers at her home in Herceg Novi.

What inspired her was the long time she had to spend to get to Herceg Novi from Tivat Airport by land:                                                                              "It was not difficult to come to this idea since I travel frequently. Always, when I would land at Tivat airport, I thought that it would be nice to get to Novi faster, and this is what I wanted to achieve," Nataša says.

Currently, a Sea Ray 240 Sundeck - "Wizard", with a capacity of 10 seats, is operating on that sea line, but from next week, another with 7 seats will be included. The route is covered every hour in each direction. From Herceg Novi to the airport, a speedboat arrives in about 20 minutes. Departures from Herceg Novi are at odd hours, starting at 7 a.m and from Tivat Airport from 8 a.m. It is necessary to make reservations via phone, e-mail, Viber or WhatsApp to service passengers and guests from abroad. One way ticket costs 19 euros, but discounts are planned for return tickets, as well as benefits for regular travellers and guests. People usually don’t believe that the price is so low for this sea line, Bajat said.

"The emphasis is on transporting passengers and tourists to the airport in order to avoid traffic jams from Herceg Novi to Tivat, but we stop and transport to all locations according to the requirements of passengers, including Tivat Bay, Krašići, Krtole, the complete left and right side of the bay to Igalo, as well as Rose and Njivice. Upon request, we are open to including Perast, or that part of the bay and add it to our sea line," explains the owner of the company. This service is open not only for airport passengers, but also for people who want to come to Tivat from Herceg Novi, or vice versa by this connection.

The boat stand is 350 meters away from the airport, which is a 4-5 minute walk from the Airport Terminal to the Marina Restaurant. The cooperation with Taxi drivers - Car Pool option has been arranged. The ride, which lasts less than a minute, is 5 euros, and the car can take five passengers who share the cost of transport.

"This season is a pilot project to make sure that all of this works and it would certainly be nice to have a service like this in the bay. It would be a good way to reduce pressure on road traffic," Bajat said.

The company currently has five employees, a female and male captain, a hostess who welcomes passengers at the airport and sends them to the mole where the boat is seated, as well as two sailors.

Nataša Bajat came to New York as an exchange student from Novi Sad, where she studied philosophy. She worked in tourism for sixteen years, for a world corporation of restaurants and hotels, where she remained a consultant, now she is in real estate. As philosophy remains in every segment of our lives: the philosophy of tourism, statehood, real estate, it will always stay a part of her life, too. However, boats have been her love since childhood, and she desires to return one day from New York to Herceg Novi and Boka.