07 December 2018 - The Third Montenegrin Salon of Architecture takes place from December 6 to December 20, 2018, at Kolektor, on the 8^th of March Street (Montenegrin: Ulica 8. marta) at the Titeks Hall in Podgorica. The slogan of this year’s Architecture Salon is: "Paraarhitektura".

This year’s Salon was opened by Montenegrin Minister of Culture, Aleksandar Bogdanović. The Minister stated that his event has a special importance for Podgorica and Montenegro, because the accelerated progress of the country’s society has imposed numerous challenges, some of which are the most important ones concerning the content, functionality, and organization of the space we live in, but also the aesthetics that will mark that space. 

„We will agree that our ancestors left a complex architectural heritage that requires a special relationship in protection and valorization, and which, by nature, is a reference point for the desirable framework of modern architectural practices, in which dialogue between tradition and modernity should take place.“

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.

The organizer of this year's Salon is the Association of Architects of Montenegro, while the sponsors are the Montenegrin Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Capital City. All architects and students of architecture declared as authors or author groups have the right to participate in the event. Architectural projects are registered in seven program categories: realizations – architectural projects that have already been executed; projects – projects in the field of architecture; interior - realized projects; research and experiment - various research projects at the borderline between architecture and activism or architecture and art; architectural projects that were not created on the order but as part of someone's research work; projects from workshops; architectural manifestations and the like; publication - written works in the field of architecture and urbanism: architectural criticism, monograph, collection of works, scientific research papers (scientific articles); competitive projects - selected competitive projects which don’t compete for prizes at the Architectural Salon 2018; student projects – student projects submitted with the recommendation and signature of the faculty or mentors.

At the proposal of the Jury, the Salon Council makes the final decision on awarding the competitors of the Third Montenegrin Salon of Architecture: Grand Prix Salon Award and awards for specific categories. The winner of the Grand Prix Salon Award is given the opportunity of a solo exhibition at the next Salon.

Konoba Bokeški gušti, Fish restaurant in Prčanj, Kotor

Stari Mlini, Fish Restaurant in Ljuta, Kotor

Catovica mlini, Fish Restaurant in Morinj, Kotor

Ribar, Fish Restaurant in Kostanjica, Kotor 

Ribarsko Selo, Fish Restaurant in Žanjice, Herceg Novi

Grispolis, Fish Restaurant in Bigova, Kotor

December 7, 2018 - The Ministry of Education signed contracts with representatives of 24 non-governmental organizations for financing projects in 2018, for which more than 250,000 euros were allocated from the budget of the Ministry. As announced from this department, contracts were signed with NGOs whose projects were rated as the best on the basis of the public competition "Today Prepared, Tomorrow Exceptional" and "For Schools That are Loved".

"After the competition Today Prepared, Tomorrow Exceptional" contracts were signed with NGOs Association of parents of children with disabilities Podgorica, NGO Montenegrin Association for New Technologies MANT, NGO Association of parents of children and youth with disabilities Give us a chance, NGO Apus, NGO European Movement in Montenegro, NGO Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities, NGOs Association for Democratic Prosperity - ZID, NGO Our Future and NGO Center for the Development of Entrepreneurial Society," stated the Ministry.

They add that the best projects for the contest "For schools that are loved" were submitted by NGOs NGO Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities - Podgorica, NGO North Land, NVO Association of parents of children and youth with disabilities Staze, NGO Association of speleological societies of Montenegro, NGO Centar Democracy and Human Rights - CEDEM, NGO Alfa Center, NGO Development Center, NGO Parents, NGO Fenix Montenegro, NGO NOVI HORIZONT, NGO NLP NETWORK, NGO Equivalence, NGO Center for Civic Education CGO, NGO Identity and NGO Alliance for Children and young people - HOUSE, with whom the contracts were signed.

"The representatives of NGOs signed the agreement with the president of the commission Vesna Gajević and Majda Mulić, and the state secretary of the Ministry of Education Aleksandar Mitrović attended the meeting, who wished successful cooperation and quality implementation of the projects of the aforementioned non-governmental organizations," concluded the Ministry of Education.

Text by CdM, on December 5th 2018, read more at CdM

December 7, 2018 - The Ukrainian Embassy announced today that m: tel has included the Ukrainian UA TV in its package. 

"This, in the time of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, allows us to obtain true information about our country," the embassy stated.

Ukraine's Supreme Rada endorsed President Petro Poroshenko's decision to end the friendship, cooperation and partnership agreement with Russia after tensions erupted between the two conflicting countries at the end of last month. On November 25^th, Russia seized three Ukrainian navy ships and arrested 24 of their sailors in the Kirkyard Sea, between the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, claiming they had entered the Russian territorial waters illegally. Kiev and Moscow agreed in 2003 to share access to the Azov Sea, but Russia, after the annexation of Crimea and the construction of a bridge connecting it to the peninsula, made it difficult for Ukrainian ships to access. The recent incident further aggravated this situation.

Text by CdM, on December 6th, 2018, read more at CdM

December 7, 2018 - Last night, the Podgorica Film Festival opened at KIC "Budo Tomovic". The event is organized for the third time by the NGO Podgorica Film Festival and the Montenegrin Cinematheque.

During the five festival days, from December 5th to 9th, the Podgorica audience will have the opportunity to watch twenty-six feature-length and short feature films, most of which are Montenegrin premiere. Within the main program of the Festival, the audience will have the opportunity to see domestic titles, short films by young Montenegrin directors Branislav Milatović, Bojan Stijović, Senad Šahmanović and Marijana Jankovic, a Montenegrin director living in Denmark, as well as regional films: "Boundaries, Rain" by Vlastimir Sudar and Nikola Mijovic (who is also a Montenegrin co-producer), "Cargo" by Ognjen Glavonic, "Comic Sans" by Nevija Marasovic, and many others. The international program includes award-winning titles: "Shoplifters" by the Japanese director Hirokaz Koreyeda (winner of the Cannes Festival), "The house that Jack built" by the famous Danish director Lars von Trier, "Foxtrot" by Samuel Maoz, "Guilty" Gustave Muler, "Have you seen my movie "by Canadian director Paul Smith, as well as exceptional ladies' films:" Young Woman by the French director Leonor Seraj and" Summer 1993 " by the Spanish director Karla Simon.

Photo: Una Jovović

In cooperation with the Eye on Films platform, this year, as part of a separate program, the best debut films by European authors will be shown. In cooperation with the Yunus Emre Institute, the Montenegrin Cinematheque in the hall DODEST organizes the retrospective of Turkish director Semih Kaplanoglu. Within the accompanying program there will be open panel discussions with the guests of the Festival, as well as workshops with topics regarding the contemporary cinema.

The Montenegrin Cinematheque awarded its annual prize at the official opening ceremony. The jury composed of Branko Baletić (president of the jury), Vuk Perović and Nemanja Bečanović, decided to give the award for outstanding contribution to the film art "Kino-oko" to the famous Serbian director and former professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at Cetinje, Miloš Miša Radivojević.

Photo: Una Jovović

The award was handed by Director of the Montenegrin Cinematheque, Andro Martinovic. "If there is a man whose biography coincides with the register of his films, that's Misa Radivojevic. Take only those titles and you will get an exciting resume. Miša Radivojević has told us several times that the most effective way to ruin your life here in these areas is to be in the movie business. And he's always there for friends and numerous former students. We learned from Misa how to be ourselves, how to be free, and what I highly appreciate is that he is a person who understands how difficult it is to change your little world and how important it is to arrange our yard, and then we will influence on others as well. For these reasons, I am very pleased to present this award to him, "Martinovic said when awarding the prize.

Photo: Una Jovović

"I'm infinitely fulfilled and proud tonight for this award. There might have been a bit of a complaint here, this Cinematheque award, it smells a bit like the end. It's gets assigned at the end. Cinematheque is the place where movies are kept, personalities are leaving, and films are being kept. But, I am not afraid of this perspective, I continue to work and will continue as far as I can hoping that the directors rarely die shooting their movies, they always die between movies or after filming movies. But since I am exposed to that risk of still recording, I am trying to make my former students win as often as possible at the festivals and I am proud of it. On the other hand, if it happens that with these films I embarrass myself, I will return this kind of reward. I get most nervous from my students. These may be the first days I can hear that there are some nice talks about myself. I've always been accustomed to suffering criticisms that were very harsh, very rigorous. If I had somehow looked back at those sixty years on the film, that's certainly sixty years of controversy. Disputes and certain types of failures. But I think I am representing an extraordinary example and, in some ways, encouragement for people who suffer from failures. Without failure, there is no success. A man who has not experienced serious failures cannot experience any serious success. So, I came to a totally absurd point to recommend to young people a single dose of failure, "said Misa Radivojević after receiving the award.

Photo: Una Jovović

The festival was opened by City Secretary for Culture and Sports Nela Savković Vukčević. "Podgorica Film Festival this year also contributes to the creative diversity of the December art scene, the traditional cultural manifestation of the capital. Believing that the magic of moving pictures will reveal new dimension from itself and the world and thanks to enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication in organizng this festival of Andro Martinovic and Sara Radovic, I declare this manifestation open. "The film program was opened by the movie "Guilt" by Gustav Moller, the Danish candidate for the Oscar Award and many international awards. This tremendous thriller was premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Film and received the same prize at the IFFR International Film Festival in Rotterdam.

Photo: Una Jovović

 We remind that the Podgorica film festival is the winner of EFFE label for 2017-2018. year, which is dedicated to festivals for artistic dedication, and the involvement of the local community in a European and global context. The festival was supported by the Film Center of Montenegro, the Secretariat for Culture and Sports of the Capital City, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism. The partners of the festival are JU Cultural - Information Center "Budo Tomovic" and Yunus Emre Institute Podgorica.Entrance to all projections and accompanying programs is free.

Text by CdM, on December 6th 2018, read more at CdM

06 December 2018 - For the first time in Kotor, on Saturday, December 8 and Sunday December 9, a two-day NLP Basic training for improving business skills is organized.

Whether you are an employer, manager or employee, the complexity of the business environment is conditional on the need for continuous additional training said Aleksandra Anđelić from NLP Network.

NLP methodology is currently the leading methodology for improving business skills and it is used in all activities, such as sales, marketing, management, etc.

For the improvement of business, three reasons are of the utmost importance.

Interpersonal relationships in the workplace - numerous research has come up with data that employees in over 80% of cases leave companies because of poor communication, poor relationship with the manager. Employees do not actually leave companies, but bosses. The reason is the inability of quality communication, a lot of stress, reduced productivity or motivation. You can imagine the cost, when every time someone leaves the company because of bad interpersonal relationships.

Research say that more than 80% of sales are made due to the relationship the seller builds with his client, not because of the product or service. What makes this relationship - first of all, quality communication, which includes respect and trust, flexibility to diversity. The third reason is the increase in employee motivation.

It is known that only motivated employees are productive employees, however, a very small percentage of employees is truly motivated. Some research says that every 4th employee like the job they do. At work more and more employees often spend more than 8 hours, and it is important to be motivated. However, employers seem to fail to find adequate drivers for their employees. It is not easy because everyone is starting different things.

These are some of the topics covered by the NLP Basic two-week training conducted by licensed NLP coaches Danka Ćetković and Aleksandra Anđelić, founders of NLP Network.

"We are all more and more seriously disturbed by the balance between business and private life, and for that reason, we feel dissatisfaction, constant stress, worry, nervousness and so on. All of this, in the end, leads us to, in spite of the increased effort, to miss the desired results and not to realize all that we can for what we have potential. These are some of the reasons why it is necessary to work on improving the communication skills, flexibility, goal setting, as well as reconsidering their beliefs that can be supportive or even limiting to achieve the desired results, in which NLP can greatly help us with its methods," concluded members of NLP Network during their lecture about methods of neuro-linguistic programming which took place in mid-November in Kotor. Read more information about this lecture here.

Until now, NLP education was conducted only in Podgorica, however, due to the interest shown after the Info Lectures, for the first time in Kotor NLP Basic is being organized - a two-day training programme which will take place during December 8-9. Information and applications can be found here, and you can also follow NLP Network on their Facebook Page.

Information and applications at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone number 069 564 117.

06 December 2018 - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srđan Darmanović participated in a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. 

On the first day, the NATO foreign ministers adopted the Joint Statement on violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. 

They also discussed the most important issues related to Euro-Atlantic security, including the relations with Russia, the safety of the Alliance's southern borders and the implementation of the Framework for the South, as well as the strategic stability and the response to security challenges. 

A special session was held with the foreign ministers of Georgia and Ukraine to discuss the security situation in the region, as well as possible forms of support and cooperation of the Alliance in the reform processes and strengthening of defence capacities. 

On the second day of the meeting, a session on the Western Balkans was held in the light of recent developments in the region, as well as a discussion on the Euro-Atlantic perspective in line with the conclusions of the July NATO Summit. 

Minister Darmanović emphasised the importance that Montenegro, as a Mediterranean state and ally, attaches to the stability of the southern partners and opposes the challenges from the south. Regarding the open door policy, he stressed Montenegro's full support for the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans and the conclusions of the July NATO Summit on Macedonia's accession to NATO. He also highlighted the importance of today's decision on the readiness of the Alliance to accept the Annual National Program (ANP) of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

In this context, he informed about the support of Montenegro to Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as an openness towards other countries that show readiness. Minister Darmanović reiterated the importance of NATO's visibility and presence in the region and the same understanding of the Allies on the security of the Western Balkans, as well as the importance of maintaining the open door policy on the Alliance's agenda. Minister Darmanovic stressed that Montenegro would continue engaging in Afghanistan. 

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Darmanović met with Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Marija Pejčinović Burić, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Miro Cerar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Anders Samuelsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Ekaterina Zaharieva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania Ditmir Bushati and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Ine Eriksen Søreide.

05 December 2018 - Opening of the exhibition of sculptures entitled "Habitats," by Sonja Malavrazić, was held on December 6th at 6 PM, at the Sue Ryder Gallery at Belavista in Herceg Novi.

In the catalog for the exhibition, Vojislav Bulatović asks the question which, as he wrote, imposes at first glance on the works from the "Habitat" cycle - Are these pictures and/or sculptures or "paintings out of the paintings"?

"By making their own 'soul', the images cease to be a reflection of reality and become reality itself. This step in the "third dimension", when we look at the complete art by Sonja Malavrazić, is the logical and most expected sequence of events. Starting from the abstraction, in the mid 90s, through the introduction of the first associative content to the serious approach to the figure, with one constant - a recognizable palette that produces thunderstorms 'in the stylistic framework of abstract expressionism, the zenith epoch of modernism' leads to the world of sculpture, in order to continue to explore the boundaries between figuration and abstraction, according to one's claim," Bulatović writes.

Sonja Malavrazić, born Petrović in 1951 in Herceg Novi, is a painter and radiophonic creator. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 1993, in the painting department, a class of professor Zoran Pavlović. She completed her Master degree guided by the same professor in 1996. She also graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Journalism, in 1975.

As a painter, she had twelve solo exhibitions, among which - in the Gallery Ilija M. Kolarac, the City Gallery "Josip Bepo Benković" in Herceg Novi, the Museum of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, the Gallery "Serbia" in Niš, the Gallery "Sue Ryder" in Herceg Novi.

She began her journalistic career at the First Channel of Radio Belgrade and was the editor of the General Education Program "Time of Curiosity". On the Second Channel, for the full twenty-five years (August 1991 - September 2016), she edited and completely created the "Treasury", devoted to nurturing and reconsidering cultural heritage.

As a prominent name in the world of radio journalism and artistic creativity, she was awarded in both areas. Twice (1996 and 2001) her exhibitions were proclaimed for the creative events of the year by critics of "Večernje Novosti".

The exhibition will be opened during the next period for the visitors.

05 December 2018 - Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System Milutin Simović hosted the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, headed by Committee Chairman Volkan Bozkir.

DPM Simović said that, as co-chairmen of the Mixed Commission for Economic Cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of Turkey, he always looks forward to meeting partners and friends from Turkey. He recalled the very successful 4th session of the Mixed Commission, which took place in Ankara in November 2017, the agreements that were signed on that occasion, as well as numerous meetings at a high level that took place in a spirit of friendship and sincere cooperation.

He also pointed out that the harmonisation of the new free trade agreement testifies to the friendship between the two countries. This agreement will represent a new momentum in the economic and trade relations between Montenegro and Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister Simović said, adding that business people have long recognised the key sectors and directions of cooperation and that the two governments need to make efforts to revive the agreements they have signed.

By the same token, DPM Simović called on the parliaments of both countries to ratify the agreements that have been signed.

After thanking DPM Simović on warm reception, Mr. Bozkir emphasised that Turkey attaches great importance to Montenegro, which can set a good example to many countries for the multi-ethnic and multireligious harmony and coexistence.

"We see Montenegro as an honest ally in NATO, but also as a friend with whom it has built solid bridges of friendship," Mr Bozkir stressed. This is confirmed by the visit of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in full composition and with the representatives of all parliamentary parties, said Mr. Bozkir.

DPM Simović and Chairman of the Committee Bozkir agreed that the current level of economic and trade relations between Montenegro and Turkey, which is at a satisfactory level, with very positive trends, does not show real opportunities. Tourism, industry, agriculture, wood processing, and direct investment have been highlighted as fields in which it is necessary to maximise potentials. Bearing this in mind, Bozkir suggested that the next session of the Mixed Commission for Economic Cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of Turkey will take place in Turkey as quickly as possible and invited Deputy Prime Minister Simović to be the guest of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on that occasion.

06 December 2018 - In recent years, healthcare has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. The wellness and fitness industry is flourishing worldwide and these aspects of life are gaining popularity in Montenegro as well. According to research in this field, physical fitness (being fit), as a state of health and well-being, is achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest. Montenegrin citizens are slowly gaining more insight on the aspect that regular workout routine helps to counter the side-effects of hectic urban lifestyle, reduce stress, anxiety and depression and other diseases that negatively affect health.

Two women, who moved from abroad to Montenegro, recently launched an exciting project in Herceg Novi. Esma Cerinan Otović (28) and Sule Kadan Turkel (45) founded an association that brings together women of different profiles (age, profession, descent) but still linked by the desire to spend their free time healthily and beneficially.

As these two women entrepreneurs stated in an interview with local News Portal “Radio Jadran”, Fit Woman Montenegro is a community that is free and open to all women of Herceg Novi, Bay of Kotor and beyond, who see themselves in the “world of wellness and wellbeing”. The association has their door open for females who want to participate in various activities that contribute to making a person feel satisfied and healthy.

Esma Cerinan Otović explained that the Fit Woman Montenegro Society plans that every week, members of the association will gather at least two times, and she invited all interested women to join them if they want to. The planned activities include stretching and breathing exercises; recreational walks in different locations, visits to tourist and cultural sites, photo-trekking tours, indoor and outdoor sports activities, visits to ethno-villages and agricultural farms.

Fit Woman Montenegro represents a Wellness & Well-being Community for Women with the primary goal to encourage members to lead an active, social and healthy life.

"The membership to our community is free for all women. We want to encourage each other to lead an active, healthy, social life. Come and share your time with us, "they said from the Fit Woman Montenegro Association, inviting all interested to follow them on Instagram and Facebook.