November 21, 2018 - The Boka Navy Kotor is acting as a protocolar participant in marking more holidays in Boka Bay. Boka today celebrates the Day of the Municipality of Kotor and the Day of the Municipality of Tivat, as well as two religious holidays - Our Lady of Health and the Holy Archangel Day. Again, returnee visits of the delegations of the cities and the ancient tradition of ecumenism, which is particularly respected in Kotor, make this day of the year very important in the context of multiculturalism and harmonious coexistence of the Boka population from the earliest times.

Kotor and Tivat celebrate the glory in honor of the bright anti-fascist past, as the day of liberation from the occupiers in World War II. As it welcomed the release of the Liberation Army in Kotor in 1944, the Boka Navy Kotor through all the decades that followed participates with its ancient protocol in marking the holidays of both cities.

Conducted by City Music – “Music Educational Society Tivat”, headed by the chapel Nevila Klakor, the Tivat Detachment of Boka Navy 809 Kotor, with the participation of Boka Navy Admiral, Dr Antun Sbutega and Lieutenant Zdravko Milošević in the function of Adjutant, accompanied by majorettes, started this morning on the street II of the Dalmatian Brigade to the Tivat Municipality Building. The President of the Municipality, Siniša Kusovac, handed over the state flag to the Navy Barge Gracija Nikolić, after which a solemn procession was sent to the town's promenade Pine.

The ancient, over 12-centuries-old Boka Navy, welcomed the president of the Municipality of Tivat. Commander of the Tivat Detachment, Gracija Škanata, submitted a report with an honorary plot, after which, with the accompaniment of the City Music, Boka Navy performed the Round Dance of St. Tripun. The ceremonies, apart from the vice-presidents of the municipality, Ilija Janović and Dejan Maslovar, as well as representatives of the municipal secretariats, were attended by representatives of the brother towns Ub, Sremski Karlovci, Novi Sad and Konjic. Officials and guests then headed to the Tivat Municipal Building, where the Session of the Municipal Assembly was held.

Representatives of Tivat's Detachment, led by the commander of the Boka Navy's Grand Duke, the First Major Gracija Abović, after the ceremony in Tivat, joined Admiral Antun Sbutega and Lieutenant Zdravko Milošević and headed to Kotor, where has just started the same ceremony. After the report to the mayor of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić, the Boka Navy now performs the Round Dance of St. Tripun at the Arms Square in Kotor. The Solemn Session of the Kotor Assembly is scheduled for 1pm.

Religious holidays are marked by the organization of religious communities, but with great support from Kotor citizens who, despite religious affiliation, visited the Church of Our Lady of Health at Fort Saint Giovanni this morning, as well as the liturgy of Holy Archangel Day in the church of St. Nicholas in the Old Town of Kotor.

November 21, 2018 - In the co-production of the Tivat Culture Center and the City Theater from Podgorica, preparations for the realization of a new theater show - Mali Pirat (The Little Pirate) began in Tivat. The scenario was written by Aleksandra Glovacki by the motives of Anto Staničić's novel. The direction is entrusted to Milan Karadžić, and in the authorship team are costume designer Dragica Laušević, composer Irena Popović Dragović, choreographer Nebojša Gromilić, scenographer Boris Maksimović, and dramaturge Dubravka Drakić.

"Mali Pirat" is a novel by Anto Staničić, which takes place in the eighteenth century when pirates harassed the seas. The novel depicts the life of Bokelian sailors, with a faithful portrayal of Boka Bay folk customs. This novel, alongside adventurous events, also sends a message of love to other people and nations, as well as to the family.

The play for all generations gathers a great ensemble including Dubravka Drakić, Pavle Ilić, Branko Ilić, Miloš Pejović, Goran Slavić, Branka Femić, Katarina Krek, Jelena Simic, Jelena Đukić, Pavle Popović, Maša Labudović, Marija Đurić, Omar Bajramspahić, Sanja Popović and Jovan Krivokapić, as well as children engaged in the school of acting - Miloš Kašćelan, Ivan Kašćelan, Aleksa Baćević and Filip Petrović, and dance groups from Tivat and Kotor.

The premiere of the show in Tivat is scheduled for 20 December, while the Podgorica premiere will be seven days later, on 27 December 2018.

The play will mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of one of the most famous Montenegrin children's writers from the second half of the twentieth century, Anto Staničić, who was born in 1909 in Tivat.

November 20, 2018 - Montenegro still has no protected habitats and protected marine areas, although three sites have long been proposed for protection, said the manager of the Monteaqua project, Radoje Laušević, at the "Marine and Coastal Protection of Montenegro" workshop at the Coastal Institute of Marine Biology.

The workshop was organized within the project "Marine Biodiversity Protection Center of the Aquarium of the Bay - MonteAqua", in cooperation with NGO MedCem from Sutomore.

The theme of the workshop was based on the EU Directive 92/43 / EEC (Habitats Directive), whose provisions relate to measures to preserve and restore habitats and animal and plant species of common interest, taking into account economic, social and cultural requirements and regional and local characteristics of the area.

The objective of the Monteaqua project, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and implemented by the Marine Biology Institute, is the creation of a network and platform for discussion on topics selected as priority and significant in the process of EU accession to Montenegro under Chapter 27 concerning environmental protection and fisheries, Lausević recalled:

"We hope that the created platform, bringing together experts from scientific research institutions, relevant state institutions, and NGO sectors, will enable active discussion and conclusion not only to be made but to provide access to data, which will be important for the designation of three protected marine areas in Montenegro," said Laušević.

Regarding future management of protected marine areas, Aleksandra Ivanović from the Public Enterprise Sea Property said that this institution has been responsible for the management of protected areas in the coastal zone since 2014: "We are responsible for 24 Protected Areas - 22 Beaches, Ratac peninsula, and Special Nature Reserve – Solila in Tivat". Also, the Sea Property will be responsible for protected areas in the sea as soon as they are established.

Protected Marine Areas and Fisheries

The Belgrade TV director, a passionate diver and environmental activist Dušan Varda, presented a project of the NGO Mediterranean Center for Environmental Monitoring (MedCEM) from Sutomore: "We are implementing a project to strengthen legitimate fisheries in future protected areas in the sea in Montenegro. It is funded by the Network of Managers of Protected Areas of the Mediterranean, Prince Albert of Monaco and the Little Foundation. The project consists of educating fishermen, workshops, brochures, and excursions for Montenegrin fishermen in protected areas in the sea in the surrounding countries - Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, Varda said.

The habitats become increasingly fragmented because of the increasing pressure they are dealing with, bringing together the decreasing number of plant and animal species, their distribution, as well as the value of goods and services that natural goods provide. Therefore, as concluded yesterday in Kotor, it is necessary to implement laws to improve the overall state of nature.

November 20, 2018 - Cultural Center "Nikola Đurković" Kotor - City Library and Reading Room, for the celebration of 21 November- Kotor Municipality Day, has organized a multimedia lecture for children and young people "Meet the secret world of the Bokelian Mandrać and take a photo".

It is not easy to translate “mandrać” in English, but let’s say it is dry stone jetty, constructed along whole Adriatic coast. Most of these valuable cultural heritage constructions in Boka Bay are demolished, or damaged with inadequate interpolations, such as concrete covers. Mandrać, as a dry stone construction, allows sea water to circulate among stone blocks, so this kind of constructions don’t present any natural threat, neither in disruption of sea currents nor in the destruction of marine organisms inhabiting the sea bottom.

The lecture will be held by architect Maja Krušić and ethnologist Jelena Vidović from the Department for the Protection of Cultural Goods, biologist Ines Peraš, a scientist from the Institute of Marine Biology from Kotor and Ivan Gvido Krivokapić, Coordinator at Kotor and Fishery Tourism Organization.

The lecture will take place in the multimedia hall of the Kotor Cultural Center, on Thursday, November 22 at 10 am.

19 November 2018 - On the sidelines of the conference "European Values, Rule of Law and Security", which took place in Vienna on November 19, Interior Minister of Montenegro Mevludin Nuhodžić met with his Austrian counterpart Herbert Kickl.

Minister Kickl praised the results Montenegro has achieved in the negotiation process with the European Union, especially regarding chapters 23 and 24. 

"Montenegro is EU's extremely important strategic partner in the field of security. Montenegro's place, as well as of the region as a whole, is in the EU," stressed Minister Kickl. He added that Austria will continue to strongly support Montenegro's EU bid by providing concrete assistance to capacity building and harmonisation with European standards in the fields of justice, freedom and security.

Minister Nuhodžić thanked the Government of Austria for the continued efforts to keep the European perspective of the Western Balkans high on the agenda of the EU, and in particular for supporting Montenegro.

It was noted that there is room for further improvement of bilateral police cooperation in combating organised crime and terrorism.

"The situation on the continent is unique in recent history when it comes to security challenges: we all face the same or almost the same threats. Only their intensity varies Therefore, we need to use this fact in a way to cooperate even more intensively and, without exception, to implement what we have agreed as quickly as possible, with the highest quality and commitment. Only then can we be effective. There must be nothing of greater priority than what directly affects the security of our countries and our citizens," said Minister Nuhodžić, but also noted that global security challenges countries worldwide face every day request world's unity in tackling them.

"We need to act together in order to stop trafficking in human beings, drugs or weapons, or potential terrorists. The answer to these challenges can only be in the cooperation between the states. Challenges are such that if only one link fails - it then becomes the problem of not only one country, but much broader. First of all, Montenegro is a responsible state, consistent in meeting all undertaken obligations. By doing that not only do we protect ourselves but others as well," the Interior Minister of Montenegro concluded.

19 November 2018 - Around 15 leading companies in the domain of airport management are interested in the Airports of Montenegro. Concession for the period of 30 years will be granted to the company which offers 100 million EUR of advance payment and the one which is ready to invest 85 million EUR in the first three years, said the Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs, Osman Nurković.

Nurković confirmed that the concession agreement is ready and announced the tender invitation.

“We have made the concession agreement and the concession act and it should be considered within next few days. After the Government adopts the concession agreement, the public invitation will be called. We expect huge interest of investors and, currently, we have around 15 leader companies in this area,” noted Nurković.

Montenegro is a tourist destination and the number of tourists is constantly increasing. Technical, spatial and security capacities of Montenegrin Airports are not at a satisfactory level and investment is needed.

“Minimum 85 million EUR will be needed to increase the level of quality of our services and stimulate our tourists,” said Nurković.

Interests of employees will be fully protected in case concession is reached.

Apart from the plan for the Airports of Montenegro, the best model for the national airline company is being searched. Nurković says that this company will either go bankrupt or it will be privatized.

“Montenegro Airlines is very important for Montenegro, for tourism in particular. This is a very complex issue, the Government is analyzing it carefully and I’m sure the best possible decision will be brought,” said Nurković.

He confirmed that there are interests for Montenegro Airlines, but they want to buy a company which has potentials, and bring it to optimal level.

“We are now in the situation to either render a decision on rehabilitation of to privatize the company. In the worst case, the company will go bankrupt,” concluded Nurković.

Nurković also spoke about railway transport which Montenegro is focused on since the EU recognized the railway transportation as the most beneficial in ecological terms and the benefits from EU funds are good.

19 November 2018 - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Srđan Darmanović, said again that Montenegro would vote for membership of Kosovo in Interpol. He also said that the relations with Serbia have become more stable ever since Montenegro regained its independence.

Darmanović said clearly that Montenegro cannot influence the agreement Kosovo and Serbia reach regarding the exchange of territories.

“We wish all the best to both of our neighbors. We have always supported their dialogue, but Montenegro cannot be the promoter of the solution. Montenegro does not want crisis and tensions in the region,” said Darmanović.

He pointed out that relations with Serbia are good regardless of some political disagreements that have always been there.

Darmanović also commented on the Nikola Gruevski passing through Montenegro and said he didn’t see anything wrong with that.

“At that time, Gruevski was not at the Interpol’s list of Wanted Persons and Macedonia never gave any signals that he was a person out of the law,” says Darmanović.

He also thinks that tense relations between Montenegro and Russia are passed.

“It would be nice if Russia could understand that their policy in the Balkans has finished in Montenegro. It is NATO member now and the issue is resolved,” said Darmanović.

Text by CdM, on November 19, 2018, read more at CdM.

19 November 2018 - Famous Italian pianist and composer Maurizio Mastrini will perform on the Great Scene of the Cultural and Information Centre "Budo Tomović" on Tuesday, November 20th at 8 PM.

The program will feature Mastrini's compositions: “Essential”, “La stagione dell'amore carezze”, “Children's Love”, “Primavera... La rinascita”, “Malinconia”, “Fly”, “W la vita”, “Tango Clandestino” and “La rossiniana”. The entrance to the performance is free.

Maestro Mastrini is distinguished for its strong emotions, original performance technique, but also because he always performs barefoot. His indisputable technique, which allows him to impress the audience during each performance, confirms his quality as an artist on the Italian and international music scene. It's no coincidence that the "Mastrini Phenomenon" has won and continues to conquer critics and the audience. Mastrini had great success on four different continents and the awards he received for the performance of Schuman's "Fantasy op.17", which eminent musicologist Richard Allorto included in the "The Masterpieces" collection, which was otherwise published by Ricordi (CD also includes the recording of Artur Rubinstein) confirms his essential role in the evolution of modern pianism.

So far Maurizio Mastrini has held numerous concerts in a very specific environment, such as "The First Snow Concert" held at Folgaria Trento at 2,600 meters above sea level, or "Concert for Water" in the thermal water in Montepulciano, or "Fire Concert" at the volcano Etna, 2,000 meters at the time of the eruption, or even "Concert on the Moon" held under the walls of the Temple of Juno, in the Valley of Temples in the Agrigento. No less impressive was the "Concert in the desert", performed in the Arabian Desert in Dubai.

Maurizio Mastrini is one of the most important pianists and most original composers in the international music and instrumental scene. Called "Wild Heart" because of his solitary nature, he is a true musical genius on the international scene, not only thanks to the strong emotional involvement during each performance but also thanks to the original piano technique that has captivated audiences around the world.

Mastrini's first musical movements took place in his father's forge, making primitive drums from empty paint bands and playing on them. Considered the "wonder child" by numerous experts, Mastrini became a student of Maestro Vincenzo Vitale; the pianist's journey quickly began, which soon led him to important Italian concert stages. His brilliant career was interrupted in 2000, due to a personal crisis, and continued in 2009 thanks to his dream and the desire to embroider in a new type of artistic expression, "Music backward", which implies playing backward, from the last to the first.

Since returning to the scene to this date, Mastrini has held over 480 concerts around the world. The most important and well-known world newspapers follow his work, his extremely successful tour and 7 published sound carriers (CD's) of compositions, distributed worldwide: "Il mio mondo al contrario", "Il profumo della musica ", "Contrario", "Terra", "Fly", "ESSENTIAL-piano and strings" in cooperation with the International Merenptah Orchestra, led by conductor Maestro Flavio Emilio Scogna.

In May 2015, his seventh album, "PIANIST", was released, based on outstanding technical virtuosity, and in 2016, he published his new work "HEART", where he used his heartbeats as the rhythmic basis of the title track.

19 November 2018 - On 19 November 2018, the 15th Jubilee Vienna Economic Forum – Vienna Future Dialogue 2018 under the motto "Economy meets Politics" took place under the Patronage of H.E. Mr. Sebastian Kurz, Federal Chancellor of Austria, and an official event of the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković spoke during the panel in Vienna, explaining that Montenegro has ambitious plans during Austrian presidency of the Council of the European Union, and these ambitions are based on assessments from the latest EC document. 
"As you are aware, Montenegro has the ambition to make progress during the Austrian presidency. We base our optimism on the assessment from the latest EC's document on the rule of law that shows a balanced and thus realistic image of the efforts that Montenegro continuously invests in the implementation of reforms within the negotiation process. I am convinced that Austria and the countries of the European Union will objectively assess our results," Prime Minister Marković said at the Vienna Economic Forum. He also took part in meetings with the Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and EU commissioners Johannes Hahn and Mariya Gabriel.

The Prime Minister thanked Chancellor Kurz and the EU commissioners for the positive and inspiring meetings. He was pleased that he discussed the continuation of important discussions for the region with Commissioner Hahn and Commissioner Gabriel. It was important for Montenegrin representatives to hear Austria's plans during its presidency, but also to present the country’s plans and ambitions.

The host, Federal Chancellor Kurz, told at the press conference that Austria, during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, will focus on three areas: the region's path towards the European Union, the necessary regional cooperation and the resolution of bilateral disputes in the region. Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn emphasised that all Western Balkan countries have a European perspective, although it is not realistic that they all join the Union at the same time. 

Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel told Western Balkan leaders that they can count on the EU support and that the EC will continue to invest in talented people in the region. "Digital agenda for the Western Balkans is our objective. It is up to us to continue this process," Commissioner Gabriel noted during the economic forum in Vienna.

The prime ministers of the six Western Balkan countries assessed as particularly important the fact that Austria insists on the enlargement agenda.

Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabić thanked the host, Chancellor Kurz, for working on the more integrated region and keeping the EU's policy of enlargement on the European agenda. "Serbia is strongly committed to the EU agenda. On the regional level, the connectivity agenda is a priority for Serbia," Prime Minister Brnabić said. 

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić said that strengthening of the cooperation with the EU contributes to the further development of the Western Balkans. He especially emphasised the importance of the fact that the EU's door remains open. 

Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama said that the region is facing challenges of the cooperation, while Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said that his country has fulfilled all conditions for visa liberalization, including the last condition – border demarcation with Montenegro. 

November 19, 2018 - Organized by the Secretariat for Culture and Social Activities, the Secretariat for Youth, Sports and Social Affairs and other institutions and organizations of the Municipality of Tivat, within the event "November Days", from Monday to Saturday, 24 November, will see 20 events including exhibitions, concerts , sports and tourist manifestations.

The program entitled "Radovići to Their City" starts on Monday at 11 am in the Cultural Center "Uroš Rautović" in Radovići.

The annual award ceremony for the most successful athletes is planned on Tuesday at 11 am in the Multimedia hall of Tivat Municipality. The exhibition "Tivat in the Great War" is scheduled for 19 am, and will be set up in the newly renovated DTV Partizan hall.

On Wednesday, 21 November, a series of events will mark Tivat Day. At 8am there will be a Race of Peace from the church of St. Roko in Donja Lastvi to the Monument to the Dead of Warriors. A half an hour later the run of the students of the "Drago Milović" Primary School begins. Tivat's Delegation and the Association of Fighters of the National Liberation War at 9 am plan the visit to the Monument to the Dead of Warriors.

Following is the traditional ceremony of handing over the city flag of the Boka Navy in front of the Tivat Municipal Building and the festive defiance of the Boka Navy and City Music in the streets of the city to the Pine promenade. The Tivat Order of the Boka Navy will submit a report to the President of the Municipality of Tivat on Pine, followed by the performance of the St. Tripun round dance. In addition to the Music Education Society Tivat (City Music) and the Boka Navy, the program at Pine will also include local dance and folklore groups. Following will be the Festive Tivat's Municipal Assembly's Session, and after that, from 12 am to 14 pm, the Secretariat for Culture and Social Activities and the Tivat Tourism Organization will organize a manifestation "To the Town for Its Birthday" at the Magnolia Square.

A new fire truck worth 60,000 euros will be delivered to the Rescue Service on Thursday at 10 am. The evening part of the program will be performed by the Middle Music School. They will hold a concert at 8 pm in DTV Partizan hall.

The children's parliament will sit in the Multimedia hall on Friday at 10 am. At 7 pm the students of the Middle Music School in the school Concert hall will present the concert "She lives to be heard", while in 8pm fashion fans can watch the show by Radojka Tepavac and the photo exhibition by Mihael Đuričić in DTV Partizan.

The event “November Days” is traditionally joined by the Sailing Club Delfin which is organizing the "Tivat Day" regatta. The regatta will be held on Saturday, 24 November at 10 am. Unlike earlier events on the occasion of the Municipality Day, this year, apart from the small regatta boards, Delfin organizes competition of team sailing ships. Follows the concert of Klapa Jadran at the Great Hall of Culture Center of Tivat, scheduled for Saturday, 24 November at 8pm. By this concert Klapa Jadran will mark the 45th anniversary.