17 December 2018 - Charming and beautiful, Kotor is especially gorgeous during the end-of-year festivities. Kotor’s streets and citadel are embellished with lights and magnificent decorations that all locals and tourists can enjoy during the holidays.

This year’s refined Christmas decorations throughout Kotor caught the eye of the city’s public. Inspired by the holiday’s spirit, the representatives of the local government paid particular attention to details, and their creativity contributed to the Christmas atmosphere within the city.

Creative interpretation of the holiday symbols that lit up Kotor includes: Christmas presents, luminous arches, tunnels, cross street decorations, Christmas bells, colorful bows, Christmas tree balls, Snowmen and, of course, a giant Christmas tree. Still, the culmination of all Kotor lights and decorations is, without a doubt, the light curtain that covered the Citadel. This breath-taking landscape that looks even more elegant in the evening hours is definitely a place to admire.

If you’re looking to spend your holiday in Kotor, not only can you enjoy a special Christmas atmosphere, but the rich New Year program can also entertain you with many concerts by renowned performers from the region. In fact, the New Year's Eve celebration in Kotor is organized as a so called “Kotor Evening” which includes a program for the youngest – Children New Year's Eve, followed by entertainment by numerous local performers and guests. For the New Year's Eve and the first night in 2019, Kotor returns to its true, rock image and within the Rock New Year program, brings the most significant bands of the EX-YU rock scene of today. On December 31, the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the performances of Damir Urban, Darko Rundek, Bombaj Press and M.O.R.T. On January 1, and the program continues with the sounds of Four Blues Driver, followed by Galija, Psihomodo pop and Autogeni trening.

Rich New Year celebration program offer goes beyond Kotor. Looking for information on entertainment programs along Montenegrin coast? We've got you covered.

December 17, 2018 - The documentary play "Kotor About Kotor” (“KoTo(R) o Kotoru”) directed by Petar Pejaković and produced by the NGO Expeditio from Kotor, will be shown on Saturday, 22 December in Zadar within the festival “Artakt.”

On this occasion, we spoke with Marjan Santic, one of the creators and performers of the play, which has attracted the audience in Montenegro and the region for the last two years. Why this documentary play still lives on, and lives internationally, since it is about the town of Kotor?

The play, acted and authored by the citizens of Kotor, already had 15 performances in the hometown, Podgorica, Cetinje, Belgrade, Kolašin, Tivat, Herceg Novi, Dubrovnik and Budva. Now the crew travels to Zadar.

Wherever it was performed the play attracted considerable interest and produced entirely positive reactions of the audience and professional public, whose numerous comments and reactions have been collected within a unique evaluation of the project carried out by NGO Expeditio, followed by multiple invitations to perform the play in countries of the region and Europe. The community theatre which promotes the idea of theatre as a means for research and creative expression of each individual or a group for personal development and social engagement has proved to be a potent tool in establishing a dialogue of the participants with the audience, i.e. with a broader and closer community. 

"The play shows the situation of the state and the problems of citizens who are naively trying to solve them. Unfortunately, the competent municipal bodies cannot and do not want to solve the problems in their backyard, so the citizens are forced to leave. And what are the problems? Noise from hospitality facilities, corruption, spamming, thievery, inability to function, counterfeit diploma of employees in public enterprises, political key recruitment, arthropods, ecological problems, sea and air pollution from cruise ships, apathy of institutions responsible for the protection of natural and cultural heritage - these are the problems that lie with today's society," explains one of the creators and protagonists of the performance, Kotor’s hiker and heritage protection activist, Marjan Šantić.

Why does this theatre play attract interest in the region? Why are invitations coming from many European countries?

"Kotor About Kotor is interesting because it brings the truth about our city, our country, and our environment. We all face situations where people in power and individuals who are in the account of that power are becoming richer and richer, leaving behind the interests and the welfare of the people living in the space they manage. For this reason, the audience of our play, wherever we perform, accepts it with enthusiasm, because we have expressed through the theatre play what they think. In our culture, there still survives a saying that silence is golden. We have shown exactly the opposite by this performance - it is necessary to talk about the problems, and something useful can result from it. How useful it is, we will see in the future."

In “Kotor About Kotor” uses 15 amateur actors. Even though most of the participants did not have previous experience in theatre, it was not difficult for them to present this play, to be persuasive. The reason for this is that the project participants were chosen by the love that they share about the city.

"The performance has succeeded thanks to the fact that we are all in love with our Boka, our cities and our nature. In all other issues, there are no common points among us. We are distinguished by professional qualifications, by professions, by political persuasions, by social status. In our frameworks, given the prevailing mentality, it could have been expected that we would produce a fight rather than a theatre play. However, love has overcome and overwhelmed us with all of our diversity, and that's why the performance succeeded," Marjan said proudly. Tolerance, according to him, is what we are missing in the Balkans in the family, in cities, in our societies in general, and it is a prerequisite for better days ahead. 

Asked whether the international audience showed interest in the play, Marjan explains that the Expeditio team has managed to provide a translation of the text into English, enabling the viewers who do not understand our language to enjoy the play.

"Foreigners are delighted with the play. As there is a translation, they can familiarize themselves with the subject before coming to the theatre, as well as follow the text during the play. They are very interested in the topic and often after the show they share their impressions with us. Many of them intend to talk about the problems faced by their cities, their countries. It seems it could play in any country, in any language, because the problems we are talking about is not just ours. Destroying the legacy for short-term profit, pollution of the environment, corruption and the separation of the rulers from the interests of the people who entrusted them their legitimacy are the global problems of today."

"The biggest problem is silence. Silence is approval. So you do not mean the future of your children and the future of your country. If you keep silent, it means you do not want it to be better. People are invaluable in different ways and are silent. Silence is the atomic bomb of the future," says Marjan Santic.

NGO Expeditio produced Kotor About Kotor within the frameworks of two large projects, the European Artizen Initiative (funded through the EU Creative Europe program) and ACT4CITY (funded by BAC - Balkan Arts and Culture Fund). The project has also resulted in a printed and digital book "KoTo (R) o Kotoru", containing, along with the script of the play, a description of the process of play creation and several reviews and expert comments. Thanks to the help of volunteers, the play script has been translated into English.

The Kotor Tourist Organization supported Kotor About Kotor's performance at the Zadar festival. Asked when the Montenegrin audience would agai enjoy the play, Marjan couldn’t answer. He says that the show team is still playing and willing to continue with the performance, so we hope that this opportunity will be announced soon.

The basketball players of Buducnost Voli were defeated by Cibona in Zagreb 83:77 in the 11th round of the ABA league. This is the third defeat of the champions this season.

In the middle of the third quarter, guests were leading 50:39, and in the next 15 minutes, they acted helplessly against Cibona, who was led by Ivan Ljubicic and Damir Markota.

Buducnost has no time to mourn and analyze, nor to take a break and train harder – they left Zagreb to go to Istanbul for the match against Efes on Tuesday, and then from Bosporus to Podgorica, where they play against Fenerbahçe on Thursday.

CIBONA - BUDUCNOST VOLI 83:77 (15:18, 17:16, 26:23, 25:20) Zagreb - Drazen Petrovic Hall. Spectators: 1.730. Referees: Vojinovic (Serbia), Majkić (Slovenia), Juras (Serbia).

Cibona: Bilinovac 3 (3-1), Uljarević 2, M. Ljubičić 22 (1-1), Marić 5, Bundović 6, Gilbert 7 (1-0), Novačić 6 (2-2), Rozić 4 (2-1), K. Ljubičić, Slavica, Reli-Ros 5 (1-1), Markota 23 (3-1).

Budućnost Voli: Džekson 13 (5-4), Su. Šehović 5 (3-2), E. Klark 13 (2-1), Barović 2 (2-0), K. Klark 5, Se. Šehović, Starovlah, Gordić 18 (7-7), Z. Nikolić, Omić 7 (7-3), Popović 7, Nikolić 7.

Text by Vijesti Sport, on December 16th, 2018, read more at Vijesti

December 17, 2018 - Director of the Diaspora Directorate Predrag Mitrovic, Mayor of Bar Dusan Raicevic and Elvira Bekteši, Head of the Department for Legal Issues, Finance and Emigrant Booklets, visited the University of Toronto where they spoke with the Deputy Director of the Center for Diaspora and Transnational Studies Prof. Dr. Antonela Arhin.

Antonela Arhin was born and raised in Montenegro and has been working in the Center, unique in the world of study, for 12 years.

Ahin lectures on several subjects within the diaspora and transnational studies: children's rights, child migration, cross-border flows, crime and migration, human rights, law and cultural values, citizenship and identity.

Expressing gratitude for the first visit of the institution directly involved in the Diaspora of Montenegro, she met the interlocutors with the Center's program and expressed her willingness and desire, as a Montenegrin, to help Montenegro through her profession. She also expressed that she is extremely pleased that someone appreciates it and shows interest in studying the diaspora, its impact on the country of origin and the country of reception, its position and the struggle for the preservation of identity, culture, the tradition in the era of globalization.

The interlocutors raised a number of important issues, and the continuation of the communication on the possibility of establishing cooperation between the University of Montenegro and the University of Toronto, the exchange of students and professors, scholarships and, in particular, the study of diaspora as a very important social phenomenon, and the exchange of good practice in the work with diaspora and issues of cooperation between the diaspora and the motherland that Montenegro can and should try to apply in the design of its policy for the cooperation with the diaspora.

Toronto University is among the top 15 in the world and currently is estimated as the best university in Canada.

The library of this university is the third in the number of books available in North America, immediately after Harvard and Yale. The University of Toronto has about 90,000 students and as many as 980 programs.

The meeting was organized by the Montenegrin Cultural Society of Toronto which maintains contacts with Arhin and with which it has successfully cooperated so far.

Text by CdM, on December 16th 2018, read more at CdM

December 17, 2018 - The Montenegrin power distribution system, after a detailed review made by the Commission for the opening and evaluation of bids of the offer submitted by the Consortium, comprised by “Mezon” Danilovgrad, “Electro Team” Budva and “Ramel” Niksic, selected the most favorable tender in the procedure of public procurement of works for the needs of Project of revitalization of the medium and low voltage electric power network in Montenegro.

"With the mentioned contractor a lump sum agreement will be concluded for a period of 24 months. The total value of the works envisaged for the duration of the lump sum agreement, with VAT included, is 22 million and 400 thousand euros, while in the first year the works will be carried out in the total value of around 12 million and 400 thousand euros," CEDIS announced.

The start of the works is planned for February next year.

"The revitalization project for the medium voltage (SN) and low voltage (NN) electricity network is part of the investment plan for 2019-2021, which foresees the realization of investment projects for EUR 81.6 million," they said.

Through the Revitalization Project, from 2019-2021, in the SN network, about 480 km will be adapted, which, as they add, makes about 13 percent of the SN network above the ground and about eight thousand posts, while around 990 km of NN network will be adapted and about 28 thousand posts.

"A significant portion of the funds will be allocated for the revitalization of the medium and low voltage networks from which the rural area in the north is charged. The realization of this project will provide more reliable and better-quality power supply, as well as a smaller number of power outages, and infrastructure prerequisites for connection of new users will be created, "they concluded.

Text by CdM, on December 16th, 2018, read more at CdM

16 December 2018 - The Fifth Christmas Market in Hotel Regent Porto Montenegro was held this weekend on the covered terrace of the Murano Restaurant within the hotel.

On the first day of the event (Saturday, December 15), due to adverse weather conditions, the turnout was not great. Sunday managed to correct the first impression, and with rays of sunshine and high temperature throughout the day, enticed a significant number of visitors.

Inspired by the holiday atmosphere, seventeen exhibitors presented their handicrafts created in the spirit of Christmas: jewelry, Christmas and New Year decorations, Christmas trees, souvenirs, homemade gastronomic products, fruit syrups, jams and a large number of other handmade products that attracted the attention of all visitors.

Regent Porto Montenegro's food and beverage department introduced festive delicacies, traditional Christmas cakes, hot chocolate, cooked wine and various types of tea.

Regent also offered many salty delicacies, such as several types of sausages, which gave the Christmas Market a unique gastronomic dimension.

The Regent's Christmas Market will continue on December 22 and 23 as well as on December 29 and 30 from 12 pm to 4 pm.

Source: BokaNews

16 December 2018 - Tivat Airport’s new departure terminal with 1,300 square metres, that should provide more comfort for passengers, faster and better service as well as better working conditions for Airport employees, will be officially opened on Monday, December 24.

"One of our most significant projects in the last ten years is the construction of a new terminal of 1300 square metres, which will enable the service of twice as many passengers in the departure gates compared to our current capacity. Also, by constructing a new terminal, passengers will enjoy more convenience, we will prevent jams, and the work of our employees will be more efficient," executive director of the Airports of Montenegro Danilo Orlandić said in August this year, announcing the completion of works by the end of the year.

The new departure terminal will include six check-in counters, two new lines for security screening as well as offices for representatives of airline companies. Tivat Airport PR service also confirmed the construction of official premises for representatives of the Police Directorate and the Customs Administration, passenger toilets and a room for sorting luggage with all accompanying equipment.

The new facility of the departure terminal of the Tivat Airport was built in less than three months and was constructed by the Podgorica-based company “Fidija.” The value of the new facility with its equipment is about 2,2 million EUR. The new terminal was built on the northwest side of the current airport terminal building, and Airports of Montenegro entirely financed it.

16 December 2018 - The tender for the ecological reconstruction of the first block of the Thermal power Plant Pljevlja is expected to be invited at the beginning of next year, said the Minister of Economy, Dragica Sekulić.

She pointed out that she expected the Electric Power Company of Montenegro to join the reconstruction.

“This project will be very effective and make people in Pljevlja stay,” said Sekulić.

Another important task is the heating process that will be financed from the budget of the Directorate of Public Works and Municipality of Pljevlja. Out of a total of 60 million EUR,  40 million EUR is planned for ecological reconstruction of the first block of the Thermal power Plant Pljevlja and the remaining 20 million EUR for the heating of the town.

Sekulić also announced the adoption of the Plan for the Exploitation of mineral raw materials that will give a clear review of the core findings in Montenegro.

“We expect this Plan will create good foundations for every next concession plan,” said Sekulić.

During the mid-November, a meeting on building a Cement Plant in Pljevlja was held in the Chamber of Commerce Montenegro. The meeting was attended by numerous guest, such as representatives of Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, the Municipality of Pljevlja, as well as the representatives of the Electric Power Company of Montenegro. 

"Bearing in mind the realization of large infrastructure projects in the sectors of transport, energy and tourism, it is necessary to make a decision as soon as possible on the possibility of starting the cement production in Pljevlja and valorizing quality resources, which, for this purpose, this area is rich in," as concluded at the meeting.

December 16, 2018 - In the organization of the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro on Saturday, December 15^th, the tourist season on Zabljak was officially opened.

The ski opening attracted hundreds of satisfied visitors who enjoyed the excellent entertainment program, discounts and free offers. The National Tourist Organization of Montenegro organized free bus transfers for a large number of interested persons from Podgorica to Zabljak who enjoyed the snow and various free amenities (animators, sledges, ski pass, ski instructors, adventure park, snowshoeing etc.) on the ski resort Savin Kuk.

On the ski trails, guests were entertained by DJ Mr Jolls and the majorettes, with free drinks and the tasting and preparation of “kacamak”. The party continued in the evening, when the famous band “Senkina Djeca” held a concert with free food and drinks, a Christmas tree lighting and fireworks. Also, the local tourist organizations of Kotor, Budva, and Bar supported the organization of the "Ski Opening" to Zabljak and back from the mentioned cities.

The event that animated a large number of people on Saturday is part of the "Ski Opening" weekend and continued on Sunday, December 16th. Visitors expected reduced prices on a one-day ski-pas of 50 percent. Sunday also boasted a free bus transfer for the citizens from Podgorica. On Friday, December 14^th, the director of the National Touristic Organization held a working dinner with representatives of the local media and on that occasion presented them with the offer for the upcoming winter season.

"In Zabljak, fewer traffic jams are expected this season on Savin Kuk ski resort, because there is a new road infrastructure at its foothill. A new access road has been built, as well as parking. All the necessary works on the renovation and arrangement of ski fields have been completed to ensure the safe and secure operation of the ski resort. NP Durmitor offers a new national restaurant offering traditional local specialties of Durmitor region, and the novelty on Zabljak is a Nordic skiing trail located in the very center of the city, which means it is easily accessible to the guests. A novelty which will certainly mark this winter season in the north is the expected opening of Kolašin tourist resort 1600. In addition to the ski slopes, cable cars, and restaurants, the road from the Kolašin 1450 ski resort to Kolašin ski resort 1600 has also been built. Skiers on that part of Bjelasica will have about 4,6 kilometers of ski slopes and six-seat ski lifts, as well as a restaurant with a capacity of around 400 seats, "said Radak Kukavicic.

After Žabljak, the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro will organize a similar event in Kolašin.

Text by CdM, on December 15th, 2018, read more at CdM

December 16, 2018 - The proposal for the preparation of the winter tourist season 2018/2019 in Herceg Novi is based on the activities that are foreseen primarily in the promotional and marketing activities, public infrastructure and other segments of the offer. It is based on data obtained from the holders of these activities and submitted to the Government for discussion.

"The goal is to follow up and timely respond to all possible difficulties and problems in the implementation of the winter tourist season," the document says.

TO Herceg Novi

The Local Tourist Organization will continue promoting and organizing events that are recognized as events of particular importance for the promotion of the city's tourist offer. The preparation of the winter tourist season is directed through support in the financing of the organization of events in coordination with JUK Herceg Fest, the competent authorities of the Municipality and the local communities.

Basically, the focus is on the organization of the New Year's Eve (31.12 and 13.01), the preparation and the celebration of the 50th Feast of Mimosa and the 24th HAPS.

The New Year's program is accompanied by very well-organized marketing. The central promotional activity was the press conference in Belgrade in mid-October, accompanied by numerous announcements for digital and print media.

As stated, the promotional activities are focused on preparing the existing and redesigned propaganda and other informative material, creating a new website of TO HN, android and iOS application and the participation at the fairs in the season 2018/19. The promotional campaign is based on the hosting of study groups, comprised of journalists, bloggers/travel influencers, and tour operators.

After completing the first phase of the tourist signalization setting, the public call for the second phase is also planned. It will encompass part of Herceg Novi Riviera and the hinterland.

At the beginning of September, the Herceg Novi Card test project was successfully launched, which includes a unified services package that tourists buy at a single price. In this way, the 5 and 10 euros card provide the guests' visits to the main attractions, with discounts at the restaurants that have joined the project. Cooperation with the local economy and tourist guides to activate the offer of city tours.

TO HN signed a cooperation agreement with the Tourism Organization of St. Petersburg in late November. Some initiatives have been planned. The winter season will also be used to embellish the city center, through landscape projects and setting up decorative elements.

City Museum and Gallery

According to this Plan, JU "City Museum Mirko Komnenović and Gallery Josip Bepo Benković" will undertake a series of activities to create the best possible conditions for their artistic and archeological collections to be presented to the visitors in a better way. Traditionally, the 52nd Herceg Novi Winter Salon will be organized in early February. In addition to the realized, it is planned the organization of several exhibitions for Women's Day in March and an international exhibition of 3 Hungarian artists in May, in cooperation with Hunguest Sun Resort.

Exhibitions of photographs, archaeological exhibitions, a series of solo exhibitions, presentations of a permanent exhibition from the gallery and museum collections and organization of group visits are ongoing activities that this institution will perform during the upcoming winter tourist season, the document says.

JUK Herceg Festival

"JUK "Herceg Fest" has always, and especially in the last few years, realized dynamic international contacts in the field of culture, with institutions and artists, realizing some interesting program actions and projects. JUK Herceg Fest, with the financial support of the Tourism Organization and Herceg Novi Municipality during the winter tourist season, will organize the jubilee 50th "Mimosa Feast" and 24th HAPS," reads the document submitted to the Government.

Agency for Development and Protection of Orjen

The organization of various events through which the natural and cultural attractions of this area are represented is carried out by the Agency for Development and Protection of Orjen. This is an essential segment for encouraging tourists to visit Herceg Novi hinterland. The Agency organizes its business in cooperation with the Municipality of Herceg Novi, the Tourist Organization as well as many civil society organizations from our city but also Dubrovnik.

It is planned to place three points within the park with toll ramps and the offer of the Park - hiking tours, photo tours with transport to the viewpoint, organized camps and arrangements with other protected areas in the surroundings (National Park Sutjeska and Nature Park Piva), one-day and multi-day. Within the offer there will be group visits, organized arrivals for schools, kindergartens as well as arrivals through agencies from other cities and from the region.

Adventure park, hotels, communal order

Until further notice, the management of the Adventure Park is carried out by the Agency for construction of Herceg Novi. Infrastructural preparations also relate to the ongoing maintenance and cleaning of public areas and maintenance of public lighting and road infrastructure, water supply and sewage networks and other activities.

Hotel companies plan to carry out a number of activities according to their possibilities for preparation for the winter tourist season 2018/2019. years.

At the end of this Plan for a better winter offer in Herceg Novi, it is stated that the dynamics of the preparation of the season will be monitored at regular meetings with the liable ones.

Text by Radio Jadran, on December 14th, 2018, read more at CdM