20 April 2019 - Electric Power Company of Montenegro and Gradir Montenegro have been given awards by the Chamber of Commerce on account of their successful performance. Glosarij company got the award for social responsibility, Montenegrin Commercial Bank got the prize for innovation, and CEO of Mercator-Montenegro, Ivan Karadžić, was awarded for the improvement of management. Awards were handed by the President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović.

“We are facing the real possibility to become the next EU Member State. Contemporary Montenegro has a clear vision. We must move on. EU membership is not just a symbolic act; it is a hard process of adopting European values. Competitiveness is our greatest challenge today. Economic competitiveness above all. We want the European quality of life of our citizens,” said President Đukanović.

He said that Montenegro needed further education reform.

“One of the less developed countries of the former Yugoslavia is one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Europe. Foreign Direct Investments have provided development. We have to change life quality. Citizens of other countries come to Montenegro to look for a job. It is a clear indicator. Entire Montenegrin economy plays a decisive role in the creation of a business environment,” said Mr Đukanović.

In the next ten years, some new resorts of world-known brands will be open.

“New investments stimulate the quality of life. I believe we can be proud of what we have achieved. However, we still know how to acquire,” said the President.

“Chamber of Commerce is putting a value on the true business elite of Montenegro and the leaders in business,” said the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, Vlastimir Golubović.

He stressed that the Chamber had introduced numerous initiatives that had resulted in amendments to a significant number of regulations.

“We are planning to go on with working on the creation of incentive regulatory framework that will bring safer and more predictable business, increase in profitability and employment and provide Montenegro with better rating and position on the lists of renowned international organizations,” said Golubović.

In cooperation with the Government, the Chamber will keep insisting on finding commercial space for lower taxation of the economy.

“Grey economy and unfair competition are still the biggest obstacles to raising the competitiveness of the domestic economy. I am sure that with the synergy of the economy, the Government and competent authorities, we can reduce the grey economy to the lowest possible level,” concluded Mr Golubović.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

April 21, 2019 - Infrastructure is a key issue to the expansion of Montenegro's luxury tourism drive. An interview about Tivat Airport with aviation expert Thomas Jaeger, CEO of ch-aviation, a Swiss company leading the way in global airline intelligence since 1998.

1. Tivat Airport is crucial to the development of luxury tourism in Croatia, with Lustica Bay, Porto Montenegro and Portonovi about 2.5 billion euro in investments alone. What is happening with the running of the airport? There are rumours of Turkish company TAV taking over?

I have heard about the TAV rumours, but do not have any more information about it, but it is a move that would make sense and be in line with TAV's strategy in the region. They already run Zagreb airport in a joint venture, for example, as well as concessions in Georgia, Macedonia and Tunisia, so this would be a logical extension.

2. Tivat has grown exponentially in recent years, as tourism has increased. What plans are to upgrade the airport to meet the needs of the destination? What are the biggest challenges?

It is an interesting time for Tivat, but infrastructure continues to be an issue. This summer will see 10 new routes, which is great, but mostly 1-2 times a week, unlike Dubrovnik. The Russian growth will continue, and there will be new connections from Azerbaijan with the opening of Portonovi in Herceg Novi. 

The arrival of Lufthansa is significant in that is it the first international hub carrier to come to Tivat. This will directly lead to more Western tourists. But the main challenge for Tivat continues to be its seasonality and seasonal employment needs from April to October, with little in the other months.

If you look at the capacity of Tivat, there is plenty of room to accommodate more flights. Looking at a regular Sunday in August, for example, there are about 25-30 flights a day, with 4-5 aircraft on the ground at any one time a rarity. 

By spreading its schedule more throughout the week rather than a concentration on weekends, Tivat can handle 50-60% more traffic than at present, a model that has worked on some Greek islands. More than that, and an alternative new airport is probably the solution. 

Currently, flights are concentrated during daylight hours, and I would need to check on the reasons for that (Editor's note – Montenegro Airports has also agreed to an interview, and this is a question TMN will be asking). But night flights only work with certain markets of origin. 

This is not a problem for Russian markets, but there are Western European airport curfews to consider. Night flights also invariably mean lower average fares, which is a factor to be taken into consideration. 

3. What in your opinion is the maximum capacity of Tivat?

As I said above, there is still plenty of capacity, which is not utilised in Tivat, and there are lots of holes in the schedule. Take a look at some of the Greek islands, which have managed to successfully increase capacity by moving to weekday arrivals. 

4. Will FlyDubai return? There are rumours they may not.

The current situation is that the flights are scheduled up to three times weekly, but they are not really selling tickets on all flights. I suspect the aircraft availability due to the Boeing 737 Max crisis is a factor, if you look at the schedule, the first flight is scheduled for June 3. However, if you try and book, the first availability is June 21. I suspect they will continue flights where sales are good, but they will cut frequencies due to lack of aircraft availability. 

5. As the luxury resorts get built, the Tivat region will become increasingly attractive for 12-month tourism, but year-round flights will be essential for this to work. How do you envisage major airlines entering year-round relationships with Tivat?

Each airline has its own strategy. Lufthansa has been very active in the last couple of years, and they are trying to move capacity to leisure markets on weekends when business demand is lower. If Tivat works for Lufthansa, expect Austrian, Brussels Airlines or Swiss to follow suit. But Tivat is also a classic Eurowings destination. 

Air France-KLM usually look at routes where they fly several times a week, but KLM is now servicing more offbeat destinations such as Sardinia, so they could also be an option. Air France also has a codeshare agreement with Montenegro Airlines, so would not need to come in themselves. BA are engaged in the region, but not anywhere close to as much as Lufthansa – they are more growing leisure capacity to more established markets. Lufthansa is the key airline in this, even more so with its regional partnership with Croatia Airlines. 

It would be hard to see a Western European airline servicing Tivat all year. Connections to Moscow are much stronger, and the lack of year-round flights to Dubrovnik is a key indicator. And one to watch, in terms of trends. 

6. Dubrovnik Airport has been a major gateway to the Montenegrin coast for tourists. How much has the rise of Tivat affected that, and how do you see the future? 

It would be great to have data on how many tourists for Montenegro are using Dubrovnik as a gateway, but such statistics would only possible if they were systematically collected, which they are not at present. Dubrovnik obviously has a much higher capacity, and therefore much better connectivity, so it will continue to be an important gateway to Montenegro. 

If you look at a random week in August, you will see 70,000 seats scheduled in Dubrovnik versus 25,000 in Tivat. The Russian market is a major factor in the Tivat numbers, much less so in Dubrovnik. So, while Tivat will continue to grow, the capacity and connectivity will be focused on Dubrovnik. If you want to check the possibility of year-round connections to Tivat, follow what is happening in Dubrovnik, and the same will come in time. 

7. Do you expect short-haul budget airline routes in the region to increase, given the poor state of road connections?

Well, we have Air Serbia in Tivat all year at the moment. Both Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines have potential, but they have their own problems. But in theory, yes, and there is certainly a case for using the hubs of Ljubljana or Zagreb, although those hubs are small. But one issue is the timing of the flights, which would probably necessitate night flights to Tivat. I am not sure that the infrastructure is geared for that (EDITOR NOTE – Montenegro Airports has agreed to an interview with TMN, and this is an issue we will be exploring). The other sensible option is Wizz Air from Belgrade, but traffic rights could be an issue, as they would be flying from one non-EU country to another. 

8. How will Tivat Airport look in 10 years in terms of capacity and seasonality in your opinion?  

Tourism will continue to boom, and Tivat has no serious airport competition, so it will continue to grow at about the rate of 10% as at present. That growth will continue until capacity is full. 

As with the Croatian coast, I expect a few weeks of growth to be added to either side of the tourist season. Dubrovnik is a great benchmark to follow for trends. In a perfect world, there would be 3-5 flights a week from Western European capitals in December. 

9. Your thoughts on the current situation at Montenegro Airlines?

Montenegro Airlines suffers from the same problems as other regional airlines. It has a small and limited fleet and has to deal with the issue of seasonality. They have to be there in winter, but in summer, everyone is competing with them. Seasonality is a major problem. 

They also have small aircraft. Aircraft which are too small in summer, and too big in winter. As such, they can't send them to other locations. Other airlines lease their aircraft to Asia and Canada, where there is more winter demand, but this doesn't apply to the regional jets Montenegro Airlines operates. 

They are doing the right things in terms of maximising maintenance in winter and being flexible in terms of human resources, but the market is small and there is limited potential to make Podgorica a hub. 

Tourism obviously helps in summer, but in the long term, I do not see it working, and in terms of its cost structure, it is a very difficult business case. Its finances improved last year, but they still rely on the government one way or the other. But such reliance now comes under greater scrutiny with EU rules applying to a member candidate country, so the government will not be able to continue bailing it out.

Thomas Jaeger is CEO of ch-aviation.For over 20 years ch-aviation has been providing decision-makers around the globe with relevant and up to date airline intelligence and insightful news on the industry.

Founded in 1998 in Chur in Switzerland, ch-aviation has become an influential airline intelligence provider and one of the very few Swiss aviation success stories. Today ch-aviation welcomes more than 1.8 million users each year and is proud to count hundreds of companies in the airline industry as its customers. Yet, we are still small enough to care about the details that have always made the difference between good and outstanding data.

You can learn more about ch-aviation from the official website.

In 2016, the Government declared as non-perspective and surplus four school-type fighters "supergaleb G-4" from the Army of Montenegro and indicated that they should be sold. The Ministry of Defense claims that there have not been any interests in them so far.

Unknown sources of "Vijesti" claim that the Croatian Ministry of Defense is allegedly interested in purchasing them.

"The Defense Ministry has so far twice announced the tender for the sale of 4 G-4 aircraft surpluses together with the associated spare parts and equipment, but there was no interest in buying from the bidders. In the coming period, the mentioned items will be offered again for sale, said Predrag Boskovic's ministry.

Montenegro currently has a total of four school-combat airplanes of this type from the former 172^nd hunting-bomber aviation brigade of the Army of MNE War aircraft, which have not flown for several years. In February 2016, the Government made the decision that these four jet planes, together with three more pioneers for UTVA-75 basic flight training, with a "supergaleb G-4" flight simulator, 287,910 pieces of spare parts, equipment and tools needed for their maintenance, including 18 Rolls Royce Viper 632 jet engine motors for “supergaleb”, are offered for sale at a total price of 15.35 million euros.

The four G-4 planes were estimated at about 4.27 million euros, a G-4 simulator at one million, and 18 Viper 632 engines at 600,000 euros. According to available data, nothing has been sold until today. Nothing from a lorry airplane or aviation technique was included in the list of VCG aviation weapons and equipment that the Ministry of Defense offered to buyers on the last, confidential tender for the sale of the military surplus announced on 31^st December 2018.

"Vijesti" asked MO whether, during a recent meeting of defense ministers Boskovic and Damir Krsticevic in Split, there were any talks about a possible sale of the G-4 or reciprocal "compensation" with these planes, and Croatia, in return, would give up on the request that school ship "Jadran" is returned to them.

"Minister Boskovic had bilateral talks with the Croatian Defense Minister Djukic Krsticevic during his visit to the international exhibition of arms and military equipment (Adriatic Sea Defense & Aerospace Exhibition and Conference ASDA 2019), where the modalities of continuation of otherwise good co-operation between the two states in the field of defense, primarily relating to the education of military personnel and training of military personnel and members of the armed forces, "it was stated from the Montenegrin MO.

VCG had 17 "supergalebs" after declaring independence. During the mandate of Defense Minister Bora Vucinic, Montenegro ceded six aircraft of this type and one flight simulator for the "supergaleb" to Serbia in exchange for personal records of members of the then common army of the two states. Several years later, Montenegro sold seven more G-4 aircraft to the Croatian company "ZPZ Aerospace" from Zagreb.

Both the Montenegrin and Croatian MOs deny speculation that their representatives have recently met at the Podgorica military aerodrome "Knjaz Danilo" for the inspection of “gulls”.

Text by Sinisa Lukovic, on April 20th 2019, read more at Vijesti

The public company for the management of maritime resources (“JP Morsko dobro”) will mark 22^nd April, Earth Day, in Ulcinj, by organizing ecological actions in cooperation with local nongovernmental organizations, schools and other institutions.

In cooperation with NGO "RDA - UBA", the company organizes the action of cleaning the hinterland of the beach on Velika plaza from the beach "CABO" to "HAVANA".

"On that occasion, waste will be collected, and by appropriate trucks and containers will be disposed at a location for such purpose.

The action will include representatives of NGOs "Green Step", JP "Utilities" Ulcinj, JP "For the breeding and protection of game animals" Ulcinj ", as stated by “Morsko dobro”.

One and a half hours later, the officials from “Morsko dobro” will join the action of cleaning Velika plaza in Ulcinj, organized by Karisma Hotels Adriatic Montenegro, RLC Montenegro and a local non-governmental organization from Ulcinj - NGO Ecovita.

Similar actions by “Morsko dobro” will be organized tomorrow in other coastal municipalities.

Text by Samir Adrovic, on April 21st 2019, read more at Vijesti

One of the heroes of the victory against “Red Star” in the fourth match of the play-off finals Edwin Jackson knows what the guys from Podgorica can expect in Belgrade, but also considers that such matches are something special in the career of players.

The French national was great in the last duel against the club from Belgrade.

"First of all, after two matches in Belgrade, we had to look at ourselves and admit that we played badly. Still, we managed to react and to even the score. On Monday, it is important that we play for each point and try to win and gain placement in the European league, which is our main goal and which we deserve. The “best of three” match in Belgrade is something special in our careers. The audience will be crazy, but these are the moments that you live for," said Jackson.

The tiebreaker game for the title of the ABA league will be played on Monday in Belgrade at 7 p.m.

Text by CdM/Dan, on April 21st 2019, read more at CdM

21 April 2019 - Taking action in the field of energy efficiency, sustainable construction and sustainable transport, as well as the use of renewable energy sources, places Podgorica in the “family” of cities that have applied generally acceptable mechanisms for achieving environmental goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and rational use of resources, said the Deputy Mayor of Podgorica Sladjana Vujačić at the opening of the 6th Energy Days of Podgorica.

"Being encouraged by the desire to make Podgorica a modern and dynamic city, and being aware of the necessity of establishing a responsible attitude towards the needs of current and future generations, we definitely perceive the concept of sustainable development as an obligation. Podgorica is a city inhabited by a third of Montenegrin citizens, which puts it in the position of a leader with greater responsibility, but also gives it the possibility to provide a significant contribution to the overall sustainable development of the state in the process of joining the EU, "Ms Vujačić said.

She added that the success and the purpose of taking action in the field of rational use of energy as a resource open new challenges for the city, which require the involvement of various subjects and the general public in the planned activities.

"A special emphasis is placed on the need to strengthen social awareness and encourage citizens to recognize the importance of their role in the development of the city as a sustainable urban community. It is necessary to change the established ways of behaviour, accepting the fact that energy efficiency does not imply constant savings nor diminishing the quality of life, but a new and better attitude towards the environment in which we live, "Vujačić pointed out.

She recalled the series of activities that the Capital is pursuing in this field, both through the promotion of alternative forms of transport, and through the establishment of the Energy Management Office with the Info Centre, with the task of providing all relevant stakeholders with adequate information related to energy management, as well as providing practical tips on ways to save energy and effective measures and solutions that they can apply in everyday life.

"Podgorica is our own corner of the planet, and our goal is to enrich the space we live in, and to show that we can, and we want to make Podgorica a more beautiful place to live in. I am convinced that the organization of "Energy Days" will stimulate contemplation and provide a significant contribution to our further successful joint action. I want to invite our citizens to be one of the main players and our valuable partners through their active cooperation, suggestions and criticism, "Vujačić concluded.

Energy Days 2019 in Podgorica began with Critical Mass in cooperation with NGO Biciklo.me, as well as with the measuring of carbon print of citizens and experiment on oxygen generation in the performance of the scientific section of pupils of elementary school "Vuk Karadžić".

Source: CdM

21 April 2019 -As part of their tour, musical band Wings of Dixie will perform in the Montenegrin cities of Bar (April 21) and Kotor (April 22).

The U.S. Embassy Podgorica is excited to bring the musical band Wings of Dixie to Montenegro!

Wings of Dixie, which is part of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, is an 8-member ensemble that epitomizes Americana with every performance.  The band’s repertoire covers the full spectrum of American music, including jazz, Dixieland, the blues, modern pop, and rock hits. 

The group provides a high-energy show that is instantly identifiable as American music.  The only ensemble of its kind representing the United States Air Forces in Europe, Wings of Dixie has been entertaining audiences for more than three decades. 

The band will perform in Bar on April 21 from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Promenade of King Nikola. The second performance will take place on April 22 in Kotor at the Square of Arms from 7 pm to 9 pm. The U.S. Embassy invites all locals and tourists to come and enjoy the wonderful music created by the ensemble.

April 21, 2019 - Several thousand people gathered in front of the Montenegrin Assembly for the 9th protest organized by the ODUPRISE movement.

20 April 2019 -For Earth Day, an annual event on which events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection, on Monday, April 22, the entry to all five national parks of Montenegro will be free.

National parks of Montenegro invites all nature lovers and fans of active holidays to visit the national parks Durmitor, Biogradska Gora, Lovćen, Skadar Lake and Prokletije. Visitors will be able to enjoy numerous activities, such as walking, hiking, cycling, kayaking, Skadar Lake cruise, observing birds and other contents offered within these protected areas.

National parks’ walking and biking trails, sightseeing areas and Visitor Centres are all ready to welcome their first visitors in the upcoming season.

National parks of Montenegro organization has recently launched a free mobile application National Parks of Montenegro, which all locals and tourists can download and explore the natural beauty of the country. All interested individuals who download the application will be able to choose one of the five national parks, and then do a search on the interactive map of more than 150 locations that are recommended. Each location has its own description, photos, and navigation within the application. Users will also be able to explore the natural beauty of Montenegro through the rich content of virtual tours, galleries, history and culture, and they will be informed about all events in the national parks.

The mobile application and website represent a digital guide through the protected natural areas of Montenegro through all five national parks. The application is available at the Google Play Store called National Parks of Montenegro. The download site can also be accessed via the web address www.nparkovi.me.

National parks are areas of special beauty, significant and rare natural phenomena. They constitute an ecological and geographical entity that is separated and protected by a particular part of the law that defines these issues.

The areas of the national parks of Durmitor, Biogradska Gora, Skadar Lake, Lovćen and Prokletije cover 7.7% of the territory of Montenegro. Each national park is characterized by a specific natural and cultural heritage.

20 April 2019 - The Government of the United Kingdom believes that there’s no need to change power in Montenegro, the UK Ambassador to Montenegro, Her Excellency Ms Alison Kemp, said in an interview with the CdM Portal. She emphasized that Montenegro is an ally, a partner and a friend of the United Kingdom. Ms Kemp declared that there are more British investors in Montenegro than it’s generally thought and that the British businesspeople always say that Montenegro is a great country in terms of investment. The Ambassador continuously encourages British tourists to come and visit Montenegro and get acquainted with the country’s beautiful land.

During the interview, Ambassador Kemp highlighted that as long as the UK is a member of the EU, it will constructively and actively assist Montenegro in the process of reforms, adding that even after leaving the EU, United Kingdom will continue to support Montenegro’s prosperity.

“Over the previous year, the United Kingdom invested over 1.4 million EUR in Montenegro by supporting a range of program activities. This year, we are increasing our investments besides the UK’s contribution to the European Union and the assistance programs that are being implemented in Montenegro, “said Her Excellency, ensuring that the United Kingdom will remain fully committed to improving the prosperity and security of the Western Balkans and Europe as well.

According to Ms Kemp’s words, the Government of the United Kingdom will remain committed to supporting Montenegro in implementing reforms to strengthen the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

Commenting on recent protests in Montenegro, the Ambassador emphasized that the United Kingdom supports the right to peaceful protests and that she supports the confirmation of such a statement by the Montenegrin Government, expressed during the in-country protests. “I do not think that the boycott of the parliament is the most effective way in which opposition parties can represent the interests of their voters. I consider it’s important that everyone advocating for better future and strengthening of democracy is committed to supporting meaningful reforms and strengthening independent institutions,” said Ms Kemp.

In terms of British investments in Montenegro, Her Excellency explained that the United Kingdom is fully aware of the potentials of Montenegro, which is why the UK export fund offers over 500 million EUR of export credit support to strengthen business relations between the United Kingdom and Montenegro. She also added that according to official data, over 130,000 Brits visited Montenegro last year and that she hopes that this season will be equally successful.