06 June 2019 - Montenegro is undoubtedly a hidden gem in Eastern Europe. This tiny Balkan country is nestled between Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and Albania and is a perfect place for families who enjoy exploring lesser-known destinations. The rugged coastlines, quaint villages and epic mountains are sure to capture your heart. Lindsey Bybee visited this beautiful country with her kids and is sharing 5 of her favorite family-friendly Montenegro experiences.

As explained by Bybee, parents who visit Montenegro will love the beautiful beaches, kid-friendly hiking opportunities, affordability, old-world architecture and great seafood! Their children will also be entertained by boat rides and can enjoy warm seawater, wandering through car-free streets and chatting with friendly locals.

Bybee also emphasized that, according to her preference, the best time to visit Montenegro with kids is during the spring or fall season, because this is a great way to avoid the summer beach crowds. Lindsey created a small guide where she carefully described her adventure in Montenegro with her family through five experiences that left the biggest impression on her.

1. BUDVA SEASIDE STROLL

Budva is Montenegro’s most popular destination for travelers, and for a good reason. This medieval city is not only filled with history but is also home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Make sure to check out the picturesque walkway along the rocky coast, where you can get a great view of the walled city itself. It’s a great people-watching spot as well. During the summer, your little ones will love watching some of the local kids and teenagers diving off of the nearby rocks into the water below. The walk also leads to the more secluded Mogren Beach, which is one of Budva’s best spots to relax in the sand.

2. EXPLORE THE COBBLESTONE STREETS OF KOTOR

Surrounded by dark mountains, Kotor is one of Montenegro’s most stunning cities. The cobblestone streets, medieval architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Site status make Kotor a must-see for travelers. If your little ones love animals, they’re in for a treat too! Kotor is known for its resident cats that can be found all over the city. Children will love seeing their furry friends around every corner. There are even shops where the proceeds from souvenir purchases will go to feed and care for the local cats.

3. RELAX BY THE WATER NEAR SVETI STEFAN

When creating your Montenegro itinerary, plan to spend a day near the magical little island of Sveti Stefan. The island itself is home to a luxury resort and is only accessible to hotel guests (though, you can make a restaurant reservation on the island to get there as well), but the views of the island from a distance are stunning too. The nearby beaches are pristine, and not crowded at all. Kids will enjoy sitting in the water and searching through the pebbles for pretty rocks and shells.

4. TASTE THE LOCAL EATS

When in Montenegro, eat as the Montenegrins do! The whole family will love trying some of the local eats. Cevapcici, which is basically small grilled sausages, is a Balkan favorite and will be popular with the little ones. They usually come with french fries, which are always a crowd-pleaser too! If you happen to find yourself in Sveti Stefan, take your family for a meal at the restaurant Olive Tree. It’s right next to a playground and is on the water. The pleasant ambiance, great views, friendly staff, and yummy food will make it a great dining experience for kids and parents alike.

5. HIKE UP THE CITY WALLS

Want to check out some beautiful views and get in a little exercise? A hike up the city walls is a can’t-miss when visiting Kotor. While not too strenuous, it is worth wearing a good pair of walking shoes, as there are many steps and a lot of loose rocks along the way. The views from the top make it worth the effort!

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

06 June 2019 - The Srdelada 2019 Gastro Fest, an event organized by NGO Feral, will be held on Friday at 08.30 pm at the Palm Square, in Budva's Old Town.

Srdelada 2019 is an event that promotes the Mediterranean, local cuisine, and it includes the tasting of various dishes whose basic ingredient is the sardine (Montenegrin: srdela, sardina). Sardines take a prominent place in the cultural history of Budva and the Mediterranean and is known to the people as the food for the poor because, in the times of hunger and scarcity, it was a basic food available and affordable to most people. At the time, the citizens of Budva often prepared sardines with salt, because salted sardines could remain fresh for a long time. Still, various recipes were designed with sardine being the main ingredient so that the locals would not get bored eating the same dish every day.

By organizing this event, NGO Feral puts sardines on the throne of the Mediterranean gastronomy, giving it a place it deserves. Also, emphasis is placed on local gastronomy, special ingredients and methods of preparation, all of which Budva should nurture in order to preserve its authenticity and recognition, as well as to cultivate cultural heritage. Sardine dishes will be prepared by students of High School Danilo Kiš.

As reported by RTV Budva, the event will include the performance of the local band Škuribanda, which will complement the entire event and the coastal atmosphere. Also, the NGO Feral organized the screening of the film Welcome to Budva from 1963, as well as the performance directed by the members of the NGO Feral which is entitled Welcome to Budva 2019.

The institutions, organizations and companies that supported the event include the Municipality of Budva, the companies Rokler and Sanraf, Talas M, branding agency Unibrand, studio Pixap, Utility Company Budva, Parking service Budva, Mediteran reklame enteprise, Tourist Organization of Budva, distribution company NTC, Cogimar, Montenegrin Cinematheque and High School Danilo Kiš.

The Srdelada Gastro Feast has been held for two years in a row, and the event was very well visited and received positive reviews from both locals and guests who had the opportunity to taste and feel the spirit of Budva as an authentic Mediterranean place.

NGO Feral has been active since 2015 and has been promoting the Mediterranean cultural heritage, empowering the local community and supporting the development of young people through various forms of artistic and cultural expression, the organization of exhibitions, performances, music events and literary-poetry evenings. The NGO Feral was awarded by the Interpret Europe organization, and it was included in examples of good practice in the interpretation of heritage, according to the criterion of the involvement of the local community.

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

06 June 2019 - The Memorandum of Cooperation between UNDP and the Municipality of Bar, with the aim of developing the green economy in the territory of that municipality, was signed on June 6 in Podgorica at the beginning of the second day of the international conference Green Days 2019 – Unlocking Green Growth Potential.

As concluded at the conference, life in urban areas requires the transformation of those areas into so-called smart cities. The Smart City concept is one segment of the new solutions that involve introducing the concept of energy efficiency in public buildings, as well as setting up an e-mobility infrastructure that should be powered by renewable energy sources.

According to the report by the local government of Bar, the Memorandum was signed by Daniela Gasparikova, Permanent Representative of the UNDP in Montenegro and Dušan Raičević, President of the Municipality of Bar.

The Memorandum of Cooperation between UNDP and the Municipality of Bar confirms the interest and readiness of Montenegrin municipalities to further develop the concept of the green economy at the local level.

The importance of the green economy is reflected in the fact that it allows the use of natural and all other resources in a sustainable manner, which reduces environmental risks and enhances sustainable, inclusive development.

"UNDP supports local governments throughout the region in an effort to create and improve mechanisms that will ensure responsible governance, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, health and prosperity of citizens. In Montenegro, UNDP provides full support for creating long-term solutions that will enable sustainable growth and development, and good quality of life with a responsible attitude towards the environment," said Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP's permanent representative in the country.

All planned activities within the framework of the smart city concept should contribute to the strategic positioning of Bar and further promotion of the municipality as a green tourist destination.

Dušan Raičević, President of the Bar Municipality, emphasized that "by implementing this Memorandum of Understanding, UNDP will provide technical support to the Municipality of Bar in order to create the most favourable conditions for the development of green investments and initiatives. A special focus will be placed on reducing the carbon footprint of local service providers, starting with the Sports Centre where energy-efficient lighting is planned."

The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation was organized at the International Conference Green Days 2019 – Unlocking Green Growth Potential. The International Conference Green Days 2019: Unlocking Green Growth Potential (UGGP) is a large conference that takes place in Podgorica on June 5-6. The conference is organized by the Government of Montenegro, the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

One of the conclusions of the conference is that in the next twenty years, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas and that this requires an urgent transformation towards smart cities. The implementation of the smart city concept can save time spent in traffic from 15 to 30 minutes per person, and even save water from 25 to 80 litres of water per day per person.

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

06 June 2019 - On June 2 and 3, the Tourist Organization of Bar had the opportunity to host two groups of journalists from France and Israel, who travelled to this city in order to learn about its tourism offer.

According to their recently published report, the Tourist Organization of Bar hosted French journalists from Le Temps dꞌun Voyage, GEO.fr, Mag Centre, La Quotidienne and Infotravel.fr.

The group of journalists who came from Israel included representatives of the Ynet website, Passport media group, Yedioth Ahronoth, Mako, Walla website, Israel Hayom, as well as managers and the vice president of marketing and sales of Israir Airlines & Tourism.

During this study visit, the journalists visited: Old Bar, Old Olive, and National Park Skadar Lake. A local tourist guide presented the cultural and historical landmarks of Old Bar to the French and Israeli guests. They were especially interested in the aqueduct, clock tower, numerous churches from various epochs, the St. Nicholas Monastery, the main gate, the Citadel as well as the hamam.

In addition to the prominent cultural and historical features of the city, representatives of the French media were able to get acquainted with the gastronomic offer of this area. They were very eager to observe the process of cooking Turkish coffee at Kaldrma restaurant in Old Bar. At their request, the journalists were given an opportunity to conduct an interview with the owner of this restaurant, where they were introduced more closely to the way of living that took place in this charming settlement.

In addition to Old Bar, the French and Israeli media also visited the Old Olive in Mirovica. They were introduced to the old local custom of walking three circles around the olive tree for good health, happiness, and love.

During their visit to Virpazar, the journalists were directed to the Visitors’ Centre where they got acquainted with the natural and cultural resources of the Skadar Lake. They were introduced to the possibilities of spending an active holiday in the National Park Skadar Lake, with an emphasis on pedestrian routes, biking trails, and special wine routes. The guests were charmed by the cruise on Skadar Lake, as well as with the hospitality of the tourist guides and the locals.

The Cultural Centre of Bar Municipality provided free entrance to all the locations the guests wanted to visit, while the Tourist Organization of Bar took care of the complete organization of the visit to the territory of the Bar Municipality and of the distribution of propaganda material.

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

June 6, 2019 - At the Small stage of the Tivat Culture Center, the book of Dr. Miomir Maros "Recorded Montenegro" was presented last night, for which the audience showed great interest.

Miomir Maros, TV Journalist, the author of "Recorded Montenegro"

 

After 17 years of work on the television series "Record," Maros says it was not easy to choose the stories that would enter the book.

The first donkey museum in the region will soon be opened at the Donkey farm in Martinici, and the founder of the farm, the ornithologist Darko Saveljic, has also announced the opening of the visitors' center. "It will be the first farm in the country to have a visitor center and the first donkey museum in the region," he told Newspapers. Saveljic founded the farm in 2015 to protect an animal that is part of Montenegrin natural and cultural heritage. So, it became a refuge for a few donkeys bought by the founders to save them from torture, hunger, and hard work. He said that about thirty years ago, the donkey was the best ally of rural households in the karst part of the country. Today, it has lost the battle with machines and has become one of the most endangered animal species in Montenegro, even threatened by the pelican. Visitors to the future museum will be able to see saddles, wooden buckets (burilo), Polaroid photographs with donkeys on beaches, photographs from the lives of donkeys in Montenegro, and stories from the life of the first donkey farm in Montenegro over 108 square meters.

The Visitor Center will be located within the museum. Saveljic said that the idea is that this space will be free of charge for seminars and workshops on nature protection and agriculture. Two suits within the farm will soon be completed to accommodate volunteers working there.

"The farm is very popular abroad and we have a large number of announcements, especially German tourists, who want to stay at the farm, where they will work and pay for it. It sounds strange, but the foreigners will stay on the farm, work and pay," says Saveljic.

One hundred fifty donkeys live in Montenegro and that is the total number of these animals, counting those on the farm in Martinici.

He explains that it is a form of tourism that is more popular with those who want an active vacation.

"These are mostly families with children. There will also be organic gardens, so we can start the program “Pick, prepare and eat” to complete the offer. Soon the valley of Zete River will be a protected area, so staying in the beautiful and protected nature is a luxurious experience," said the founder.

Apart from being a shelter for donkeys, the farm has the role of sensitizing people to the problems of animal abuse and offers free assistance to families who have problems with autistic children. Donkey’s milk production is also carried out on the farm, and almost half of the product obtained is donated to the most serious diseases and children suffering from diabetes.

More than 57,000 visitors have visited the farm in Martinici so far, and it is recommended by the famous tourist guides Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet.

"Only in December last year, at the fourth New Year’s ball for children and adults, we had more than three thousand visitors in one day," Saveljic recalls. The donkey farm is open for visits on Sundays from 10 am to 1 pm. The entrance ticket is a kilogram of fruit per person.

The construction of the Visitor Center was supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, through the Active Citizenship Fund in Montenegro.

Text by Damira Kalac, on June 5th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Kolasin will soon get the first public charging station for electric cars, as announced from the Manager's Office of this Municipality. This will enable the city to "support electric mobility and the expansion of electric vehicles in the region". As explained, the charging station is enabled through the project "Low carbon tourism development in Montenegro" implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in co-operation with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Kolasin Municipality Manager Veljo Jovanovic said that investing in the development of a charging station network would enable energy efficient transport as a whole.

"Due to the great dissatisfaction of foreign tourists due to the lack of public e-stations in the state, the Kolasin Municipality has taken certain measures to assist users of such vehicles through the provision of funds for necessary permits and preparatory works. The planned location for the station is in the very center of the city, on an already existing one-way street parking, stretching from the Sheraton hotel to the hotel “Bianca”, said Jovanovic.

He announced that during the first year the power supply will be free of charge because the Municipality of Kolasin will take care of the payment, according to the postpaid principle, on a monthly basis.

"This power station will be primarily to charge the electric vehicles of tourists, which will improve the tourist offer of the city. On the websites of the Kolasin Municipality and local tourist organizations, information on the e-station will be published, while the owners of accommodation facilities will put the info on their Booking accounts," explains Jovanovic.

He announced that the Management Department plans to apply for several smaller e-engine vehicles in the following period, by looking at the example of Tivat. These vehicles, he says, would serve for the tourist tours of the city.

Text by Dragana Scepanovic, on June 5th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Sunday as a non-working day in Delta City, Podgorica, causes a loss of a minimum of EUR 1 million in turnover at the end of the month, the shopping center said.

They reacted to refusing their request to work on Sundays.

"The financial loss of the lessees entails a reduction in the salaries of the workers and the dismissal of the workforce. The estimation that about 20% of the workforce at the center level will be left without a job. For the outcome, this decision is reflected also on the obligations that all our partners but also we as the shopping, have towards the state - a lower tax on income, and lower VAT revenues," said Delta.

They point out that shopping is a destination but also a venue for event organization, and is the most attractive and accessible to citizens during the weekend when they do not have to go to their jobs.

It is noteworthy that numerous guests and buyers from other Montenegrin cities, as well as neighboring countries, come to Podgorica on the weekends.

"The Domino effect of the non-working Sundays could be reflected in the removal of major international fashion brands from Montenegro, and we had a similar experience with the renowned British retailer “Marks & Spencer” when this company withdrew from the Montenegrin market, precisely because of the failure to meet its financial plans. The shopping mall is not just a shopping center, but a tourist service facility, considering it is a destination that also offers entertainment content, such as children's playrooms and the cinema, and most of the events are organized on the weekends, many of which have a tourist character and offer the possibility of promotion for small businesses, such as antiques fair, handicrafts, and many others," it was stated.

No doubt, the shopping mall Delta City will, as it has been so far, respect all the laws of Montenegro. However, we believe that the Montenegrin society will suffer the most significant damage to the proposed law change, and there are examples from the region and the world to prove it.

In all the countries of the region and most European countries, malls work on Sundays

In Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, even Slovenia (shortened working time on Sundays), malls work on Sundays. The same applies to Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Hungary, Great Britain, Finland, Denmark, Sweden.

Text by Vijesti online on June 5th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Sergey Gron's Ecological Actions 

Ecological State of Montenegro, Bar, Copyright: Vijesti

 

"We carried out cleaning actions from Jugodrvo to Trojica, then from Trojica to Kotor and from Kotor to the circular course. I intend to pursue the action of cleaning on billboards in two languages, with motivational messages about using plastic bags and bottles less and the proper disposal of waste, as well as the UNESCO educational material on this topic being distributed by schools and continuing to cooperate with other organizations cleaning garbage from the areas beside the roads. My activities do not have any political or financial claims; I want to do something for the space in which I live and to contribute to the preservation of this part of the planet to remain so beautiful. It is important that everyone has the responsibility in front of him and front of God for their actions and to constantly think of what kind of planet to leave behind, to their children," Sergey Gron told Radio Tivat.

Ecological action by Dubravka Jovanovic and Her Young Team

Dubravka and her team in the ecological action at Župa, Tivat, Copyright: Dubravka Jovanovic

05 June 2019 - Montenegro and Italy have developed high-quality political and economic relations and, as member states of NATO, they see a lot of room for further strengthening of defence cooperation. It was concluded at the meeting held between Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković and Minister of Defence of Italy Elisabetta Trenta.

Expressing gratitude to the Government and people of Italy for their support during Montenegro's process of joining NATO, as well as for the current European integration process, Prime Minister Marković emphasised the significance of training our officers at prestigious Italian military academies, stressing that the fact that the Italian Air Forces, with their colleagues from Greece, have been protecting the airspace of Montenegro since last year, testifies to strong partnership and close ties between the two countries. 

The Prime Minister informed Ms Trent about the strategic goals of Montenegro and the excellent economic performance achieved thanks to the Government’s policy of strong economic growth and boosted employment. In that regard, he referred to the fact that Montenegro is recognised in Italy as a high-quality investment destination and economic partner. This is confirmed by the fact that the two countries are bringing the strategic interstate project of submarine power cable project to an end and that a large number of Italian companies operates in Montenegro.

Minister of Defence Elisabetta Trenta told Prime Minister Marković that Italian companies for large investments in Montenegro could count on the state support. 

Both sides agreed that the future of the Western Balkans is in the European Union and that the EU enlargement policy has no alternative. 

The meeting was attended by Ambassador of Italy to Montenegro Luca Zelioli.