The Defense Ministry's plan to form a military training ground in Sinjajevina received support from other government departments - ministries of agriculture, culture and sustainable development, and the government rejected citizens’ request who oppose the existence of a training ground for soldiers on that mountain.

The government today adopted information on the e-petition "Save the Sinjajevina - proclaim Sinjajevina a protected area and nature park", which received the support of at least 3,000 votes (3,324) through the portal "Citizens' Voice - e-petition", and then forward it to Predrag Boskovic ministry for consideration on 5^th August.

The Civic Initiative "Save the Sinjajevina", in addition to declaring the mountain a protected area, called for the suspension of the plan for the formation of polygons, for the mountain to be left to the cattle-breeders, to establish it as a tourist destination, and to protect the cultural heritage, tradition and archeological sites already existing in Sinjajevina.

Ministry of Defense recently told “Vijesti” that they would forward the petition to the Government when they received the opinion of other institutions, which have jurisdiction over issues related to citizens' initiative.

According to today's information on the e-petition, from the department of Milutin Simovic, they submitted opinion of the Forest Administration, stating that the site where the formation of the military training ground in Sinjajevina is planned "is not covered by the Forest Management Program".

They also added that "it is a vacant area with no plants of any character and level and that there are no obstacles to the realization of the project in question."

The opinion of the Ministry of Culture states that there are "no cultural property protected by law or property with potential cultural values".

The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism (MORT) agrees with the plan for the formation of a military training ground in the part of the quotes from the Spatial Plan, which defines that "the selection and determination of complexes and locations necessary for the functioning of the defense system shall be made on the basis of legal and strategic documents regulating the area of the defense of Montenegro ".

The Government had earlier adopted the Strategic Defense Review and 2019-2028 Long-Term Defense Development Plan. It defines, among other things, that one of the Ministry of Defense's key priorities is to establish a military training ground at Sinjajevina "which must provide conditions for tactical exercises of units up to the rank of battalion and combat firing with infantry’s weapons and artillery of the Army."

At a session two weeks ago, the government adopted the information on establishing the training grounds for the Army in Sinjajevina.

The Ministry of Defense then gave its consent for the temporary use of about 7,500 hectares of land for the purpose of forming the shooting range, until the adoption of the relevant planning documents, with the obligation of the MoD and MORT to make a zero environmental assessment and define a methodology for regular annual environmental monitoring at that location.

The defense minister said at the time that the formation of the Sinajevina polygons did not contradict the concept of affirming the mountain as a regional nature park.

Boskovic cited Germany as an example, stating that there were 693 military training sites in the country and that they were all included in Natura 2000, which is a key EU document on biodiversity protection.

Text by Damira Kalac, on September 19th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Landscaping and environmental protection have long been the focus of Telekom's social activities, both through individual actions and through support for similar projects through the contest "Za svako dobro".

As technology transforms our everyday lives and everything we do, Telekom has decided to take advantage of its opportunities and make it easier for citizens to get involved in the landscaping of Podgorica while rewarding them by introducing additional options into the application MOJE DRVO (MY TREE).

The new features of application MY TREE, developed by Telekom in collaboration with Amplitudo, now allows citizens to donate less than the total price of a seedling through two clicks on their mobile phones, and invite and organize friends to collect money to buy seedlings. 

Namely, thanks to the new features of the application, citizens can donate 3 or 5 euros that go to a joint landscaping fund for Podgorica. In return, Telekom's postpaid and prepaid customers who join the landscaping campaign receive gigabytes, i.e., 1GB for 3 euros donations and 3GB for 5 euros, which last 15 days.

By donating, users can share the invitation to a joint action on social networks, organizing their friends, neighbors and colleagues to join the action and raise funds for the seedlings together.

"We live in a world of new opportunities. Technology is undoubtedly changing the way we live and work, and it is up to us to recognize the opportunities it offers us. Amplitudo, the company that developed this application, recognized that there was space but also citizens' interest to give something special to their city and to follow up how much they contributed to the cleaner air by buying the seedlings. We at Telekom realized that seedlings could be made more accessible - which will further encourage citizens to be a part of this story - but also to spread the action through social networks and make it easier for the community to be part of it. That is why the money for the tree no longer has to be donated at once, and for each donation we donate gigabytes to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy, green environment, "said Gordana Spahic, Marketing Manager at the Montenegrin Telekom.

Telekom also notes that they are working with Amplitude to introduce other Montenegrin cities to the map of the application, which, they say, is of great interest to municipalities.

The application was enhanced in partnership with Amplitudo, which launched the application more than a year ago in collaboration with the Capital.

Text by Promo, on September 19th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

September 20, 2019 - Omar Torres, one of the most prominent guitarists of our time, is playing this evening, September 20, in Tivat. His Performance in Hotel Zebra in Donja Lastva starts at 7.30 pm.

Tom Waits guitarist, winner of the Jimmy Hendrix guitar competition, student of Juan Serrano, flamenco virtuoso, salsa, blues, rock and funk master and just an incredible musician comes to Montenegro, announces the organizer.

Omar Torres literally burst into the music scene. In the Seattle Opera Concert Hall during the Bumbershoot Festival, he stepped out with someone else's guitar in his hands and won the Jimmy Hendrix National Guitar Competition.

After that, he formed a group that played a mixture of funk, rock, blues, as well as Afro-Cuban rhythms, which became popular on the west coast of the United States.

Then Torres became interested in the music of Andalusian gypsies, flamenco and Cuban salsa. Flamenco taught him to play the famous guitarist Juan Serrano. As a result, Torres became a skilled classical guitarist and flamenco performer.

The talent of the musician was noticed by the cult artist Tom Waits. He invited Omar to his band as a concert guitarist for the 2008 European and American Glitter and Doom tour.

The guitarist shared the stage with artists such as Jethro Tull, Tony Levin, Bill Laswell, Kinky, Sidestepper, Pancho Sanchez, Mumiy Troll, Nortec Collective, Francisco Aguabella, Kanye West and many others.

Omar Torres created his own musical style, combining blues, rumba, funk and various very unexpected musical experiments. His album «A Night of Serious Drinking» (2012) was produced by Tony Berg, who previously worked with artists such as Michael Penn, Bob Dylan, Pink, Public Image Ltd. Among the latest projects of Omar — «Cancion Maldita», is a collaboration with the famous Mexican DJ Roberto Mendoza.

Entry ticket for Omar Torres concert, scheduled for this evening at the Zebra hotel, costs 10 Euros.

Source: WhatWhere.Tivat

19 September 2019 - Climate change is the key challenge of our time. Our generation was the first to experience an accelerated temperature rise around the world, and it will probably be the last, says the "Initiative for Stepping up Climate Ambitions," i.e., Declaration, which was signed by numerous world leaders – Milo Đukanović among others.

Đukanović will be the head of the Montenegrin delegation which is going to take part in a General debate scheduled to run from 24 to 30 September in New York. Montenegro will present the progress it has made in the implementation of sustainable UN agenda. It will also outline the plan for activities aimed at contributing to the global response to climate change.

"We, heads of states and governments, signatories to this Declaration, firmly believe that effective measures against climate change are necessary. We are sure that essential measures will help us lead our planet into a safe and prosperous future," reads the Declaration.

World leaders called on the international community and all signatories to Paris agreement to act together, with determination and speed, in order to stop the global climate crisis.

"Let’s use numerous possibilities and undertake measures against climate change. Let’s create a positive future for our planet," as noted in the Declaration, reports CdM.

Effects of this change have been documented and are felt everywhere in the world, like the dramatic increase in heat waves, floods, droughts and landslides, glacier shrinking and rise in sea level.

Declaration points out that the climate crisis concerns us all. Climate change affects the global economy, endangers different sectors, and is a serious threat to peace and stability in the world.

"In December 2015, the world witnessed an important moment of hope and trust: In COP 21, global community adopted Paris agreement with the aim of keeping the increase in the global average temperature below 2 °C while trying to limit temperature rise to 1,5 °C," pointed out the data in the Declaration.

Measures taken by the international community are not enough for achieving long-term goals established by the Paris agreement.

"On the basis of scientific and technical expertise, as well as financial funds, we have a collective task to do anything we can to stop climate change and adapt to its negative effects, while respecting the need for reasonable transition of our societies. In the light of findings of Special report of Inter-government panel on climate change and results of COP 24, we urge all Parties to make 2019 year of climate ambitions and attend the Climate Summit which will be convened by the UN Secretary-General," as was concluded on this occasion.

World leaders stress it is important to make sure that all financial flows are in accordance with the path leading to the reduction in greenhouse emissions. It is essential to request that all financial institutions harmonize their investments with long term goals set out in Paris agreement, intensify and increase investments in energy efficiency renewable energy, and to cut the investments in the economy of fossil fuels economy.

Read more news about lifestyle at TMN's dedicated page.

19 September 2019 - Montenegro will initiate all available mechanisms at the international level to protect the Cijevna River, as Albania did not respond to Montenegro’s concerns about the potential impact of mini-hydropower plants on the Cijevna. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Montenegro stated that Albania did not comply with the obligations arising from the Water Convention that the two countries signed last year in Skadar.

President of the Interstate Commission of Montenegro and Albania for Cooperation in Water Management and Managing Director of Water Management Directorate Momčilo Blagojević said that Montenegro would initiate all available mechanisms defined in international conventions, reports Cafe del Montenegro.

"Montenegro will initiate all available mechanisms to solve this issue by informing all the responsible secretariats in the Helsinki Committee, as well as the European Commission about planned activities on the Cijevna River that might have a serious impact on Montenegro," Blagojević explained.

He recalled that Montenegro first reacted last year after environmental activists warned that work had begun on the Cijevna riverbed in Albania, and provided footage of pipes placed in the river.

During the mid-August 2019 the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro conducted a research that showed that rivers Morača and Bojana mostly have a 'moderate status', which means that the chemical status in these rivers is not good.

Tara also has a moderate status in terms of water quality, while the water in Ćehotina is of low quality, the research shows. The cleanest river in the country is Cijevna, but the fact that the latest research did not include Piva, which had the highest quality water so far, should be taken into consideration when concluding.

Read more news about lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

19 September 2019 - Montenegro and Greece have excellent political bilateral relations, and the two countries’ solid economic cooperation needs to be further strengthened, Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković and Greek Ambassador Sotirios Athanasiou concluded at a recent meeting.

"Greece has always clearly and directly supported our national preferences and I want to thank you for that. Your embassy was the first point of contact in the NATO integration process, and today, as a full member of the Alliance, together with Italy, you are protecting our airspace, "Prime Minister Marković told Ambassador Athanasiou, who he received on a farewell visit.

The Prime Minister said that numerous very credible Greek companies are present in Montenegro, but that there is room for more meaningful cooperation and new investments in various fields. At the meeting, it was stated that better aviation connectivity would give additional impetus to stronger economic cooperation. In this context, the decision of the Government of Montenegro to valorize the airports was positively assessed, thus ensuring the improvement of the infrastructure as well as better aviation accessibility.

According to the official statement by the Government of Montenegro, the interlocutors agreed that the process of integration of Montenegro and the entire Western Balkans region into the European Union is of great importance for further progress, peace and stability. Ambassador Athanasiou stressed that integration is equally important for the Balkans and for the EU and said it was important to speed up the negotiation process.

Read more about politics in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

19 September 2019 - The health care system can be boosted significantly through the promotion of regional cooperation and strengthening joint actions in all the challenges, it was noted during the 69th session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Europe, which was held in Copenhagen.

Minister of Health Kenan Hrapović led the Montenegrin delegation during the session, which lasted from 16 to 19 September.

The first day session of the Regional Committee was committed to the work of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in the past year. Within the discussion, Minister Hrapović praised the efforts of the WHO to boost health in the world, the activities aimed at increasing access to health care and providing universal health coverage – the goals that are defined by European health policy "Health 2020" and sustainable development goals. Minister Hrapović informed the member states about activities that Montenegro implements in continuation in order to fulfil sustainable development goals when it comes to the health of the population and highlighted the significance of the primary health care. Minister of Health Hrapović recalled all the present that Montenegro is the first country of Southeast Europe that implemented the overall assessment of the primary health care capacity, based on which future courses of action are defined.

This year in July, Montenegro was the chairmanship of the South - Eastern European Health Network (SEEHN) and in that regard Minister Hrapović addressed the audience on the behalf of the nine network member states, and spoke about the regional high - quality cooperation when it comes to the health improvement and the importance of joint action, particularly when it comes to immunisation.

During the ministerial meeting, within the lectures on Leadership trough the SEEHN example, Minister Hrapović emphasised the issue and the leadership significance of the network members by which it contributes to the strengthening of the network and creating a reliable partner of the WHO. Minister Hrapović stated that all the SEEHN member states are managed by the motto "be the change you want to see" and that they first change their systems and then exchange good results and practices with other countries. The Minister pointed to the importance of leadership and constant learning and motivating others to improve their systems.

In the margins of the meeting in Copenhagen, according to the statement of the Government of Montenegro, thee delegation of the Ministry of Health of Montenegro met with the WHO Director-General – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the WHO Deputy Director General Zsuzsanna Jakab. The meeting discussed the essential activities in order to strengthen the process of immunisation, all in the direction of preparing the meeting of small states that will be held in July 2020 in Montenegro.

19 September 2019 - The Decision on the Enlistment of the Bokelj Navy on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the end of 2019

Minister of Culture of Montenegro Aleksandar Bogdanović recently paid a working visit to Kotor, during which he met with the representatives of the local government, and visited the Maritime Museum, the Bokelj Navy and the old prison facility, where work on establishing new facilities will begin soon.

According to the statement issued by the Government of Montenegro, discussions with local government representatives included numerous topics, such as art programs in the city, city development projects, as well as current issues regarding Kotor’s status on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The meeting emphasized that the previous edition of KotorArt justified the festival’s status as one of the key cultural programs in the country. In this regard, Minister Bogdanović and President of Kotor Municipality Aprcović agreed that the state and the city should consider the possibility of an even more generous budget for KotorArt's program next year.

When talking about activities in regards to UNESCO, Minister Bogdanović emphasized that communication in this area is intensive.

Most of the discussions between the Minister and President Aprcović concerned activities in regards to Kotor’s status on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this regard, the entire natural and cultural, historical area of ​​Kotor is currently under HIA review, while at the same time, the Management Plan is being revised. At the end of the month, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the city’s listing on the UNESCO World Heritage List, an ICOMOS meeting will be organized in Kotor. “I hope that we will soon get an opinion from UNESCO on the spatial plan of Kotor, so that we can start corrections as soon as possible, since we are obliged to submit a new Conservation Status Report by February 2020,” Minister Bogdanović said.

During his visit to the Bokelj Navy, Minister Bogdanovic stressed that it would soon be known whether it would be part of the UNESCO heritage.

“The most important will be the end of the year, when a decision will be made in Bogotá to enlist the Bokelj Navy on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Last year, we submitted the nomination file, it met the technical parameters, and we received 300 signatures of approval for the nomination,” said Minister Bogdanović.

19 September 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković was recently on a working visit to Nikšić, after which he stated that the municipality follows the Government's strategic development policies that are focused on the overall development of the country and improving the quality of life of its citizens, and that in Nikšić there is a boom in investments from both the public and the private sector.

"Here, we see progress in every place and the main indicator of such a trend is the information that the unemployment rate in Nikšić today is below 13 per cent. In early 2016, it was 22.8 per cent. So, people in Nikšić are working, people in Nikšić are getting employment, a lot is being done in Nikšić on the development of utility infrastructure, new roads, water supply, social infrastructure - over 1,000 apartments are being built today in this city. Therefore, we have a new quality here, we have people here who can finance it, and the State is investing tens of millions through its capital projects. Only the reconstruction of the regional road from Nikšić to Vilusi or what we have done from Petrovići to Vraćenovići and of course the entry into the procedure of construction of a new road from Cetinje via Čevo to Nikšić will cost over EUR 50 million. We have a great situation in Nikšić, one serious team, a good partnership between the Government and the Municipality," the Prime Minister said.

According to the official statement by the Government of Montenegro, during his visit, PM Marković and the representatives discussed the current city development projects, such as phase II of the sewer system, reconstruction of the city football stadium, for which the Government allocated 3 million euros, and the Football Association of Montenegro 1.5 million euros.

The Prime Minister, alongside Minister of Sports and Youth Nikola Janović, laid the foundation stone for the construction of a multifunctional playground at the Dušan Bojović Elementary School in Župa. On that occasion, PM Marković promised that the Government would finance the construction of the entire section of the road from Župa to Nikšić in the length of 21km.

Read more about the business environment in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

Last week was important not only for the hotel group Casa del Mare, but also for the Montenegrin culinary world. For the first time, the Casa del Mare Hotel Group hosted a Michelin star chef at its Mediterraneo Hotel in Montenegro.

Eros Picco, who spends his working life in Milan, Italy, organized an extraordinary gastronomic evening for all visitors to the Casa del Mare Mediterraneo Hotel (Kamenari, Boka Bay) on September 12 and 13, as part of two tasting dinners.

Casa del Mare hosts Michelin star chef

Picco created nine courses for this occasion using as many local products and ingredients as possible. The gastronomic experience was also enhanced by local wines from this region, the choice of which was adapted to different dishes.

Casa del Mare hosts Michelin star chef

The Michelin star rating system is the highest point of reference in the restaurant and hotel industry. In this way, the Casa del Mare Mediterraneo hotel, which will be open throughout the winter, begins the seasons of great events in the off-season and quality collaborations with local and foreign brands and experts.

The Casa del Mare Hotel Group is the first domestic boutique hotel group in Montenegro and as such won the Wild Beauty Award for the previous year.

Hotel Mediterraneo is the first hotel in this group. It was renovated and opened on July 12 this year and has received five stars with a new categorization.

Text by Boka news, on September 19th, 2019, read more at Boka News