05 July 2019 - The main project audit for the first, second and the third phase of works for construction of a square and promenade in Sutomore has been finished and the construction has been approved by the residents. Total estimated projection values of the works on the reconstruction of the coastal zone is 5.357.808,09 EUR.

Works on traffic signalization are estimated at 4.142,80 EUR. Professional supervision will cost 200.000 EUR. Estimated investment value which entails the execution of works on the construction of a square and esplanade in Sutomore, with professional supervision amounts 5.557.808,09 EUR, reported CdM.

The reconstruction of the coastal zone project – roads, squares and esplanades in Sutomore has been designed on the grounds of project task of the municipality of Bar and in accordance with urban and technical requirements. The execution of works will be organized in four phases.

The first phase includes a square with green areas and recreational zones (5.300 square meters). The total projection value of this first phase is estimated at 1.102.415,48 EUR.

The second phase entails functional hinterland and parts of “2a” road and esplanade (4.800 square meters). The total estimated values of the second phase amount to 965.925,21 EUR.

The third phase includes three different functions: a road, coastal esplanade and widening coastal esplanade (7.600 square meters). The total estimated value of the works in the third phase amounts to 2.537.553,27 EUR.

The fourth phase covers “Đurića potok” with public green areas and parts of “1a” and “1b” roads and esplanade (8.700 square meters). The total estimated value of the works in the fourth phase amounts to 747.771,37 EUR.

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

04 July 2019 - The UNESCO World Heritage Committee adopted decisions relating to two world heritage sites in Montenegro - the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor and the National Park Durmitor.

The decision relating to the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor is one of the most affirmative decisions of the Committee related to the Region of Kotor, especially since 2003, when the area was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger on which it was inscribed due to the devastating earthquake in 1979. 

Nevertheless, from that moment, the Committee commenced the warnings about the danger of sudden and uncontrolled urbanization and tourist pressure that threatens the preservation of exceptional universal values that are the basis of the World Heritage List. The decisions of the Committee were stricter, until the Istanbul Decision in 2016, after which a series of consultations were held with UNESCO, which resulted in the Government of Montenegro's adoption of the Action Plan for the implementation of this Decision. Since February 2017, when the Action Plan was adopted, a number of activities resulted in a Decision that welcomes the efforts of the "member state in many areas, including the development of the Draft Urban Spatial Plan of Kotor, the preparation of amendments to the Law on Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, the initiation of the audit of the Management Plan, the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the area...".

It welcomes the State's decision to abandon the proposed project of the cable car from the Old Town to the San Giovanni Fortress and the Glavati Prčanj tourist complex in order to protect the exceptional universal value. The State is encouraged to continue to improve the process of impact assessment, the HIA is required for the tourist complex in Morinj and the bridge in Verige, before State's commitment to implement these ideas. It is required that the revised Management Plan includes recommendations of the Reactive Monitoring Mission from 2018. In particular, it is required that the Management Plan addresses the issues of managing and reducing risks and tourism management.

The Ministry of Culture of Montenegro reported that the decision concerning the Durmitor National Park treats the issues that were the subject of the Advisory Mission in November 2018. The decision confirms the findings of the Advisory Mission, which calls for a series of activities that the State should undertake in the upcoming period in cooperation with UNESCO and advisory bodies.

The World Heritage Committee is held every year with the aim of considering the state of conservation of natural and cultural goods inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as considering new nominations. This year's Committee is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 30 June to 10 July. The Committee has made a number of important decisions, some of which concern the cessation of the status of "heritage in danger" for countries that have managed to prevent the loss of certain values. Certain goods are inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

At this year's Committee, Montenegro joined a group of states that supported Switzerland in an appeal for a more consistent application of the Convention in deciding, and for equal access to all countries and goods under consideration, in order to further strengthen the Convention and the role of the Committee. 

Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO of Montenegro Milica Nikolić is taking part at the Committee in Baku.

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

04 July 2019 - The recent visit of Prime Minister, Duško Marković, to Azerbaijan was very important in the context of promoting friendship, enhancing cooperation and partnership between two Governments, said the Director of Cultural and Economic Center of Azerbaijan and Montenegro, Sejran Mirzazada. He hopes that opening Montenegrin diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan will stimulate expanded cooperation, as CdM reported.

“Our states have stable mutual relations. Azerbaijan gives the development of relations with Montenegro special importance. Today, our states have efficient cooperation and we are constantly finding ways to expand it,” Mirzazada and added that Azerbaijan was currently the greatest investor in Montenegro.

Marković was in his official visit to Azerbaijan from 23 June to 25 June, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Novruz Mamadov.

“I firmly believe that very soon this visit and our priceless meetings will make a positive contribution to the advancement of our relations,” said Mirzazada.

He pointed out that the Montenegrin delegation had had the opportunity to present numerous tourist potentials of Montenegro.

“Parties exchanged views on the possibilities of expanding cooperation in the energy sector, tourism, construction, agriculture, and transport. It was highlighted that the business environment and economic interests had to be mutually examined,” said Mirzazada.

He added that Montenegrin delegation had called on Azerbaijani investors to invest in agriculture, transport and infrastructure projects, as well as development projects in northern parts of Montenegro.

“In that context, they had considered the possibilities for the cooperation within Trans Adriatic and Ionian pipeline,” pointed out Mirzazada.

The second meeting of Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation between the Governments of two friendly countries took place on 25 June in Baku.

“It was stated in the meeting that two governments should consider the possibilities for export of industrial and agricultural products in Montenegro as well as import of high-quality products from Montenegro to Azerbaijan. The turnover between our countries is expected to grow. In his address, Marković pointed out that government support to investors encouraged Azerbaijani investors,” said Mirzazada who expects positive results in the future.

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

July 5, 2019 - Bellezza, female a capella vocal band (traditionally called klapa) from Tivat won the best Montenegrin klapa at the 18. International Klapa Festival, which was finished last Sunday in Perast.

“The International Festival of Klapa Perast is one of the festivals that nurture a cappella singing of traditional songs and thus attracts participants and fans of klapa singing. All singers sing, according to the festival's propositions, one traditional and song from Boka kotorska. This is good for the affirmation of songs from our region, because they will be performed at festivals outside of Montenegro. Through the festival, composers, songwriters (Nova pjesma – New Song), songwriters, arrangers and, of course, performers are also recognized. Therefore, it is important for us to participate in festivals and give our contribution to the preservation and the development of klapa music”, said Mirela Mudreša, the leader of “Bellezza” for MTN.

“In addition to the already well-known Montenegrin vocal bands that appeared in the competition and the entertaining part of the programme, this year we were introduced to the young bands Marineri KO, Primorkinje BD, Štiglići PG, Kamerton Podgorica, which is very good for the future of klapa music in Montenegro”, she added.

Klapa Bellezza has had some serious preparations for this festival, where it had already won the award “Deštregovi” for the best debut klapa in 2014:

Professor Jasminko Šetka has been working with us at professional seminars and we have had more frequent rehearsals. The song "Budila majka Ivana" (Mother Was Waking Ivan Up) carries sadness and cries of the mother, which, in the solo section, was dramatically portrayed by our member Nataša Pavlović. In 'My Craving' (cover by Nikola Gregović), after the modulation, the rhythm of the Bokelian Dance has been awakened by the touch of Angela Homen. The II jury's award, which we have also received at the Festival was the result of our good energy and the desire to revive these songs together.                                                                                                                                                                                                        At the final evening of the festival, the Bellezza vocal band was named the best Montenegrin klapa and I hope that this will bring us 'wind in the sails' in our further work.

Bellezza was founded in 2012, following earlier projects at the Music school in Tivat and the members were mainly school professors. One of them, Bruna Matijević says:"I like singing in this acapella vocal group and we are all very enthusiastic about it. In the beginning, the idea was simply to start working as a klapa after a few performances that we had done. Some of the members have changed and there are seven of us singing together now".

The Bellezza vocalists are preparing for different performances around Boka kotorska this summer, so the audience will get the chance to hear them more.

05. July, 2019 - Shooting a Rooster, a traditional event in Perast, could be prohibited in the future if organizers do not cease using firearms and live targets. This is now the official request to the competent authorities.

A recommendation to consider and revise the event's content has been sent to the organizers of the Perast Local Community, the Association of Friends of the City of Perast and the Municipality of Kotor, by the Council for Civil Control of Police Work, after last year’s and this year’s protest of the Organization for Animal protection “Korina” because a rooster was killed on the event last year and again this year. 

Shooting a live rooster is part of a long tradition in Perast. The "Shooting a Rooster" event, marking a great victory over the Turks in the 17th century, is organized every May 15th.

The Veterinary inspections, according to claims by Korina NGO, confirmed last year that the tradition will be interrupted.

"An order was issued to the organizers last year that they should not use a live animal during the event, but this year they announced that the tradition will remain the same, and that the target will be a living animal," said Tijana Kovačević from this NGO. She contacted the Veterinary Directorate this year.

 "They were very undecided, but I insisted that on May 15th, when events were held, they monitored the event. The veterinary inspector later did not answer my phone calls and one of them did not even want to go out to the field. We have also informed the police about everything," she says, adding that at the end of the incident, however, a live animal was used.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              “Korin” informed the Council for Civil Control of Police Work Inspection about everything, which received a response to the question from the Police Directorate (PD), headed by Veselin Veljovic, on July 2^nd.  The council, after that, also sent its opinion on everything. In the letter, they recall that the officials of the Kotor police in the particular case took measures and actions within their jurisdiction in accordance with the positive legal regulations. They also add that there were no omissions in the conduct of these actions.

 "The PD submitted all collected information to the Basic State Prosecutor (BSP) in Kotor in a timely manner," the Council's letter says, whose members are convinced that the outcome of prosecutors' activities will “be professional".

"After the final assessment of the BSP in Kotor, the Council expects the police to be responsible in the area of ​​its competence, bearing in mind the fact that the use of weapons has been banned in a public place and that the security of citizens could be endangered," they add. The recommendations state that "it is time to re-examine the character and content of this traditional manifestation whose activities and contents must be in accordance with the positive regulations of Montenegro".

"The Council invites LC Perast, the Association of Friends of the City of Perast and the Municipality of Kotor to carefully consider and review the content of this event, which, no matter that it is traditional, has to recognize the unquestioning respect for law in relation to the use of weapons and moral advancement in re-examining and rejecting traditionalism in the treatment of animals," it states, among other things, in the recommendations.

The Council, composed of Aleksandar Sasa Zekovic, Drazen Cerovic, Branislav Radulovic, Vladimir Dobricanin and lawyer Zoran Celebic, invite the Government and "especially its advisory body for the care of animals to encourage activities and efforts to protect the welfare of animals."

The Police Directorate was recommended to temporarily suspend the public gathering of this kind in future or even cease it if it is implemented in the same way as before.

source D. Kalač, "Vijesti"

After almost two decades of joining to the island of St Nikola by throwing hundreds of cubic meters of rock and concrete blocks into the sea by the businessman from Belgrade Nenad Djordjevic, with no approval from the authorized state agencies, the small island of Skoljic is free again.

The members of the local community have excavated the former natural passage between these two islands and thus enabled the former natural passage of sea currents.

Thus, as the member of the Council of the local community "Old Town" Stefan Bozovic said, the enormous damage that was done to the submarine and the whole aquarium of Budva Bay has been corrected because the merging of the two islands completely disrupted the biodiversity.

Bozovic stated that they had a great deal of help from the current beach tenant on the island, the company "Yachteagle" from Podgorica and their executive director Vukota Odovic, who are ready to completely free the natural passage after the season with a construction plant, as there are plenty of concrete blocks and large stones which are impossible to be removed now.

Twenty years ago, Djordjevic, a former high official of JUL, bought three hectares at the southern end of the island from an old-town family, after which he began extensive construction work. In addition to building a few stone objects on the island without any approval, which had been removed by inspection in 2002 and construction was stopped, he had dredged 400 meters of beach and then merged Skoljic, destroying one of the touristic and natural attractions.

Concrete blocks will be removed in autumn (Photo: Vuk Lajovic)

Concrete blocks will be removed in autumn. The newly-appointed council of the local community has now launched an action to alleviate the consequences of this devastation of the natural environment. "We, several fishermen, have gone to the tenants on the island and asked whether they can meet our demands and open the natural passage between Skoljic. They were willing to help us and excavated with their plant as far as they could. Now it can be passed through there by swimming, but by boat, it's still impossible. We agreed to clean it up completely in September and return it to the previous state. They have nothing against excavating the passage and they immediately supported our action. Every summer they had problems, because the tourists who climb to Skoljic used to fall and they were often injured," Bozovic pointed out.

Opening of this passage, as he said, is important not only to be a tourist attraction again, but because of the flow of the sea.

"Much more important is to enable the sea flow. “Tunja”, or the shallow sea that connects the Slovenian beach and Skolj, has been disrupted since the natural passage was blocked. You know, as soon as you "touch nature," you put something where it doesn’t belong, it reflects on another place, instead of sand filling the beach, it is now placed on another location," Bozovic said.

Murava - the lungs of the underwater are in extinction

Bozovic said that one of the consequences of the closure of the natural passage is that the seagrass of Posidonia oceanica, the so-called murava, is lost from the entire belt of Budva Bay.

"Murava, as we call it, is an indicator of the seawater quality and is a habitat for many other species. It needs pure water, flow. Unfortunately, it has been lost at many places. It is known that Posidonia is the lungs of the underwater. Murava is protected by numerous world, European and national laws as the priority habitat of the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, almost exclusively as a result of human activity, murava is being extinct throughout the Mediterranean," Bozovic said.

Text by Vuk Lajovic, on July 4th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Memorial Day was marked with a central celebration in Herceg Novi, Sutorina, where the wreaths to the victims fighting for freedom were laid by the President of Herceg Novi Stevan Katic and the President of SUBNOR Herceg Novi 1941-1945, Mihailo Kilibarda.

Vice-Presidents of the Municipality Danijela Djurovic and Milos Konjevic, Consul of Serbia in Herceg Novi Zoran Dojcinovic, as well as representatives of various organizations and citizens attended the Memorial Day celebration.

"By marking this Day at the memorial park in Sutorina, we remember and celebrate all the ancestors who defended their families, homes, customs, language, freedom, and homeland during the turbulent history," Katic said and stressed that Memorial Day must not be just a figure in the school books, because even today there is fascism as a state organization of radical authoritarian nationalism.

He was concerned that a large number of people are still struggling for basic rights and freedoms, which are difficult to conquer and easily lost.

"That is why we must not forget the dates that represent the beginning of an anti-fascist struggle, and we have to convey to the young generations the memory of the many names and dates that determined the history and the future of our people," Katic said.

Memorial Day was also marked in Bijela, where the members of the local organization of the fighters laid wreaths and flowers on the grave of Milo Savo Serovic, at the church of the Virgin Mary. The Serovic family gave another bold son of the revolution - Petar, who fully contributed to the liberation struggle of Bijela and Herceg Novi.

Text by Slavica Kosic, on July 4th 2019, read more at Vijesti

The 4^th Street Performance Festival InArt will be held from 24 to 26 July in Tivat. As in previous years, special attention has been paid to the international character of this cultural and tourist event that attracts more and more interest from year to year. This year, there are participants from eight different countries, who will perform on the streets of Tivat.

The festival’s program director Ljubo Kalicanin said at the press conference that this year the audience would see various programs, and particularly interesting are the guests from Italy 'Teatro dei Venti' and from Chile 'Comani Depaso'.

Kalicanin said that the program for the youngest would also be exciting, in addition to Pilko Pilko's troupe from Germany at the festival, Montenegrin actor Sejfo Seferovic will have the premiere of his play “Klovnovska posla” (Clown’s business).

Kalicanin emphasized in particular that the InArt festival became part of the European Association of Festivals which is very important both for the festival itself and for the development of cultural and tourist facilities in Montenegro.

"Thanks to the fact that InArt is recognized as a festival that has made a big contribution to the development of street art in this part of Europe in recent years, we will attend the presentation of projects funded by Creative Europe. InArt is the only festival that invites not only from Montenegro but also from the region, and we have found ourselves among 25 other European festivals. This opens up the possibility of direct cooperation with other festivals, which could be of great importance not only for the development of the festival, but for the overall picture of our country we are sending in Europe and beyond," said Kalicanin.

Dejana Stijepcevic from the Tourist Organization of Tivat estimates that the fact that InArt festival has been admitted to the European Association of Festivals says that the idea we have supported four years ago is developing in the right direction and being recognized not only here but also in the wider area. "In this way, the city of Tivat is increasingly important in the international context as a tourist destination. Projects like this and many others are long-term and thanks to them, Tivat builds the image of a tourist town that offers guests a new experience," Stijepcevic said. Nina Vukcevic said that the NTO supported the festival since its foundation because it was recognized as a festival that contributes significantly to the tourist offer of Tivat and Montenegro.

This year's Ambassador of InArt, Vojo Cvetanovski from Northern Macedonia, said that the cooperation of everyone, both the local community and the state, is crucial for the success of each festival in the region, as European festival budgets are great and only in this way can we create a quality event.

The organization of the festival is supported by TO Tivat, Ministry of Culture, NTO.

Text by CdM, on July 4th, 2019, read more at CdM

04 July 2019 - President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović received a well-known American political scientist, writer and professor Yoshihiro Francis Fukuyama, who is visiting Montenegro within the program "Prestigious Leadership Academy for Development" organized by the Faculty of Economics and Center for Democratic Transition with the support of the Center for democracy, development and rule of law of Stanford University, the Balkan Trust for Democracy and the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

President Đukanović expressed his satisfaction with the visit of Professor Fukuyama to Montenegro and the opportunity for Montenegrin students to hear his lecture, reported the Office of the President of Montenegro. He also added that Montenegro is a sincere advocate of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, primarily because of the need to adopt the European system of values and achieve European quality of life through the reform process. Noting that he is aware of the unpopularity of demanding reforms, he recalls that in this region we do not have the luxury of further lagging behind the developed Europe.

"With all European weaknesses, integration into the EU is an uncompromising need of the countries of the WB," Đukanović said.

Professor Fukuyama expressed his gratitude for the opportunity for the meeting during his first visit to Montenegro. He said that the reason for his frequent visits to our region was the existence of a confrontation between the two systems, liberal democracy on the one and the system that dominantly came from Russia and other countries. In this context, he welcomed Montenegro's decision to join NATO, stressing that this organization represents the most serious alliance in the world and a mechanism that preserves our values. Pointing to contemporary dangers such as populism, social networks and globalism, he expressed his belief in the survival and victory of a democratic system of values and the development of democracy.

"NATO and the EU are offering much better options than the alternatives we are exposed to," Fukuyama said.

Đukanović and Fukuyama also discussed other current European and global issues.

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

04 July 2019 - President of the Municipal Assembly of Budva, Krsto Radović, scheduled the local parliament meeting for 22 July, although they did not seem to be close to reaching any agreement. The focus of the meeting will be one of the most attractive tourist projects - construction of a cable car.

Councilors are to adopt the Draft Decision on determining public interest by means of which the Municipality shall give consent to the expropriation of the land for the cable car route. The new cable transport would connect Čučuci and Austro-Hungarian fortress Kosmač.

The Decision envisages expropriation of almost 35.000 square meters of land on a 2.1 km long route. The purpose of the expropriation is the construction of the Bečići-Brajići cable car. The Municipality is going to expropriate 27.393 square meters for the purposes of setting up pillars.

The Municipality will be the user of expropriation but the costs will be born by the Cable Car Montenegro company.

CdM reported that It is been said many times that this project is worth 12 million EUR and that the money will be provided by the investor, Cable Car Montenegro. The starting point of the cable transport would be in Bečići, near the “Falkensteiner” hotel.

Then, the cable car would rise up to some 840 m elevations, near Kosmač fortress. This location will feature small ground facilities made of stone. The complex would consist of a big restaurant, a couple of souvenir shops, and a huge outdoor amphitheater.

It would take 6-7 minutes from Bečići to Brajići. From 1.350 to 1.540 passengers could be transported via cable car in one hour.

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