14 May 2019 - The most significant regional neurologists meeting, "The Adriatic Neurology Forum 2019", will take place in Bečići, Montenegro from May 22 to May 26, 2019. The main organizer of this event is the Society of Serbian Neurologists, and the co-organizers are the Society of Croatian Neurologists and Society of Montenegrin Neurologists.

The official opening of the Adriatic Neurology Forum 2019 is scheduled for May 23 at 7 pm, and the venue of the event is Hotel Splendid Spa & Conference Resort, as well as Hotel Montenegro in Budva, a gorgeous place on the Adriatic coast in Montenegro. The symposium will be attended by the leading names in medicine dealing with neurology in the entire region, but also the most famous neurologists from all over the world. The lectures will be held by carefully selected foreign and domestic lecturers.

One of the most important aspects of this meeting is the presentation of the participants’ practices and experiences. Therefore, the organizers expect all participants to take an active part in all sessions, particularly in the poster session. The forum will share new experience and knowledge from various neurological areas.

The holding of this symposium in Bečići is of great importance for the promotion of Montenegro as a tourist destination.

Speakers at the forum include eminent professors from the region as well as from EU. Honourable guests of the Forum will be Zlatibor Lončar, Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Kenan Hrapović, Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Montenegro.

On May 22, the program includes participant registration, the opening ceremony, an introductory lecture by Academician Vladimir S. Kostić and a small cocktail event. The lectures within the second day program cover the following topics: Parkinsonism (Academician Vladimir S. Kostić, prof dr Marina Svetel, prof dr Tomislav Babić ), Dementia (Prof. dr Elka Stefanova, doc dr Smiljana Kostić, prof dr Fran Borovečki) and Epilepsy and Unexplained loss of consciousness (Prof dr Ranko Raičević, prof dr Silvio Bašić, prof dr Meir Bialer).

The program for May 24 includes the lectures on Cerebrovascular diseases - neurovascular procedures (Prof. dr Ranko Raičević, dr. sc. med Ljubo Marković, dr. sc. med Slobodan Ćulafić), MS (Prof. dr Jelena Drulović, prof. dr Vanja Bašić-Kes, prof dr Evica Dinčić) and NMOSD (Prof. dr Evica Dinčić, prof. dr Gordana Tončev, prof Slobodan Vojinović). Lectures on the topics Headaches and neurotrauma, Neuromuscular diseases and Child neurology will take place on May 25, while the closing ceremony and certificate of attendance delivery are planned for May 26.

Registration of participants is mandatory for all participants except for foreign invited lecturers. Registration fee can be paid within the entire arrangement, in advance or on the spot. The registration fee includes registration, registration set, right to participate in all official and accompanying programs, access to the opening ceremony, welcome cocktail and gala evening, certificate of attendance.

As the organizers announced, they have provided a sufficient number of seats on flight Belgrade - Tivat - Belgrade. Reservation and payment of tickets are done through the ASTAKOS Congress Agency.

The meeting is under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Montenegro.

13 May 2019 - The Tourist Organization of Budva will officially introduce an excursion fee for the Old Town Budva at the price of one euro starting from next Monday, May 20, 2019.

According to the Decision of the Introduction of Excursion Fee brought by the Government of Montenegro (March 22, 2018) and the local government of Budva (December 27, 2018), all tourists who come to visit the Old Town Budva in the framework of an organized group through tourist agencies will have to pay the excursion fee which amounts to 1 EUR.

The official report by the Tourist Organization of Budva states that the excursion fee will be collected at the new information and tourist point that will be built next to the kindergarten "Ljubica Jovanović Maša", right across the cafe Perla.

As the elaboration of the main project of construction of the information point is underway, the collection will be organized at an information and tourist point in the Old Town of Budva at the address Njegoševa 28.

The excursion fee of 1 EUR will be charged throughout the year to each visitor/tourist who, as a part of an organized group, visits the tourist site Old Town Budva.

Payment of the excursion fee will not be required for children up to 12 years of age, persons with severe sensory and physical disorders, participants in school excursions, foreign citizens who are exempted from paying international taxes under international conventions, and who through official humanitarian organizations come to provide humanitarian assistance and for guests accommodated in tourist facilities located in the territory of Budva, who have already paid the residence tax.

According to the Decision of Introduction of Excursion Fee, a fee will be charged to tourists who, in the framework of organised groups, through tourist agencies, other legal entities or entrepreneurs registered for performing tourist activities, visit the Old Town of Budva as a tourist site of exceptional natural and cultural-historical values.

Excursion tax is the income of the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Budva and is used to encourage, organise and realise promotional activities in order to create all necessary preconditions for the protection and improvement of natural and cultural-historical values, customs and provision of general conditions for a quality and uniform reception and stay of tourists in the area of the Old Town of Budva.

May 9, 2019 - Continuing our look at the real estate options in Montenegro through the RE/MAX catalogue, this week another stunning villa overlooking the Adriatic south of Budva.

The villages on the road from Budva to Bar offers some of Montenegro's best views, as well as a quieter pace of life than other parts of the coast. This makes for a perfect combination for those looking for a property with views and a little peace and quiet. 

The village of Rezevici lies just south of the iconic Sveti Stefan, a few kilometres from Budva. In the words of the official RE/MAX listing:

Set in the peaceful village of Rezevici, this property enables you to soak up the perfect brew of Mediterranean architecture, wild nature and sunny seascape. Walking distance to the sea shore and Budva-Bar main road makes this property a rare gem in Montenegro.

This three-storey stone villa is definitely built to impress. The first floor compises 3 light and airy bedrooms, simply yet elegantly furnished, extended into the pristine bathrooms with ultra-modern fittings.

Top quality marble floors run the length of the spacious open plan lounge/kitchen and living area. Crisp white walls come to life, offset by deluxe handpicked furnishings, modern art and a top-of-the-range kitchen. With sea views peeping in at every window surely the only thing to do is throw open the terrace doors and welcome them in.

Outside areas are no less striking, both in size and splendour. Beautifully fitted pool sheltered by stone walls enables complete privacy. When the sun goes down, soft patio lighting draws guests outside to relish the evening’s sea breezes, starlit sky and twinkling village lights beyond over a chilled aperitif.

A sheltered outdoor barbecue area offers a delightful spot to linger over evening meals, or you may prefer to head inside to the spacious open plan lounge/dining room.

Treat yourself with endless summer sunsets from one of your terraces as you sip away on your favourite wine.

Asking price - 1,500,000 euro. For more information, pictures and to book a viewing, visit the official RE/MAX site.

08 May 2019 - Extending the tourist season in the countries of the region is one of the leading priorities and challenges in the area, it was pointed out at the fourth Forum of EUSAIR which is taking place in Budva.

Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism, Pavle Radulović, took part in the first day of the Forum, on the panel with the thematic subject – sustainable tourism.

All participants of the panel have agreed that many aspects play important roles in the reduction of seasonality – improving the hotel offer, better accessibility of the destination and improving the quality of the product.

One of the priorities is the diversification of the offer certainly. The development of the offer based on the comparative advantages of our destination that will satisfy different demands of tourists should be in focus.

Risks that specific regions are faced with – primarily due to the great tourist pressure – have been pointed out. In that context, it is necessary to establish a more efficient model of destination management. They also spoke about the results achieved in tourism, plans for the forthcoming period and cooperation in the region.

Žarko Radulović, president of the Montenegrin Tourism Association recently said that this year’s tourist season had started better than expected and Montenegro can already expect that revenues from tourism would reach 1,1 million EUR. According to him, this will be a record-breaking year for tourism in Montenegro. He also pointed out that tourism could manage to generate even more revenues, but some things must be arranged before that.

08 May 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srđan Darmanović met in Budva with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák.

Minister Darmanović assessed relations between Montenegro and Slovakia as excellent, largely contributing to meaningful and open cooperation in all areas. He particularly pointed to the possibilities for expanding economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the areas of tourism, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and sustainable technologies. He thanked for the strong support of the Slovak Republic to Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, primarily through expert and technical assistance to the reform processes. 

Minister Lajčák expressed his gratitude for the honest partnership with Montenegro and stressed that the progress of Montenegro in all fields is obvious, as recognised by European partners. The Slovakian Foreign Minister stressed that Montenegro is a constructive player in the region and a reliable partner of the OSCE. He added that the cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the OSCE mission is excellent and that the implementation of activities positively influences the further development of Montenegrin institutions. 

In the context of cooperation with the OSCE, Minister Darmanović reiterated full support to the priorities of the Slovak Presidency, and noted the excellent cooperation between Montenegro and the OSCE Mission, which resulted in the implementation of numerous activities, especially in terms of strengthening the rule of law, improving media legislation and electoral reforms, as well as in the field of fight against terrorism and cybercrime. 

The two officials agreed that the role of the OSCE in the region is constructive and multifaceted and that it significantly contributes to progress in the rule of law and the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms. Furthermore, they emphasised that all actors in the region, through close and open cooperation, should contribute to building a more stable and prosperous Western Balkans.

08 May 2019 - On May 8, representatives of the local government of Budva visited the area of the promenade owned by the Municipality of Budva to assess the progress made in regards to the construction works in this area which is currently on-going. The construction works are related to removing all temporary objects from the promenade, which would improve the appearance of the city altogether. The representatives of the local government are still looking for the perfect solution in regards to the facilities located on the promenade, and the locals are worried that the construction works will not be completed before the start of the tourist season.

According to the report by the News Agency RTV Budva, a large number of tourists who spent the Easter holidays in Budva encountered an awful image while strolling through the main promenade. The tourists and the locals had to avoid numerous holes, dirt as well as irregularly placed plates along the walking area.

In order to find the solution of this problem, the representatives of the local government of the Municipality of Budva, Vice President Vladimir Bulatović, Secretary of the Secretariat for Utility and Housing Srđan Gregović and Vukašin Mijatović from the Secretariat for Investments, met on the spot to discuss the future steps. The summer tourist season is just around the corner, so it is extremely important that the promenade is brought into aesthetically acceptable condition as soon as possible.

As RTV Budva learned from the authorities, the first step in regards to the solution of this problem is the reconstruction of 300 square meters of the promenade. In addition, numerous other steps will be undertaken in regards to the aesthetics of the promenade. Administrative disputes with leaseholders of temporary buildings that did not act in line with the Decision about the removal of facilities in the Budva promenade zone are being processed and the resolution of these disputes is one of the most important steps when it comes to finding a permanent solution for the promenade issue.

07 May 2019 - Strong economic growth in all sectors is an indicator of the correctness of the direction of development we have opted for and the vision we have for Montenegro, said Prime Minister Duško Marković at the opening of the 4th Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR).

He stressed that the vision also includes Montenegro as the energy hub of the region, with an undersea power cable to Italy or renewable energy sources, as well as a balanced regional development that will be strategically strengthened by the construction of the first motorway in the country.

"Montenegro, by its development, confirms European values in the best way, as a future member of the European Union and a responsible neighbor and actor in the region and beyond,"  Prime Minister Marković added.

He noted that Montenegro is ending its one-year chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region. At the same time, the University of Montenegro is ending its one-year chairmanship over the UniAdrion Association, which brings together 38 universities and research centres in the region.

The Adriatic-Ionian region, said Prime Minister Marković, is a home for over 70 million people sharing the same challenges, but also the same, exceptional potential. "Although we have different economic indicators, we all have to bear in mind the same goal that the European Union's strategy for this the region promotes - a uniformly developed, competitive area and a region characterised by economic and social growth".

The Prime Minister pointed out that accelerated economic development and job creation, as well as the creation of business opportunities through concrete activities in the sector of blue growth, transport and energy networks, sustainable tourism and environmental development, must remain the backbone of our work. Montenegro, in the Prime Minister's words, follows these goals.

"Montenegro is the first non-EU member state to chair the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian region. We have accepted the Presidency as a challenge, but also as an additional responsibility, aware that the Strategy represents a mechanism for strengthening the process of European integration, "said Prime Minister Marković.

He emphasised that Montenegro's participation in the programmes of cross-border and transnational cooperation is a key factor that enables us to use the potentials of our countries in the best possible way, and finally, as a future member, to be fully prepared for the use of structural and investment funds.

"Economic progress inevitably leads to the development of cities and universities, and in addition to the areas above, we have continuously invested in scientific cooperation, research projects and continuous building of modern teaching staff," Prime Minister Marković stated.

He said that he is particularly pleased that, within the Science, Innovation and Growth Panel, the Forum's participants will have the opportunity to hear more about the Montenegrin initiative to establish the International Institute for Sustainable Technologies in South East Europe, which he believes can strongly contribute to regional prosperity as our common goal, ensuring the best way to slow down brain drain.

The next few days in Budva, the EU Forum of the European Union for the Adriatic-Ionian Region will be organised together with the conference of the forums of the Adriatic-Ionian Chambers of Commerce, Cities and Universities, which is an exceptional potential for linking hundreds of representatives of state institutions, local authorities, business people, civil sector and all stakeholders recognising the importance of promoting and improving the close cooperation of the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian region.

06 May 2019 - A grand painting exhibition of twenty famous painters from the country and abroad, which opened on April 10 at the Adria Gallery in Budva, has marked the opening of this year's art season in Budva.

This painting exhibition, which was organized by Newspaper Publishing Company Art Press from Budva, is an excellent opportunity for all art lovers art to see the works of famous masters of painting, such as Flip Janković, Vojo Tatar, Cvetko Latinović, Miki Radulović, Slobodan Slovinić, Nikica Raičević, Mišo Vemić, Ljubo Brajović from Montenegro, and Jelena Šalinić, Aleksandar Cvetković, Danica Basta and Katarina Đorđević from Serbia.

“The joint exhibition also includes the works of Goce Božurski, Nataša Petejčuk and Aleksandar Filev from Macedonia, Miriana Savova from Bulgaria, Ksenija Abakumova from Russia, Diana Rsdokija from Lithuania, Jelena Glogovac from Republika Srpska and Željan Pavić from Croatia,” said the manager of Adria Gallery in Budva, journalist and publicist Ranko Pavićević.

This large exhibition of paintings in the gallery of the Adria Hotel in Budva was opened by the Mayor of the Municipality of Budva Vladimir Bulatović, and it is open until May 10th, according to the report of the organizer, Budva Art Press.

Source: Boka News

04 May 2019 - This year’s season has started better than expected and Montenegro can already expect that revenues from tourism would reach 1,1 million EUR, as estimated by co-owner of the Montenegro Stars Hotel Group and president of the Montenegrin Tourism Association, Žarko Radulović.

According to him, this will be a record-breaking year for tourism in Montenegro. He also pointed out that tourism could manage to generate even more revenues, but some things must be arranged prior to that.

“I mean primarily on fiscal discipline and then on the unfair competition. In addition, coastal towns must be fashioned after the high-end tourism destinations,” said Radulović.

As for the expectations from the summer tourist season, he says that everything will go better than they have been expecting.

Tourists are coming even earlier than last year. According to him, that is a sign that Montenegro has entered the Western Europe market.

“This means that companies and other associations which were traditionally going to other destinations now spotted Montenegro and arrivals are going to increase in the forthcoming period,” Radulović noted, emphasizing that this means that the next winter season will be even better.

The number of new flights is continuously increasing and that is what brings tourists.

“The number of announced flights is almost the same as last year. There is a somewhat lower number of those from Russia which we certainly expected but still, we are still satisfied,” concluded Radulović.

04 May 2019 - Tourists who want to bring their pets to their holiday in Montenegro are finally getting a chance to bring their pets to the sandy beaches! According to the latest announcement, the first pet-friendly swimming areas on the Montenegrin coast will be arranged within the summer 2019 season!

The Strategy for Sustainable Beach Management, developed by the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management of Montenegro, will bring a number of nudist beaches, family swimming resorts, public city swimming areas, and for the first time in Montenegro - pet-friendly swimming areas!

Three pet-friendly swimming areas will be opened in the Municipality of Budva, according to Ivana Lazović from the Coastal Zone Management Enterprise.

As Lazović pointed out during an interview for Radio Slobodna Evropa, there will be a fully functional pet-friendly swimming area within the Slovenska beach, which will have all the necessary infrastructure. “Another pet-friendly beach resort is planned on the Buljarica beach, but we are still waiting for a tenant. The third pet-friendly beach in Budva will be in front of the Hotel Avala," Lazović highlighted.

As announced by the Coastal Zone Management Enterprise, each pet-friendly swimming area (beach) will have to have prominently displayed behavioural rules for owners and their dogs, cleaning equipment, showers, food and water containers, and toys for the pets.

For many tourists around the world, going on summer or winter holidays means taking their pet on a journey as well. Aleksandar Zeković, who often travels with his dog outside of Montenegrin borders concluded that, when it comes to pets, Montenegrin tourism, but also society as a whole, falls behind compared to the rest of the world.

During an interview for Radio Slobodna Evropa, Zeković said: "When you want to book an accommodation in a different country, the first thing I check is whether the hotel is pet-friendly. Luckily, a significant number of hotels abroad is open to pets, which allows me to organize my trip in a quality way. In Montenegro, on the other hand, I can rarely find accommodation, private or hotel, in which I can spend time with my pet. We’re just not there yet as a society.”

According to the data from the website "Tourism Review", in Germany, France, Italy and Austria, more than 40% of hotels accept pets. In major European cities like Berlin, over 50 percent of the total accommodation capacity is pet-friendly.

The data also shows that Germany tops the list of top 10 countries in the world where hotels accept pets. The second and third places are also European countries - Italy and Austria, while among the 10 are also the Netherlands, Russia and Greece.