December 11, 2018 - In addition to the New Year's and Christmas holidays, Montenegrin towns have received new outfits. CdM already wrote how the capital is decorated, and under the ornament and lights, the central streets of Mojkovac, Bijelo Polje, Andrijevica, Kotor and Tivat are now also fully shining.

The decorative New Year's lighting in Bijelo Polje turned on two days ago. New Year's ornaments were set up ten days ago, and besides the town square, streets around the ocenter were also decorated.

Bijelo Polje (Photo: W production)

The municipality announced that all the lighting would be fully functional in the next few days.

This year, Mojkovac is also ahead with the New Year's decorations and is ready to welcome 2019. At the central city square, there is a Christmas tree, and the citizens of Mojkovac will enjoy a beautifully decorated town during the upcoming festive days.

Mojkovac (Photo: MNE 365

)

Mojkovac (Photo: Boris Ćetković)

The old town in Kotor is beautifully decorated every year. Tourists are thrilled, and they are happy to publish tphotos on social networks.

Kotor

Kotor

Kotor

Festive lighting is also set up in Andrijevica, and this town will surely be among the best decorated in Montenegro. The lit up trees and light bulbs illuminate the square near the municipality building, and the locals are delighted with the new look of their town.

Andrijevica

Andrijevica

A festive atmosphere can also bw felt in Tivat. Particular emphasis, when holiday decorations are concerned, is placed on the town’s promenade Pine, because the New Year's Eve events will be organized right in this part of the city.

Photo: Radio Tivat

The youngest will enjoy the designed lighting installation of sleds pulled by two reindeers, which this year, instead of in the small park in the center of the town, are placed on Pine together with Santa Claus that are embellishing this part of the city.

Photo: Radio Tivat

The palm trees will be decorated with luminous rings, bows and hanging Christmas balls on the promenade. Radio Tivat reports that on the part of the promenade, which is popularly called "gumno", an illuminated Christmas tree of six meters will be installed, and a unique decoration is planned on the promenade from the pharmacy to the hotel Palma.

Photo: Radio Tivat

Christmas trees will decorate the space in front of the building of the "old municipality," as well as at the Magnolia Square, where they plan to place light cables around magnolia trees.

Text by S.B. , on December 10th 2018, read more at CdM

December 11, 2018 - Small hydropower plants (sHPPs), which are privileged electricity producers, will produce 94.8 gigawatt-hours of electricity next year, as stated in the Energy Balance Decision for 2019, which is ten percent more than the estimated achievement this year.

The plan, as highlighted in the document adopted by the Government at the session last week, is the sum of all SHP plans submitted by the concessionaires to the Ministry of Economy.

"In 2017, due to the dry season, 61 percent of the total plan was realized, while in this, due to favorable hydrological conditions, the plan was exceeded by 23 percent," Dnevne novine noted.

The total installed power of all SHPPs, which according to the registry of the Energy Regulatory Agency are 13, is 41.8 MWh.

The eligible electricity producer, besides SHP, is the Krnovo wind farm, whose electricity production for the next year is estimated at 201 gigawatt-hour, which is 20 percent above the achievement in 2018.

"Wind power plants in Krnovo in 2017, due to the late start of production, realized 48 percent of the planned. This year, the level of electricity produced in Krnovo was brought to 93 percent," said the energy balance.

The decision also plans that the electricity production from the wind farm on Mozura, whose commercial performance should start next year, will be 111.8 gigawatt-hours.

Text by Dnevne novine, on December 11th, 2018, read more at CdM

December 11, 2018 - Buducnost Voli created unexpected drama for the fans, though the night ended on a good note. The champion of the ABA League entered their eighth victory in the tenth round and was better than Mega Bemax (91:85). 

Buducnost Voli was mostly powerless for more than 20 minutes but then realized that there is no place for joking around against Dejan Milojevic's young team.

In the end, they were rewarded for their reaction, although they were minus 15 points in the first half and minus 14 in the second half.

Erl Clark scored 20 points and was the most deserving for the triumph, while Nemanja Gordic scored 16, Koti Clark added 16, and Edwin Jackson 13.

Aleksandar Dzikic's team opened the match miserably, and for the first 20 minutes, they played the opponent's rhythm, led by the phenomenal Goga Bitadze. The center from Georgia scored 19 points in the first half, had four rebounds, two blocks, and two assists.

He finished the match with 23 points, while Montenegrin national player Ognjen Carapic scored 12, with six assists and four steals.

With this victory, Buducnost is only behind Red Star, who is 10-0.

BUDUĆNOST VOLI - MEGA BEMAKS 91:85 (21:31, 20:20, 30:18, 20:16)

Podgorica - SC Hall "Morača". Spectators: 2.543. Referees: Nedovic, Spendl (both from Slovenia), Porobic (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Budućnost Voli: Džekson 13 (5-5), Su. Šehović 6 (2-1), E. Klark 20 (1-1), Barović, K. Klark 14 (4-4), Se. Šehović 4, Starovlah, Gordić 16 (3-3), Z. Nikolić, Omić 6 (2-2), Popović 9 (4-3), D. Nikolić 3.

Mega Bemaks: Janjić 3, Marjanović 2, Ratkovica 2, Ašćerić 6, Mišković 14, Čarapić 12 (2-1), Atić, Bitadze 23 (5-3), Koprivica, Mokoka 11 (1-1), Fundić 12, Stanić.

Text by A.H., on December 10th, 2018, read more at Vijesti

09 December 2018 - An international multidisciplinary systematic field research and study of the music and dance tradition and customs of Paštrović, titled "Ethno Lab", will take place in Petrovac from December 10th to December 16th.

This project is organized for the second year in a row by the Society for Cultural Development "Bauo" from Petrovac.

Ethno Lab was supported by the Municipality of Budva, HG Budvanska rivijera and the Tourist Organization of Budva, while the assistance was provided by Museums and Galleries of Budva.

The Ethno Lab project will include several reference ethnomusicologists, ethnocorists, ethnologists and anthropologists, as well as other experts and researchers in the domain of cultural heritage, who live and work in Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the project, participants will visit several Paštrović's sites and areas in order to get acquainted with the tradition and heritage of this region and interview the local population.

During the past year, it is expected that the results of the research will affirm the rich and representative non-material cultural heritage of Paštrović, which, despite the current knowledge and results, is still a multidisciplinary scientific study and valorization.

Last year's "Ethno Lab" was held from December 6th to 10th, 2017, and during the project, 20 people were interviewed and about 120 GB of audio and video material was recorded.

09 December 2018 - The application of the law on the control of the use of tobacco products in the workspace will show whether it will still be possible to smoke in the workplace and even in some health institutions or not. The same law suggests no smoking areas and more severe punishments for those that break this law.

The Ministry of Health said that they would do everything to ensure that the new law is applied to the end. This could also be affected by penalties that would amount to up to 1.000 EUR for natural persons, and legal entities up to 20.000 EUR.

The legal ban on the use of cigarettes in public and working spaces is approaching the standards of the European Union, but its application is why the previous law from 2004 was controversial.

In the Ministry of Health, which is the proposer of this law, they expect consistency and perseverance. The employer will be obliged to determine the place for smokers, with proper ventilation, not to endanger people in circulation, while the rest of the working space will be no smoking areas.

"When we say a ban in the workplace, it implies that every employer must control whether or not to take into account that tobacco products are used, and to determine if the persons in every workplace are using a tobacco product. Also, employers are obliged to draw attention to their workers on this law, which means that it is a violation of the employee's work obligation," said Slavojka Šuković from the Ministry of Health.

The goal of the new law is, therefore, the health of the nation, because everyone has the right to a healthy environment without tobacco smoke.

10 December 2018 - The Third Montenegrin Salon of Architecture takes place from December 6 to December 20, 2018, at Kolektor, on the 8th of March Street (Montenegrin: Ulica 8. marta) at the Titeks Hall in Podgorica. The slogan of this year’s Architecture Salon is "Paraarhitektura" and by this occasion, among many others, people of Herceg Novi won awards in the field of architecture.

The Architecture Salon represents an exhibition event and competitive meeting of architectural production at the local, national and international level. During the manifestation, multiple awards and recognitions are given in several different categories.

On this occasion, NGO "Sinergija" from Herceg Novi, led by young architect Vuk Čvoro together with the Petrović Njegoš Foundation, founded and lead by Prince Nikola Petrović Njegoš, won the special award in the category of research and experiment. This award was given for the Mezzaluna Workshop and School restoration project, which was implemented in October 2017 by Benjamin Mouton, Patrice Regnard and Veronique Casin Da Silva from the restoration studio Archipat in Lyon.  The works were performed by the company ZV Design, Zlatko Vujotić, and the company Comte from France, represented by Jaques Pellegrin.

On the same occasion, another project coming from Herceg Novi was awarded Award for Best Interior. The Award was given to Srđan Marlović, who led the project of cafe interior under the creative conception "1/3:3/4".

The jury emphasized the specificity of the conceptual setting of this project and the authentic connotation of an accentuated color and minimalistic architectural expression, in which the play of hypertrophy and atrophy of color with its double properties is fundamentally dualist, and where individuals with their various energies and moods are mimically camouflaged.

Marlović said that the recognition of colleagues is always essential as a confirmation that what work and quality are on the right path.

"I am glad that a truly rewarding jury recognized this project, and I believe that someone in Herceg Novi will be "brave" enough for such an interior, concluded Marlović.

10 December 2018 - President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović met with the president of Argentina, Mauricio Macri at the presidential palace “Casa Rosada” in Buenos Aires. The two presidents expressed their satisfaction with the second meeting in the last two years and showed readiness to consider possibilities of cooperation in the domain of economy, food industry, trade, and new technologies.

“Agreement on cultural cooperation will be signed by the first occasion, as well as agreement on reliefs in the visa regime, and set of others agreements that are in the phase of preparation and represent a solid normative and legal basis for that,” said the representatives of Đukanović’s Office.

Both Đukanović and Macri pointed out the role of Montenegrin community, which is the durable bridge of friendship between two nations and states, and the best bond for strengthening overall cooperation.

Ceremony held on the occasion of 200 years since the arrival of the first Montenegrin family to Argentina featured president of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović as the main speaker. The ceremony was held at famous palace Jose de San Martin and the descendant of the first emigrants, Ivan Damjanović, said that they had never stopped being what their ancestors had been when they moved to Argentina back in 1818.

Horacio Reiser, deputy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that this celebration is the proof of the firm foundations of Argentinian-Montenegrin relations.

Damjanović, who is now Argentinian journalist and poet, said that Montenegrin people are present there as long as the recent history of that country lasts.

Ambassador Gordan Stojović, one of the initiators and organizers of the ceremony, said that this was not only the celebration of 200 years since the first Montenegrin family arrived but it is also a celebration of 100 years of the La Montenegrina colony.

The ceremony was attended by many renowned people from the Argentinian political, cultural and economic life, diplomatic corps and many descendants of Montenegrin emigrants.

Before the ceremony began, Stojović and Reiser signed the agreement on cooperation in the field of culture between Montenegro and Argentina.

Đukanović also meets with the honorary consuls and presidents of Montenegrin communities in Latin America, that took place at the Embassy in Argentina, and during this occasion, he said: "There are not many of us, and wherever we are, it is important that we stick together.".

“If there were not for your activities and work, we would not pay much attention to the countries you live in now. On the other side, authorities of these countries would not have such relation towards Montenegro, if there were no such honorary communities here. Just like you ascendants did, today you give a contribution to their development and, thus, to build up the reputation of Montenegro in this part of the world,” said Đukanović after the first day of his visit to Latin America.

He expressed satisfaction with the cooperation with the home country and the results achieved in the past two years. He spoke about the current situation in Montenegro, which became a NATO member and made significant progress in the EU negotiations.

“Projects we are implementing are the most valuable in the history, and they can serve to honor to even greater states in Europe. We do not exaggerate if we speak with optimism about our close future that is going to be even brighter,” said Đukanović and thanked the highest representatives of Montenegrin communities in Argentina and surrounding states.

Representatives of diaspora thanked to the Government and other state authorities, as well as to the President himself, for the support and efficient commitment to cooperation.

Project “Montenegrin house” has been validated and Đukanović will deliver a speech tomorrow, at its official opening.

Representatives of Diaspora expressed special thanks to the ambassador, Gordan Stojović, who is soon completing his mission in Argentina, for exceptional cooperation and pioneer undertakings in joint efforts to organize and connect Montenegrin diaspora across Latin America.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

10 December 2018 - Montenegro officially opened negotiations in Chapter 27 - Environment and Climate Change at the Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels earlier today.

At the conference, it was stressed that the opening of this chapter is another success for Montenegro and recognition for the intensive work on harmonising domestic legislation with EU regulations and building the necessary administrative capacity.

In his address to the representatives of the member states and the European Commission, Head of the Montenegrin delegation, Foreign Minister Srđan Darmanović, said that Montenegro has opened 32 chapters to date, of which three are closed. Darmanović added that the effort the country is putting in the alignment with the Acquis communautaire testifies to its continued and strong commitment to the European integration process. He believes that by opening the last negotiating chapter in the months ahead, Montenegro will once again confirm its leadership position, but also give a new impetus to the integration process, not only in the country but also in the countries of the region. The goal is to confirm the credibility of the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

Darmanović noted that the opening of Chapter 27 is very important, as the Constitution of 2007 defined Montenegro as an ecological state, dedicated to environmental protection and development based on sustainability principles. He highlighted that the process of European integration is the only framework that guarantees stability in the region and thus in Europe. “That is why we are sure that the presence of the EU in the region and the continuity of the enlargement policy are of fundamental importance for stability, further economic development and the competitiveness of the European continent at a global level," Darmanović concluded.

Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism Pavle Radulović stressed that the State is committed to protecting the environment. He said that the Government of Montenegro established the Environmental Protection Fund (Eco Fund) in late November in order to create the legal framework for future investments in the field of environment and climate change.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn also spoke at the opening of negotiations in Chapter 27, saying that Montenegro is making a significant step forward on its “European path”. He also welcomed the progress in the rule of law and said that the focus, in the coming period, should be placed on the activities under negotiating chapters 23 and 24. Commissioner Hahn reiterated that the European Commission will continue to support the integration of Montenegro into the EU in terms.