28 November 2018 - Minister of Science of Montenegro Sanja Damjanović participates at the Ministerial Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Nuclear Science and Technology: "Response to Current and Future Development Challenges" in Vienna on 28 and 29 November 2018. 

As part of the plenary session, the Minister of Science addressed the delegates of the Conference from the member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and presented the system of science and research in Montenegro with a focus on current ongoing and development projects implemented by the Ministry of Science, and in particular the regional project Initiative to establish the South East European International Institute for Sustainable Technologies (SEEIIST), whose 4th Steering Committee meeting was held on 27 November 2018 at the International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters in Vienna. 

"Montenegro has significantly benefited from the fruitful cooperation with the IAEA. We approach this cooperation from the standpoint of ensuring safety and security and facilitating sustainable economic and environmental development for the benefit of our citizens. Close collaboration with the IAEA has an added value for Montenegro since it helps us to fulfill requirements stemming from the ongoing EU accession process. I will concentrate on the following only on matters of particular interest to Montenegro," said Damjanović.

The Minister particularly emphasised the cooperation of Montenegro with the International Atomic Energy Agency, both in the area of technical cooperation and implementation of projects in which valuable equipment is purchased.

"I would like to express my deep gratitude to the IAEA for having provided already its support for Capacity Building, and to the European Commission for providing first direct financial support to start the Design Study Phase of the project. I also owe great thanks to the international research institutions CERN and FAIR-GSI for their readiness to host the Working Groups associated with the Design Study Phase until the site of the project is selected. With this project, I have addressed you today also in my capacity as the Chairperson of the SEEIIST Intergovernmental Steering Committee," concluded Damjanović.

The International Atomic Energy Agency Ministerial Conference is a forum with over 1,000 registered participants. Addresses were delivered by the heads of delegations from 64 countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of France, Switzerland, Germany, and others. The conference was followed by panels, and the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration is also foreseen. 

28 November 2018 - Montenegro sees European integration as an opportunity to secure the safety and quality of life of its citizens through an active contribution to a major project of peace and prosperity on the entire European continent, Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pažin said at a meeting with President of the National Council of Austria Wolfgang Sobotka in Podgorica on November 28.

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that an adequate evaluation of the reform results of Montenegro is an opportunity for both the European Union and the member states to affirm, on the example of Montenegro, the concrete effects of European policy in the Western Balkans.

In that regard, he thanked Sobotka on the continued political support of the top Austrian officials for Montenegro's EU bid, hopeful that during the Austrian presidency of the EU Council, negotiations in Chapter 27 on environmental protection will be opened.

He also said he is hopeful that the evident progress that Montenegro will achieve in the field of the rule of law will soon result in the obtaining of concrete conditions, the so-called benchmarks, to close the negotiations in chapters 23 and 24, as well as a more dynamic process of closing negotiations in other chapters.

President Sobotka congratulated Montenegro on its success in the process of European Integration, adding that Austria is interested in the entire region of the Western Balkans to start moving in the same way.

He said he is optimistic about negotiations in Chapter 27 to be opened during the Austrian presidency of the EU Council.

Emphasising the importance of economic cooperation with Montenegro, the Austrian official said that the value of Austrian investments per capita in Montenegro is higher than in other countries of the region.

28 November 2018 - Executive Director of the Joint-stock Company Airports of Montenegro, Danilo Orlandić, has recently met with the managing directors of the Laudamotion Airline, Andreas Gruber and Colin Casey, in Vienna. Since Laudamotion will establish the Stuttgart-Podgorica-Stuttgart line from April of next year, the details of this line have been considered, but the main topic of the meeting was the potential launching of additional routes from Montenegro.

During the meeting, Orlandić highlighted how it is a great pleasure for the Montenegro Airports to establish a relationship with a company like Laudamotion. He also mentioned the line to Stuttgart, assessing that the route will be hugely successful, given the growing interest in Montenegro from the German market. Significantly, the representatives of the two companies opened the topic of launching additional routes. Orlandić expressed his hope that they will complete these negotiations. “We agreed that we would meet again in Podgorica at the end of the year when I hope, we will deepen our cooperation," Orlandić said.

It is well known that the low-cost airline is looking to develop its destination map. During the meeting, Andreas Gruber explained that with the airline’s concept of prices that are in the service of passengers and an unbeatable price and quality ratio, Laudamotion manages to satisfy the needs of passengers. “We are looking forward to seeing our enhanced presence in Stuttgart during the summer of 2019. We are pleased that from now, on we can offer flights from Montenegro. Establishing a new line between Podgorica and Stuttgart, to be maintained by Laudamotion will significantly improve the connection between Montenegro and the German province Baden-Württemberg," he said.

Laudamotion, the No. 1 low-tariff airline in Austria, was founded in 2004 as a provider of charter flights for executive travel, serving European and international destinations. Years later, the company was taken over by Niki Lauda, former Austrian Formula One driver and a three-time F1 World Drivers' Champion. Europe’s largest budget carrier Ryanair bought 75,1 percent stake in Vienna-based Laudamotion in 2018.

From its headquarters in Vienna, Laudamotion is oriented to the fastest growing base in Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, and Palma. This Austrian airline operates flights to 50 destinations in 18 countries.

28 November 2018 - Public Company Parking Service Podgorica recently acquired three new parking meters, which will be set up in the city centre, allowing visitors to the area to pay for their parking with paper bills and coins. Drivers looking for on-street parking in downtown Podgorica will no longer have to send text messages to different numbers depending on parking zones, nor will they have to pay for parking on the newsstands.

According to the report by daily newspaper “Dan”, by the end of the year, the parking meters will be installed at the corner of Hercegovačka Street and Sloboda Street, at Bokeška Street and the third location is yet to be determined. These are the more up-to-date models of the parking meters for which the Parking Service paid about 6,000 EUR per piece.

"If the weather conditions are favourable, we will set up three parking meters by the end of the year. To install the equipment, it is necessary to have good weather conditions. Two locations are already determined, and for the third, we are still thinking. The third location will be Vučedolska Street or Vuk Karadžić Street, " said Nusret Canović, director of the Parking Service Company.

Canović also said that these models of parking meters are newer, and the installment of the devices will be convenient for the citizens of the Capital and visitors. "The new parking meters enable payment for all three zones that we have, and the machines can receive paper bills. These are the parking meters of the newer generation. We’re installing these devices, not only for the citizens of the Capital but also for people coming from abroad. Given that they will be operating in multiple languages, it will be much easier for visitors to pay for parking services. These parking meters will certainly improve our services," said Canović.

Coming to downtown Podgorica will now be a little more convenient, and that will be welcome news because many people don’t like to send text messages to pay for parking services, nor they enjoy searching for the nearest newspaper stand.

November 28, 2018 - International Multidisciplinary Scientific Symposium "Ancient Budva" and the accompanying documentary exhibition "The First Discovery of Antique Necropolises in Budva" organized by the Public Institution "Budva Museums and Galleries" started today in the Modern Gallery in the Old Town. The events took place on the occasion of two significant jubilees - 80 years after the discovery of the ancient necropolis and 15 years since the foundation of the Budva Museum.

What About Ancient Budva?

When digging the foundation for building the hotel "Avala" from 1936-1938, several graves from the Hellenistic and Roman period were discovered. Graves carried valuable goods - especially gold and silver jewelry, various vessels, glass, ceramics, and weapons. The research continued twenty years later, and most intensively after the earthquake in 1979. The necropolis has two parts, the older belonging to the Hellenistic period from the 4th to the 1st century BC, and the newer belonging to the Roman period, the 1st and 2nd century AD. With a total of 450 graves discovered, all the traces lead to the conclusion that the necropolis has been in use for more than a millennium.

Apart from the Museum of Budva, objects from the Budva necropolis, especially those found from 1936-1938 belong today to many other museums (Cetinje, Belgrade, Zagreb, Split) but also to private collections.

Ancient Budva brings together scientists from 8 countries

The organization of the international scientific symposium on the occasion of the anniversary of the great discovery was supported by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro and the Municipality of Budva, and the partner of "Budva Museums and Galleries" in this project is the Budva Tourist Organization.

Aleksandar Bogdanović, Minister of Culture of Montenegro, opened the Symposium "Ancient Budva" and the exhibition "The First Discovery of the Necropolis in Budva." Academi Aleksandar Čilikov, in front of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, addressed the participants at the beginning of the gathering. Mayor of Budva Dragan Krapović and Lucija Đurašković, director of "Museums and galleries of Budva" welcomed the guests thanking them for being a part of this important scientific meeting with the aim to support further activities to preserve and present the oldest parts of the town's cultural heritage. 

"Ancient Budva" is the first scientific meeting organized by the "Budva Museums and Galleries" in the European Year of Cultural Heritage. In Budva, reference lecturers coming from Australia, Italy, Austria, the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro will offer answers to numerous and diverse issues from the ancient past of Budva and the East Adriatic coast.

Ancient Budva Heritage to Read the Context of Hellenic and Roman Times on the Eastern Adriatic

The first day of the conference lasted for three sessions, where participants were able to learn about the antique Budva from the most renowned art historians, architects, and archeologists. Prof. Dr. Adnan Kaljanac spoke on the theme of "The legendary founding of Butua (Budva) and its influence on the appearance of Illyrian ethnos in the Mediterranean." Pprof. Dr. Lucijana Šešelj from the University of Zagreb spoke about Budva and Hellenism on the Adriatic. There were also opportunities for insights into Budva's material culture from the ancient period thanks to lectures by Dr. Milijana Dimitrijević on "Material Culture and Group Identities of Hellenistic Buddhist People" and Stefan Novakovic, who talked about the fortifying construction of Hellenistic Budva and other guild-like settlements on the Montenegrin coast.

The second session of the symposium was devoted to the methodology of research and presentation of the ancient Budva heritage as a cultural heritage. Katarina Jović spoke on the subject of "Ancient Budva Heritage as a Cultural Heritage: the Memory and the Forgiveness of the Ancient Budva Past." The period of antiquity in Budva also left traces of the nautical heritage, spoken by Mr. Gordana Karović, while Mr. Maja Franskovic, Dušan Maksimović, and Dunja Davidović spoke on the topic "Mosaic in a museum setting - the methodology of conservation on the example of an ancient mosaic from Budva." Dobrila Vlahović gave a lecture "Approach to the protection and preservation of cultural and historical values of antique Budva."

(Photo: Foto Bjelica)

The third session of the international symposium was reserved exclusively for the theme of ancient necropolises, discovered 80 years ago. The presentation by Dr. Miroslav Luketic was devoted to memories and records of the first discovery of 1938. Dušan Medin discussed the necropolis interpretations in the period after the invention, from 1938 to 1940, while Doc. Dr. Zorica Kuzmanović, Dr. Jelena Lj. Cvijetić and Mr. Lucija Đurašković talked about the social aspects of the rituals of the dead, the magic power of the graves with bronze bells, and the ways of burial of the deceased in the antique on the example of the Budva necropolis.

Three scientific sessions are planned for tomorrow, as well as a visit to the remains of ancient Budva and the Museum of Budva. The first session will focus on topics of importance for the interpretation of the findings of Hellenistic ceramics in Budva, and the second session deals with the artifacts of glassware and warfare equipment.

The last part of the scientific symposium stands for topics of importance for the evaluation and treatment of the archeological heritage of the broader area of the Montenegrin coast, as well as models of action aimed at better treatment of the oldest layers of cultural heritage.

The conference will end on Friday, 30 November, when participants will be able to meet the cultural heritage of the Old Town of Budva in the company of local guides.

This important project, which promotes the rich cultural and historical past of Budva as an ancient city, has been supported by numerous socially responsible companies and public companies from Budva (Dukley, Adriatic Fair, Zeta Film, Budva Water Supply and Sewerage, Mediterranean Advertising, Lovcen Film, Splendid Hotel, Budva Hotel , the hotel Grbalj, the Adriatic restaurant Kod Krsta and the Porto restaurant). On the occasion of the organization of the exhibition "The first discovery of the ancient necropolises in Budva", Budva's Museum established cooperation with the museums where archaeological artifacts discovered in Budva necropolises are preserved, including the National Museum (Serbia), Archaeological Museum in Zagreb (Croatia), Archaeological Museum in Split (Croatia) and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

National Geographic on Montenegro

27 November 2018 - According to preliminary data, total tourism revenue will exceed 1 billion euros, Prime Minister Duško Marković said in the Parliament of Montenegro, adding that Montenegro has been setting tourism records one after the other.

"This means that our tourism industry develops, acquires new knowledge and competencies and becomes competitive in the region and beyond. Furthermore, this year we have witnessed that the postseason lasted considerably longer than previous years, i.e., that it lasted practically until the beginning of November, which is just another step towards achieving our goal of Montenegro becoming a year-round tourist destination," said the Prime Minister.

Speaking about tourism, PM Marković also stressed that in the past two years of the Government's mandate, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism had issued more than 60 building permits for 4 or 5-hotels. 

"I have to express my satisfaction with the dynamics of major projects in tourism: Porto Montenegro, Luštica Bay, Porto Novi, but also a series of smaller, equally high-quality initiatives, namely Iberostar hotels in Njivice and Perast, hotels Lazure in Meljine, as well as those in Ulcinj, such as the Karizma Hotels Group's projects on the Great Beach. However, the Government also invests in tourist capacities in the north of our country, and an investment in the large ski resort in Bjelasica continues. By the end of 2020, about EUR 70 million will be invested there. I expect that the "Kolašin 1600" sky centre will accept the first tourists in the coming days," Prime Minister Duško Marković noted. He concluded by saying that he is satisfied with the tourist season and the derived economic benefits, adding that he believes that we can do more and do better.

27 November 2018 - "The young people are our most important capital, and the Government is working every day to improve the conditions of studying, improve the quality of higher education and its harmonisation with the needs of the market," Minister of Sports Nikola Janović said at the opening of the European Student Union's Board Meeting 75. 

The Minister said that the Government's efforts will consequently increase the employment of young people and educated people, and confirm that education is appreciated and that knowledge pays off. 

"At the end of this process - our ambition is not hidden - Montenegrin youth will stay in Montenegro and contribute to its development in a manner consistent with global aspirations. This is, after all, one of the most important tasks that Prime Minister Duško Marković has set before the Government and institutions, to which the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Education made a high-quality contribution during the two-year mandate of the 41st Government of Montenegro," Minister Janović stressed. 

Speaking about the European Student Union, the Minister said that the organisation which operates in 39 member states and gathers 20 million students has become the bearer of the struggle for better conditions of education, employment and improvement of student standards. "I believe that in the near future you will reach the expectations that you have set before you and your associations," the Minister said.