12 May 2019 - Thirteen banks that operate in Montenegro (apart from Atlas and IBM that went bankrupt) were in the plus 14,3 million EUR at the end of the first quarter. Every bank has made profit except for Nova and Zirat. Universal Capital Bank had the biggest increase in profit. In comparison to the same period last year, its profit has increased by 13 times, writes “Pobjeda”.

Banks have earned a total of 33,4 million EUR based on interests and 8,3 million EUR based on fees and commissions. Erste Bank has made the highest profit in three months – 2,4 million EUR. It has earned 5,5 million EUR based on interests and 579.000 EUR based on fees and commissions.

The Montenegrin Commercial Bank comes next. It made a profit of 2,39 million EUR, 6,2 million EUR from interests and 1,6 million EUR from fees and commissions. The profit of Hipotekarna bank amounted 2,08 million EUR. They have earned 3,5 million EUR on the basis of interests and 2,06 million EUR on the basis of fees and commissions.

NLB Bank comes fourth with a profit of 1,9 million EUR, weaker than last year. This bank has earned 4,9 million EUR on the basis of interests and 794.000 EUR on the basis of fees and commissions. The profit of Societe Generale Bank amount 1,8 million EUR, 5,5 million EUR from interests and 436.000 EUR from fees and commissions.

Universal Capital Bank has made a profit 13 times higher than in the same period last year. The bank has earned 736.000 EUR based on interests and 1,15 million EUR based on fees and commissions.

Prva Bank has earned 403.000 EUR, while this bank gained 2,3 million EUR from interests and 425.000 EUR from fees and commissions.

Profit of Addiko Bank amounts to 1,17 million EUR. (2,4 million EUR based on interests and 561.000 EUR based on fees and commissions).

Profit of Lovćen Bank amounts 455.000 EUR. Commercial Bank Podgorica earned 211.000 EUR. Zapad Bank has made a profit of 117.000 EUR.

Loss of Nova Bank amounts 453.000 EUR. They have earned 169.000 EUR based on interests and they have lost 31.000 EUR based on fees and commissions. Zirat Bank has had negative profit too – 8.000 EUR.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

12 May 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović delivered a speech at a ceremony marking Europe Day in Podgorica.

"Montenegro, which we have built together on the principles of civil society, its history and culture, the ideals of justice, equality and freedom, has long since belonged to Europe," Minister Darmanović said, adding that membership in the club of the most developed democracies today is the primary foreign policy priority of Montenegro.

"In the process in which we work patiently to achieve the standards of the European legal system and high principles of the rule of law - the process of European integration, our entire society takes part. By providing strong and convincing majority support to Montenegro's accession to the European Union, citizens show that this process is their choice and the way they want to go," said the head of Montenegrin diplomacy.

Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro Aivo Orav also spoke at the celebration in Podgorica. He said that Europe Day is celebrated each year in memory of the declaration of French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, which announced the project of reconciliation and unification in Europe, and a new form of political cooperation.

Within today's celebration, the Foreign Minister also played a chess game with President of the European Chess Union Zarub Azmaiparashvili.

The bridge on the Tara river saw numerous events organized within the eleventh consecutive tourist-promotional, ecological and cultural-entertainment manifestation "Bridges Connect People".

From 12 p.m. there was a parade by the majorettes from Tivat. KUD "Volodja" from Pljevlja performed a number of dances and songs, vocalists, reciters, poets and satirists. The program was embellished by the majorettes “Modest” from Tivat and an exhibition of handicrafts.  

A member of the organizing committee of the event Miloje Kljajevic says that this manifestation opens the season in the north of Montenegro.

"It aims to bring visitors closer to the richness of this area, the beauty and tourist potentials of the canyon and the bridge on Tara. Also, to show handicrafts of local labor and to offer products of hard-working homemakers from these regions," says Kljajevic.

"We are trying to draw even more attention to this area, one of the most valuable tourism potentials of our country's northern area. We started 11 years ago when, in this area, there was only a devastated motel, one cafe and one kiosk, and now there is plenty in the tourist offer. The aim is fulfilled and that is to animate the local population to become part of the tourist industry. We are pleased to have achieved this plan," says Emina Krijestorac from the Tourist Organization Pljevlja.

The bridge on Tara, 365 meters long and at its tallest arch about 150 meters high, is the most visited destination in the NP "Durmitor". This was also evident during the duration of the event, which, together with the abundance of unique images, was an additional scene to the camera objective of numerous tourists, among which the most numerous are traditionally the guests from China.

With the support of MORT, organizers of the event were the NGO "Tara" from Djurdjevica Tara, the tourist organizations Pljevalja and Zabljak and the National Tourism Organization.

Text by Obrad Pjesivac, on May 11th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Today, at the Argentine Plaza in Podgorica, the Montenegrin Police Administration officially celebrated the Global Week of Security in Traffic.

Traffic police presented the funds, vehicles, and equipment used by traffic police officers in working with the citizens, the Police Administration said.

Chief of Traffic Safety Group Milika Perovic said that the traffic police held a series of educational and preventive activities during which, among other things, there was a visit to the kindergarten "Little Prince" in Podgorica to educate the children and talk about the basics of behavior in traffic.

 "The traffic police officers shared information and educational fliers to the traffic participants, in which the facts mentioned reminded of why it is important to respect the regulations and the dangers which can be caused by the smallest recklessness in traffic, such as the fact that traffic accidents are the leading cause of the deaths of children between 5 and 13 years in Europe and that the correct use of child seats in the vehicle reduces the probability of fatal injuries during traffic accidents by 70 percent", the statement states.

Perovic said that marking the Global Week of Security in Traffic is an opportunity to remind us of the significant continuous contribution of traffic police to improving the road safety situation, since in the last ten years the number of deaths in traffic in Montenegro has been reduced by about 50 percent in the past ten years.

Montenegrin police are actively engaged in the celebration of the Global Week of Security in Traffic, which the United Nations this year marks from 6th to 12th May under the slogan "Respect the regulations, save lives".

Text by Vijesti online, on May 10th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

The price of euro-super 95 fuel in Montenegro is higher than the average in the region, while euro-diesel is cheaper than the average regional value, shows the data from the Bulletin of the Ministry of Economy.

According to the data of the last weekly Bulletin on Oil Prices, one liter of euro-super 95 in Montenegro costs EUR 1.37, in Croatia EUR 1.42, and EUR 1.44 in Albania.

A liter of euro-super 95 is cheaper in Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where it costs €1.3, or €1.17 and €1.13.

Euro-super 95 in Europe is the cheapest in Bulgaria, where it costs €1.11, and the most expensive in the Netherlands, where one liter costs €1.72.

When it comes to euro-diesel, one liter in Montenegro costs €1.25. Euro-diesel in Albania costs €1.43, Serbia €1.39, and Croatia €1.36.

One liter of Euro-diesel is cheaper in BiH and Macedonia, where it costs €1.16 or €1.03.

The cheapest euro-diesel in Europe is paid by citizens of Macedonia, and the most expensive in the UK, €1.58 per liter.

The last changes in fuel prices in Montenegro occurred on April 16^th, when euro-super 95 and 98 increased in price by three cents.

The Ministry, or its Directorate for Energy, on September 21^st last year, on a weekly basis, publishes basic information on retail petroleum products, i.e. comparable fuel prices in the region.

Text by MINA Business, on May 10th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

May 12, 2019 - Chinese investment for Montenegro and the Luštica Bay project is even more pronounced. The first group of Chinese journalists stayed in Montenegro without hiding a very positive impression of the beauty and development of the country and Luštica Bay as the most significant investment project in tourism in this part of Southeast Europe, said Lustica Development.

"Life is what it should be. The meaning of this sentence will be fully realized only when you visit Montenegro and Luštica Bay and experience its nature and lifestyle. No country has ever left such a deep impression on me as Montenegro. The landscape that takes away my breath and a healthy lifestyle makes me feel this is the right place to want to live," said Shen Yan, a columnist for the Chinese magazine Forbes. Shen Yan is a reporter specializing in reporting on luxurious residential projects.

As part of the initiatives implemented within the marketing activities in the territory of the People's Republic of China, the company Lustica Development organized a visit and stay of journalists from Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Chinese publications that are being prepared and published in the United Kingdom.

Journalist Zeng Lingjing of Nouvelles d'Europe (European Times), the most significant Chinese publication based in Europe with broad audience and distribution in a large number of European countries, Wang Donglei, editor of the UK Chinese Times list, the most influential Chinese newspaper in the UK; Qian Tongxin, a reporter for the renowned China Business Network and Xu Lingjue, a reporter for Global Time specializing in global travel and travel, were all part of the group.

"The visits were preceded by the cooperation of the company with the National Tourism Organization during the Beijing Tourism Fair and the annual reception of the Association of Chinese Directors and Entrepreneurs of IOD last week in London. As part of the yearly plan, the company will hold another reception in Beijing in May and June and attend the prestigious Luxury Property Showcase," said Slavica Milic, Marketing Manager at Lustica Development.

May 12, 2019 - The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg receives a large number of complaints related to the excessive length of court proceedings, which implies that the Montenegrin justice system as a whole did not respond to the needs of a reasonable deadline for the trial prescribed by the European Convention.

11 May 2019 - At its latest session, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Report on the perception of employers on the relevance of higher education in Montenegro.

In order to obtain information from the labour market on the needs of employers and to better understand the level of compliance of higher educational programmes with the needs of the labour market, the Ministry of Education conducted two surveys in 2013 and 2019 within the project "Higher Education and Research for Innovation and Competitiveness - INVO". The results of the research from the current year shows that there are significant and positive changes in the quality of higher education.

Most employers think that university graduates are sufficiently trained for the job they have been educated and are ready to respond immediately to job requirements. On the other hand, the importance of practice, that is, practical teaching as a compulsory part of the study programmes, is particularly emphasised, both for professional development and for finding employment easier.

At the end of the discussion, it was concluded that this research provides useful data for line ministries or the Government, which are very important for further consideration of enrollment policy at higher education institutions and the improvement of study programmes, to establish a balance between supply and demand in the labour market.

11 May 2019 - The motorway, being the highest ranked road, represents the most secure road category, Veselin Salamadija, a specialist in traffic engineering and president of the Group for the transport of passengers and goods by road in the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, said in an interview for CdM.

Salamadija says the construction of the motorway would significantly reduce travel time, that is, people will travel 30-40 minutes from Podgorica to Kolašin instead of an hour and a half as they do now. Costs will be decreased as well. However, there are certain problems as well – more and more drivers seek to find a job in the EU member states. However, the relevant Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs somehow has managed to mitigate this problem.

He also believes that high-quality and secure roads can bolster road safety even though this issue has been quite complex in terms of factors that affect the level of safety.

“Having in mind that the priority Smokovac–Mateševo section represents an alternative to the route from Podgorica to Kolašin (the canyon Platije), the need for its construction is even greater,” said Salamadija.

When it comes to the benefits of the Bar–Boljare motorway in terms of passenger and goods traffic, as someone who has been involved in the area of passenger and goods transport for many years, Salamadija expresses his great satisfaction with the fact Montenegro has opted for the project of constructing the Bar-Boljare motorway.

By constructing the Smokovac–Mateševo section in Montenegro and the Surčin–Čačak section in Serbia, transport of passengers and goods will be realized in a more quality, reliable and secure way,” concluded Salamadija.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

11 May 2019 - Minister of Sports and Youth Nikola Janović and OSCE Ambassador to Montenegro Maryse Daviet received professors of physical education and trainers who will participate in regional training organized by the OSCE and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The training will be held from 14 to 16 May 2019 in Belgrade. 

Ambassador Daviet pointed out that the youth is a driver of the process of reconciliation and cooperation in the region. She congratulated Montenegro on expressing its interest in participating in this regional initiative, which focuses on the prevention of youth crime through educational programmes. Daviet also congratulated the participants and wished them success during their training and their future work. 

Minister Janovic wished successful training to the participants, stressing that he is pleased that sports become more and more recognised as a useful tool for the prevention of negative phenomena in society. He expressed the belief that the acquired knowledge and skills will give professors and trainers a new quality in working with young people. 

Training participants, coaches Zoran Abramović and Marko Radusinović and professors of physical education Adnan Mušović and Aleksandra Ražnatović, thanked the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, who provided them with the opportunity to improve their knowledge and ability to transfer the new skills to their colleagues in order to further jointly contribute to the development of youth through sports.

A few days ago, OSCE representatives were hosted in Podgorica by the Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković.

The Prime Minister thanked them for the assistance that the OSCE provides to Montenegro, saying that this cooperation helped Montenegro to strengthen the rule of law and build democratic institutions. By this occasion, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajčák pointed out that Montenegro is a reliable partner of the OSCE that fulfills its obligations and assessed that Montenegro's progress is visible both in the political and economic and developmental contexts.