10 November 2018 - The mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vuković, announced a set of projects that should be carried out in the capital city of Montenegro. These projects include a traffic solution in the centre of the town, as well as setting up the monument to Ivan Crnojević. He also announced several infrastructure projects and construction of schools and kindergartens in settlements in Podgorica. However, first and foremost, the first man of Podgorica wants to bring the centre of Podgorica back into life and the possible solution is a shopping mall. 

“We will try to stop the traffic in the center of the town in order to stimulate people to focus on a healthy lifestyle. This idea blossomed in some cities, like Ljubljana, for instance,” said Vuković.

Former department store “Beko” will be demolished and a new shopping mall will replace it.

“I would be so happy if a shopping mall was built at the centre of the town. We have to bring the centre back into life. However, I cannot tell you exactly whether there will be a shopping mall or a hotel or maybe even congress center. It is a very important project that would resolve one of the main problems of the Capital city,” said Vuković.

A new elementary school will be constructed in Tološi and a kindergarten in Blok VI. The Mayor also pointed out the importance of road infrastructure and said that, during his term of office, a boulevard in Donja Gorica will be finished and that the Airport in Golubovci will be connected to the boulevard in Danilovgrad.

He said that the construction of collecting the main network is the most important project in this term of office.

The celebration of the New Year through the New Year bazaar, as Vuković said, will begin on 19 December and will last until 10 January.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

09 November 2018 - Around 1,2 million EUR was invested in the reconstruction of the gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović”, in order for it to become an energy efficient facility, said the Minister of Education Damir Šehović and Minister of Economy Dragica Sekulić.

Works on the reconstruction of this school have been in process for the last couple of months within the project carried out in cooperation with the German Development Bank.

As Minister Šehović said, one of the greatest investment cycles is currently being carried out and the gymnasium in Podgorica is part of it.

“The total value of education investment projects amounts to 30 million EUR. We have already completed works on the resource center in Podgorica, we are working on the resource center “1st June” while works on two schools in Mojkovac will be finished in November. We do all this because we appreciate the value of education,” said Šehović.

Minister Sekulić said that the gymnasium building is one of the symbols of Podgorica and expressed her satisfaction that, thanks to its reconstruction, its authentic appearance is preserved.

“We have reconstructed over 20 facilities within the project with the German Development Bank. Energy efficiency is not just a simple phrase as we usually see it, but in fact, it means that students and professors spend their time in a warm space, in which there is no humidity and with the appropriate lighting,” noted Sekulić.

Director of this high school, Zoja Bojanić-Lalović said that the gymnasium is not only an educational institution but also a cultural and historical monument of its kind.

“The most important thing is that it must remain authentic, unique, an architectural building worthy of admiration which now shines with its new glow,” said Bojanić-Lalović.

The reconstruction of the Gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović” is part of the second phase of the “Programme of Energy Efficiency in public buildings”, implemented by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

09 November 2018 - During the period of only ten months, around 2,28 million passengers have passed through both airports and that is more than during the entire last year, said the director of the Airports of Montenegro, Danilo Orlandić.

“This fact speaks in favor of the effects of our work in the domain of the improvement of air accessibility, attracting new air companies and investments,” said Orlandić.

He announced that a new terminal will be open at the Airport of Tivat. It is intended for those leaving Montenegro and its surface amounts 1.300 square meters.

“We will have six new check-in counters, and a completely new space whose importance will come into focus during the summer season since jams will be considerably reduced and the passengers will feel more comfortable. The construction of temporary facilities at the Airport Podgorica will soon begin,” said Orlandić.

New facilities will have brand new equipment, scanners, video surveillance.

“Our employees must take care of the safety of passengers and entire air traffic. With that aim, we engage often different profiles of experts who help us to maintain the airport's safety at an optimal level. Different international inspections confirm that we are doing a good job in that sense,” concluded Orlandić.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

09 November 2018 - On November 9, during the visit to the Capital of Montenegro, Culture Minister Aleksandar Bogdanović and his associates visited the final works on the building where the three institutions from the sphere of culture are planned to be moved: the Music Centre, the Film Centre and the Montenegrin Cinematheque.

The first phase of the works, which included the building process and construction works, was completed in the previous period, while the second phase, which includes works on the interior, stage, audio and video technique, will be completed soon.

According to the Minister's earlier statement, the Music Center will include a large concert hall with seating capacity 440, a small concert hall with 190 seats and a symphony and folk orchestra rehearsal hall. For the needs of the Montenegrin Cinematheque, the project includes depots for archiving films and video materials as well as the projection room.

As announced in the official announcement of the Ministry, Bogdanović expressed his satisfaction with the work progress that has been achieved in recent months, as well as with the spatial resources that will satisfy not only European standards and needs but also the expectations of the mentioned cultural institutions. During the conversation with the contractors, he highlighted the importance of the opening of this facility as soon as possible and insisted on the additional intensification of the work dynamics, in order to make the facility operational by the end of the year 2018.

This investment worth 13,190,000 EUR is a proof of program policies implemented by the Government of Montenegro in order to provide adequate working conditions for cultural workers, thus obtaining the necessary prerequisites for achieving even greater cultural ranges, the Minister concluded after the visit.

09 November 2018 - On November 9, the Montenegrin Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović, the Mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vuković and his associates held a meeting, during which the participants highlighted the quality cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Capital in the field of culture. The meeting also emphasized the significance and important role of the Capital in the implementation of cultural policies in the field of cultural and artistic creativity within the country as well as the need for even more concrete and more dynamic action towards the realization of projects that contribute to the affirmation of the culture of Montenegro.

Minister Bogdanovic particularly expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the partnership between the Government and the Capital City includes activities on the implementation of the Museum of the Contemporary Art Building Project. This Museum is expected to represent an important segment of Montenegrin art, preserve the cultural identity of the Montenegrin people, but it should also be the place for the meeting of contemporary artistic expressions.

Considering the specificity of the building, which represents a special architectural expression in all the cities of the world, after a detailed analysis, the project managers chose one of the most attractive locations in Podgorica. As for the object that should be the stamp of contemporary art in the whole country, an international public competition for a conceptual architectural solution will be opened by the end of the year, which will be announced by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the City of Podgorica, Minister Bogdanovic explained.

According to Mayor Vuković, the joint activities of Ministry of Culture and the Capital City, primarily building the Museum of Contemporary Art, will raise the cultural life of Podgorica to an even higher level, complimenting the fact that Podgorica is the Capital of Montenegro.

November 9, 2018 - The first part of the protest march of the SOS for Montenegro Network ended tonight at around 7.30 pm when the participants arrived in Petrovac. The civic protest against the oil and gas exploration program in the Montenegrin submarine continues tomorrow at 7 am when activists move towards Budva, and it is planned that the second day will be completed in Tivat.

SOS for Montenegro to Prevent Eco and Seizmic Dangers

During the four-day event, the citizens marched a total of 145 kilometers, extending the coast from Ulcinj to Herceg Novi, in order to alert the public and warn of the dangers threatening the research activities. In addition to being detrimental to the marine ecosystem, exploration of air cannons can also induce earthquakes, which is particularly concerning because research will be conducted in a zone near the epicenter of a catastrophic earthquake that hit the Montenegrin coast in 1979, claims the SOS for Montenegro Network.

Seismic Vessel Comes Tomorrow

In September 2016, Montenegro signed a concession agreement for exploration and production of oil and gas with the Eni-Novatek consortium for four blocks in the Montenegrin submarine near Ulcinj. The Directorate for Carbon Dioxides states that the nearest block of points is about 8 miles from the Montenegrin coast.

In this particular case, seismic research will cover a territory of about 1200 square kilometers in the part of the blocks for which the consortium Eni-Novatek has obtained a concession for exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons.

The seismic research will be conducted by the Norwegian company Shearwater by ship Polar Empress, which is coming to Ulcinj waters tomorrow. Polar Empress is a science-research vessel that will make the necessary formalities on the anchorage, and the other two Ocean Mermaid and 7 Waves vessels, which will support research activities, will be in Port of Adria.

The project will last for 45 days and includes 3D seismic surveys of the Montenegrin submarine, was confirmed by the maritime agency Nimont, the agent to the Norwegian company.

SOS for Montenegro is SOS for Adriatic

Mosor Prvan from the ecological organization World Wild Fund Adria (WWF Adria), which has been actively involved in the two-year campaign against exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in the Croatian submarine, stated that citizens must be aware of all the real dangers that carry such activities, which is not the case in Montenegro. The Croatian government was forced to withdraw from its plans, following the pressures of the public, which the pertinent attitudes of the relevant experts were presented through the campaign. Prvan emphasized that the Adriatic is a small and closed sea and all activities of such are to be of the great influence on the whole ecosystem.

SOS for Montenegro is Not Alone At Home

The Green Home organization called on the Montenegrin Government to withdraw the contract with the consortium Eni Novatek, while the SOS Montenegro network, in addition to the organization of the march, initiated a petition against the planned activities. Both organizations are strongly supported by the informal civic organization Bokobran Initiative and a lot of local activists along the coastline, who is expected to join the march along its route.

The SOS for Montenegro march comes from Petrovac via Budva to Tivat, where protestants are expected to arrive tomorrow night, continuing on Sunday to Kotor. The departure for Herceg Novi is planned on Monday, November 12th.

November 9, 2018 - The Cultural and Information Center "Budo Tomovic" will continue with the presentation of the magazine "Polje" and writer Dusan Vejnovic this month. The cooperation with the Novi Sad Cultural Center was renewed last year.

Thus, on Wednesday, November 7^th, the editor-in-chief Alen Bešić and writer Dušan Vejnović, an associate of the magazine, will present the renowned Novi Sad newspaper for literature and theory "Polje" at the KIC Multimedia Hall at 8 p.m.

The interview will be hosted by the editor of the information and educational program from KIC Valentina Knezevic.

The magazine "Polje", which has been published since 1955, has gathered and gathers the most famous artists of the regional art scene. In its early stages, the avant-garde and new avant-garde expression of the Novi Sad and wider Yugoslav art scene was especially encouraged. From the old magazine, the new "Polje" has kept an openness towards new tendencies in literature and theoretical thought, as well as the continuity of the former cultural space. Today, the value of this magazine is regionally recognized, especially its combination of different generational and stylistic trends, based on the past and at the same time following the current literary and artistic moment.

On Thursday, November 8th, in the Multimedia Hall of KIC from 8 pm, KIC presented the creativity of the writer Dusan Vejnovic to the Podgorica audience. Writers Alen Bešić and Barbara Delać also spoke about their books.

Dušan Vejnović (Sombor, 1981) graduated in psychology from the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade in 2006. He did his master thesis in 2008 and obtained the title of Doctor of Psychology in 2014 at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. He is the author of the collection of poems "Special Needs" (2013), the novel "Strong and to No one" (2014), and the prose collections of "Stubborn White" (2011, "Đura Đukanov" award) and "Side Branches of Evolution" (2017). For the translation of the novel “Amulet” by Robert Bolanja (2015) he received the award "Radoje Tatić". He lives in Novi Sad.

Alen Bešić (1975, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina), graduated from the Department of Serbian Literature and the Language of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. He published four books of poetry: "The Filigree Cut" (1999), "The Smoke Mode" (2004), "Bare Heart" (2012) and "Chronicle of Things: Selected Songs" (2014), as well as two books of selected literary critics and essays: "Reading Labyrinths" (2006) and "Non-Conventional Form" (2012

He translated the books by Gene Reese, Jamie Kincaid, Eni Pru, John Faulz, John Ralston Sole, Bruce Quatton, Tony Hogland, Teddy Cole, Derek Volkot, and En Carneson. For the translation of the novel "Beauty", Joyce Carol Outs (2010), he received the Award of the Association of Writers of Vojvodina for the translation of the year (2011), for the translation of selected songs by Toni Hogland "Do not tell anyone", the award "Miloš N. Đurić" (2015), and for the collection of poetry "Bare heart" the awards "Branko Miljković" and "Risto Ratkovic "(2013).

His poems were translated into German, English, French, Russian, Macedonian and Slovenian. He is a member of the Serbian Literary Society and the Association of Serbian Literary Translators. Since 2007, he has been working as the editor of the journal for literature and theory "Polje", and since 2012 also as the editor of the publishing activity in the Cultural Center Novi Sad.

Text by CdM, on November 3rd 2018, read more at CdM

November 9, 2018 - Citizens of Montenegro, holders of ordinary passports, can travel without a visa to 100 countries around the world, while holders of diplomatic and official documents can travel to 109 countries, it was announced after the government session. The government adopted the Information on the Visa Policy. According to the Public Relations Service, the discussion emphasized that Montenegro, bearing in mind the need to harmonize the visa policy with the European Union (EU) regulations, implemented the Schengen Action Plan and met the provisional benchmarks in Chapter 24, to responsibly fulfill the obligations arising from the visa liberalization.

The visa regime and the conclusion of a series of bilateral agreements between Montenegro and other countries have resulted in the fact that Montenegrin citizens, ordinary passport holders, can travel to 100 countries around the world without visas (including those in which a visa can be obtained at a border crossing) while holders of diplomatic and official passports can travel without visa in 109," the statement said.

As it is added, citizens from 104 countries, holders of ordinary passports, as well as holders of diplomatic and official passports from 111 countries can enter Montenegro without a visa.

The government explained that, in order to simplify the process of receiving visa applications from countries where Montenegro does not have its diplomatic-consular representation, and whose citizens showed interest in coming to Montenegro, an online portal is created through which there is the possibility of applying for a Montenegrin visa.

According to them, the portal, with a secure communication link, is connected to the Visa Information System (VIS), which ensures the implementation of legally defined procedures for issuing visas.

"So far, the VIS has been installed in 24 representative offices, while in the coming period its installation will be performed in the remaining offices," the statement said.

The government has established the basis for conducting negotiations and concluding agreements between the governments of Montenegro and Paraguay on the abolition of visas for holders of ordinary, diplomatic, official or business passports.

Negotiations will be held with the Uruguayan Government on the abolition of visas for holders of diplomatic and official passports, as well as with the Government of China on the abolition of visas for holders of diplomatic, official and business passports and accepted the proposed agreements.

The Government also established the basis for conducting negotiations and concluding a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro and the Ministries of Italy and Turkey on visa issues and consular protection in a number of countries in which Montenegro does not have a consular representation, and accepted the proposed agreements.

Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic said that the goal of all agreements is to extend the consular protection of the Montenegrin citizens.

The Government met with the GREVIO Committee's Report on the Evaluation of Legislative and Other Measures to Implement the Provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention).

A group of experts for combating the violence against women and domestic violence (GREVIO) is an independent body for monitoring human rights tasked to monitor the application of the Istanbul Convention.

"The report is the result of the first (basic) evaluation procedure conducted in relation to Montenegro. They incorporate the Convention as a whole, and therefore assess the level of harmonization of Montenegrin legislation and practice in all areas," the statement said.

Based on that evaluation, as it is added, measures are proposed to strengthen the application of the Convention and areas in which improvements are needed in order to fully comply with the obligations of the Convention. The report contains 44 recommendations at the national level. The conclusions that have been adopted should enable the full application of the Istanbul Convention. The Government also adopted the Report on realized activities on the preparation of Montenegro's participation at the World Expo 2020 Dubai Exhibition, a global discussion forum aimed at finding solutions to the universal challenges of our time.

The topic of the Universal Exhibition, which will be held from October 20^th, 2020 to April 10^th, 2021, is "Connecting Minds, Creating a Future" and encompassing three sub-themes: Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability.  

Montenegro, as recalled from the Government, will perform at the Expo within the sub-theme "Sustainability".

"In the framework of the preparatory activities for the participation, the General Commissioner of the exhibition was appointed and the Decision on the Education of the Organizing Committee for Participation of Montenegro at the World Expo 2020 Dubai Exhibition was adopted," the statement concludes.

Text by MINA, on November 8th, 2018, read more at Vijesti

November 9, 2018 - According to their representatives, the capital and the Investment Development Fund (IRF) should define a precise action plan with mutual obligations in order to boost entrepreneurship in Podgorica, the employment of young people and the reduction of the unemployment rate.

The Mayor of Podgorica Ivan Vuković, who met with IRF Director Zoran Vukcevic, said that the Capital will focus on intensifying cooperation with the fund in order to create new credit lines and other support mechanisms for young people, beginners in business, the unemployed, women and young agricultural producers.

"The capital will form the Secretariat for Entrepreneurship, and in this way, we will create organizational assumptions that these plans will concretize and strengthen the cooperation with IRF," said Vukovic. According to PG Biro, he said that in the past period, the Capital, through the Bureau for Economic Cooperation and Support to the Business Community organized seminars and training, provided free accounting services, infrastructure for beginners in business, and financial assistance. Vukcevic said he is ready to continue and strengthen the cooperation with the Capital by defining a concrete proposal of measures on which cooperation will be based.

"That's something we can do in the short term. Our fund invests up to EUR 200 million annually in support of entrepreneurship, and we take strict care of the fact that this business is based on clear business rules that are valid in the European Union (EU)," Vukcevic said.

He said that their goal is to strengthen the economy through credit resources and create opportunities for enterprises to develop and increase employment.

"It's all in line with the efforts of the Capital to reduce unemployment in Podgorica and we have been working on this in the previous period," Vukcevic said.

At the meeting, the interlocutors assessed that it is necessary to encourage people to engage in private business and to realize their business idea, especially through education that would be comprehensive, and that all those who successfully complete it and present a quality business plan can expect IRF’s support.

Text by Mina business, on November 8th, 2018, read more at CdM

08 November 2018 - The Montenegrin movie Lijenština ("Lazy Guy") is going to be premiered at the Cineplexx in Podgorica on December 5th, while during the next month it will be played daily on the Cineplexx schedule. The movie will also be presented to the German audience on November 10th during the Cottbus Film Festival, as well as during the Cinedays Film Festival on November 12th, which will take place in Macedonia.

So far, the movie Lijenština, by the director Aleksa Stefan Radunović and Andisheh Namvari as the movie's producer, participated at numerous film festivals, such as the Motovun Film Festival in Croatia, the Herceg Novi Film Festival in Montenegro, as well as at the Omladinski Film Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the Herceg Novi Film Festival, the movie Lijenština won a Special Mention Jury Award.

Lijenština follows a young man named Miloš, separated from his wife, who is forbidden to see his child because he is unable to pay alimony. He tries to find a job in order to be reunited with his baby boy. On his path, he faces obstacles such as his own pride, apathy, corruption, and the economic conditions of his country. When asked about movie content, director Radunović said that this movie is a look at the life of many youths and their families in Montenegro's capital city, Podgorica. Through the story of a young man struggling to find a job, the movie attempts to show the culture, economic conditions of the country and the way the normalization of corruption and dishonesty has led to despair and apathy. Lijenština refers to the stereotyping of Montenegrins as lazy people.

"Through the experience of the main character, fighting against chronic hardship and disillusionment, in an environment knowing little prosperity, we should come to see the error of the label," concluded Radunović.

Read more information about the movie Lijenština on its official Facebook Page and Instagram Page.

Lijenština is also available on IMDB.