11 June 2019 - The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro recently stated that the goals of the state related to sustainable development - regionally balanced and sustainable economic development, full employment and decent work for all, should be fulfilled by 2030.

"Our sincere intention is to achieve the vision of sustainable development of Montenegro by 2030, which means that we should achieve regionally balanced and sustainable economic development, full employment and decent work for all," Minister Pavle Radulović said at the opening of the 18th Session of the Mediterranean Commission for the Sustainable development.

Within the framework of the two-year presidency of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development, Montenegro is the host of the session which is held from 11 to 13 June 2019.

The 18th Session of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable development is hosted at the Maestral Hotel in Budva.

During his presentation, Radulović reminded the participants that by adopting the 2030 National Sustainable Development Strategy, Montenegro became one of the first countries in the world that fully accepted and integrated the requirements of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development into the national system. The goal of this strategy is to build a society based on continuous, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, protecting natural resources and strengthening social inclusion. Radulović also pointed out that with this strategy, Montenegro shows that its method for achieving sustainable development of its society is, in fact, having an objective and critical point of view in regards to current issues and finding appropriate solutions to these issues.

Minister Radulović highlighted that it is of great importance to launch initiatives that should concretize practical approaches and actions in order to implement the activities of the Mediterranean Action Plan and the Mediterranean Commission in the upcoming period. Also, he pointed out that an important measure for sustainable development is the creation of optimal practical models for applying the principles of integrated coastal management, in synergy with the application of the ecosystem approach in the planning of the purpose of marine areas.

Mediterranean Commission acts as an advisory body to the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention, and its members, participating on equal footing, include representatives of the Member States and the European Commission, as well as Civil Society representatives from the region’s local authorities, economic partners (chambers of commerce, etc.), environmental NGOs, etc. It is basically a think tank on policies for promoting sustainable development in the Mediterranean Basin and focuses on key issues in its drive for tangible outcomes.

Read more about Politics in Montenegro on TMN's dedicated page.

10 June 2019 - The Director of the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management of Montenegro, Predrag Jelušić, presented a total of 29 Blue Flags to various swimming areas (beaches) and one to Marina Bar, which is the only marina in Montenegro that has this prestigious ecological feature, reports National Tourism Organization of Montenegro.

The iconic Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

The Blue Flag program has been implemented in Montenegro since 2003 when NGO "EKOM" became an associate member of the Foundation for Environmental Education and thus acquired the right to be the National Operator for Montenegro. PE for Coastal Zone Management immediately recognized the importance of the Blue Flag and from the very beginning became the general sponsor and supporter of the Program, which is one of the most important activities related to the responsible management of the coast and beaches.

The Blue Flag is awarded for the current season based on the results from the previous season, which are assessed by the National Commission consisting of the representatives of the relevant Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management, the Red Cross of Montenegro, the Port Management, and the environmental NGOs. At the beginning of each year, they review the statements and reports of beach tenants and analyse the fulfilment of 32 criteria in the area of ​​safety and services on beaches, quality of seawater and environmental activities, regardless of the number of years spent in the Program.

Based on the proposal of the National Commission, each year the international jury awards certain swimming areas (beaches) with the Blue Flag. The jury gathers and makes the decisions in Copenhagen each year at the end of May. Members of the international jury are representatives of renowned institutions such as the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the International Rescue Organization (IRC), the UN Environment Program, The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) and others.

Blue Flag Awarding is based on meeting the criteria in four basic areas: ecological education and information, water quality, ecological management and safety and service. For beaches, from 2017, it is necessary to comply with 33 criteria, out of which 28 are imperative and 5 are recommended. Some of the necessary criteria are: ecological and educational activities, highlighted map of the beach with marked different contents, compliance with requirements and standards regarding frequency of sampling of sea water, fulfilling requirements and standards in terms of microbiological, physical and chemical parameters of sea water, sanitary facilities with controlled drainage, emergency response plans etc.

Read more about exploring Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

11 June 2019 - LLC Parking Service Budva recently issued a report informing the users that the installation of a new camera-based parking guidance system at the entrance ramp to Old Town Budva is currently in progress. This solution should ensure the efficiency of traffic functioning and eliminate the human factor in the regulation of this sensitive zone.

Camera-Based Parking Guidance System relies on the detection technology. Thanks to the installation of this system, the software is able to supervise spots on both sides of the hallway, giving detailed information on the rotation, occupancy rates and infringements in the parking.

The installed cameras, according to the Parking Service representatives, will recognize and note the vehicle license plates from the issued tickets database and will only allow the entry of the cars whose owners have purchased the ticket.

Within the next several days, all the data from the tickets database will be collected and processed within the software, which will provide the conditions for the proper functioning of the traffic. The Parking Service representatives note that they are making great efforts to enable this service at the very beginning of the summer tourist season.

 “Additionally, we inform the users that from today, on the parking lot at the Old Bus Station, the existing billing per hour has been abolished, so users are instructed to make more use of this zone for parking purposes, in order to reduce the summer crowd on the promenade towards the Lučka kapetanija, “says the report from the Parking Service.

Parking Service Budva offers general and special parking lots on the territory of the Municipality of Budva (Budva, Bečići, Petrovac). In the municipality of Budva, there are 9 special parking lots, garage in TQ Plaza and 3 seasonal parking lots in Petrovac. The capacity of these parking lots is around 1600 parking spaces.

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

08 June 2019 - The first segment of the project Creative Visegrad - a multimedia image of V4+ cities and states was recently held in Budva, reports the local government of this city.

The Municipality of Budva, in cooperation with partners from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, is implementing the project entitled Creative Visegrad - a multimedia image of V4+ cities and states, which is approved within the framework of Visegrad + fund. As explained by the local government of the Czech city Valašské Meziříčí, this purpose of this project is to enhance the awareness about common identity among the V4 member states and Montenegro.

Thirty-two young people from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Montenegro were introduced to each other through intercultural exchange, and during the summer they will work hard on short films that will be screened at the Festival of Lights (Signal Festival) in Czech Republic in September. The workshop, which represents the first phase of the project, was held in Budva, June 3 - June 6, 2019.

The workshop was intended for young people who are interested in discovering a common cultural identity with Montenegro and Budva, together with their peers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hunagry, and who are willing to create a short film about this subject.

The main challenge of the project is a lack of knowledge in younger generation both the V4 states and the Balkan states. This region has a generous diversity of culture identity, history and tradition. The project has a goal to make a new connection among youth and with creative way of presentation, to express differences to the large audience. The main challenge is to address accessibility and cooperation among nations. One of the main ideas is sharing the cultural diversity of all participants and creating proof that their homelands are open-minded and accessible. Since this region has a diverse cultural identity, history and tradition, the project aims to creatively create a new relationship among young people and present it to the general public.

This project also focuses on sharing knowledge in specific multimedia area – creating short movies, because each project partner has a different attitude and uses different techniques to create film content. This program’s aim is sharing of know-how in context in using short videos to express the participants’ cultural identity.

Within the project Creative Visegrad, another workshop and festival will be held in the town of Valašské Meziříčí, in the Czech Republic.

The Visegrad Group, Visegrad Four, or V4 is a cultural and political alliance of four Central European states – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia that are members of the European Union (EU) and NATO – for the purposes of advancing military, cultural, economic and energy cooperation with one another along with furthering their integration in the EU.

Festival of Lights, where the short films created within the project will be shown, is one of the most visited events in Prague that attracts thousands of tourists and locals with its fantastic light shows. Signal Festival represents a traditional event with amazing live dynamic performances of light and sound.

06 June 2019 - Montenegro is undoubtedly a hidden gem in Eastern Europe. This tiny Balkan country is nestled between Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and Albania and is a perfect place for families who enjoy exploring lesser-known destinations. The rugged coastlines, quaint villages and epic mountains are sure to capture your heart. Lindsey Bybee visited this beautiful country with her kids and is sharing 5 of her favorite family-friendly Montenegro experiences.

As explained by Bybee, parents who visit Montenegro will love the beautiful beaches, kid-friendly hiking opportunities, affordability, old-world architecture and great seafood! Their children will also be entertained by boat rides and can enjoy warm seawater, wandering through car-free streets and chatting with friendly locals.

Bybee also emphasized that, according to her preference, the best time to visit Montenegro with kids is during the spring or fall season, because this is a great way to avoid the summer beach crowds. Lindsey created a small guide where she carefully described her adventure in Montenegro with her family through five experiences that left the biggest impression on her.

1. BUDVA SEASIDE STROLL

Budva is Montenegro’s most popular destination for travelers, and for a good reason. This medieval city is not only filled with history but is also home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Make sure to check out the picturesque walkway along the rocky coast, where you can get a great view of the walled city itself. It’s a great people-watching spot as well. During the summer, your little ones will love watching some of the local kids and teenagers diving off of the nearby rocks into the water below. The walk also leads to the more secluded Mogren Beach, which is one of Budva’s best spots to relax in the sand.

2. EXPLORE THE COBBLESTONE STREETS OF KOTOR

Surrounded by dark mountains, Kotor is one of Montenegro’s most stunning cities. The cobblestone streets, medieval architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Site status make Kotor a must-see for travelers. If your little ones love animals, they’re in for a treat too! Kotor is known for its resident cats that can be found all over the city. Children will love seeing their furry friends around every corner. There are even shops where the proceeds from souvenir purchases will go to feed and care for the local cats.

3. RELAX BY THE WATER NEAR SVETI STEFAN

When creating your Montenegro itinerary, plan to spend a day near the magical little island of Sveti Stefan. The island itself is home to a luxury resort and is only accessible to hotel guests (though, you can make a restaurant reservation on the island to get there as well), but the views of the island from a distance are stunning too. The nearby beaches are pristine, and not crowded at all. Kids will enjoy sitting in the water and searching through the pebbles for pretty rocks and shells.

4. TASTE THE LOCAL EATS

When in Montenegro, eat as the Montenegrins do! The whole family will love trying some of the local eats. Cevapcici, which is basically small grilled sausages, is a Balkan favorite and will be popular with the little ones. They usually come with french fries, which are always a crowd-pleaser too! If you happen to find yourself in Sveti Stefan, take your family for a meal at the restaurant Olive Tree. It’s right next to a playground and is on the water. The pleasant ambiance, great views, friendly staff, and yummy food will make it a great dining experience for kids and parents alike.

5. HIKE UP THE CITY WALLS

Want to check out some beautiful views and get in a little exercise? A hike up the city walls is a can’t-miss when visiting Kotor. While not too strenuous, it is worth wearing a good pair of walking shoes, as there are many steps and a lot of loose rocks along the way. The views from the top make it worth the effort!

Read more about travelling through Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

06 June 2019 - The Srdelada 2019 Gastro Fest, an event organized by NGO Feral, will be held on Friday at 08.30 pm at the Palm Square, in Budva's Old Town.

Srdelada 2019 is an event that promotes the Mediterranean, local cuisine, and it includes the tasting of various dishes whose basic ingredient is the sardine (Montenegrin: srdela, sardina). Sardines take a prominent place in the cultural history of Budva and the Mediterranean and is known to the people as the food for the poor because, in the times of hunger and scarcity, it was a basic food available and affordable to most people. At the time, the citizens of Budva often prepared sardines with salt, because salted sardines could remain fresh for a long time. Still, various recipes were designed with sardine being the main ingredient so that the locals would not get bored eating the same dish every day.

By organizing this event, NGO Feral puts sardines on the throne of the Mediterranean gastronomy, giving it a place it deserves. Also, emphasis is placed on local gastronomy, special ingredients and methods of preparation, all of which Budva should nurture in order to preserve its authenticity and recognition, as well as to cultivate cultural heritage. Sardine dishes will be prepared by students of High School Danilo Kiš.

As reported by RTV Budva, the event will include the performance of the local band Škuribanda, which will complement the entire event and the coastal atmosphere. Also, the NGO Feral organized the screening of the film Welcome to Budva from 1963, as well as the performance directed by the members of the NGO Feral which is entitled Welcome to Budva 2019.

The institutions, organizations and companies that supported the event include the Municipality of Budva, the companies Rokler and Sanraf, Talas M, branding agency Unibrand, studio Pixap, Utility Company Budva, Parking service Budva, Mediteran reklame enteprise, Tourist Organization of Budva, distribution company NTC, Cogimar, Montenegrin Cinematheque and High School Danilo Kiš.

The Srdelada Gastro Feast has been held for two years in a row, and the event was very well visited and received positive reviews from both locals and guests who had the opportunity to taste and feel the spirit of Budva as an authentic Mediterranean place.

NGO Feral has been active since 2015 and has been promoting the Mediterranean cultural heritage, empowering the local community and supporting the development of young people through various forms of artistic and cultural expression, the organization of exhibitions, performances, music events and literary-poetry evenings. The NGO Feral was awarded by the Interpret Europe organization, and it was included in examples of good practice in the interpretation of heritage, according to the criterion of the involvement of the local community.

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

04 June 2019 - Podgorica will soon receive its first public electric vehicle charging stations. The EV charging stations will be installed in two locations in the city: at the crossroad of Njegoševa Street and Vučedolska Street in the city centre, and in the garage of the "Parking service" in Milan Popović Street (behind the Restaurant "Maša"), said the report by the local government representatives.

The installation of the first public electric vehicle charging stations is part of the project entitled Development of Low-Carbon Tourism in Montenegro", which is being implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro, and with the financial support of the Global Environment Fund (GEF).

Aside from the station in the Capital City, this project will include the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Budva, Bijelo Polje, Kolašin, Cetinje and Žabljak, as well as in the National Park Skadar Lake (Vranjina).

The use of public EV charging stations will be free of charge during the first year, after which the service providers will individually decide on further conditions for charging electric cars.

Chargers will be stationary, with two types of chargers (sockets) of type 2: one with minimum power of 22 kW and the other with minimum power of 11.01 kW, in accordance with international standards IEC 62196, IEC 61851 and EN 62196-2.

Procuring the charging devices is funded by UNDP, while the preparation of locations, maintenance of the charging stations and provision of services for filling are included in the local government obligations.

At a UNDP meeting held on June 3, 2019, grant beneficiaries agreed on modalities of exchange of experience and best practice examples in the realization of this project, which aims to support the development of e-mobility in Montenegro.

Learn more about Lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

04 June 2019 - Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Budva has recently posted an official statement, announcing that five seasonal information points are open starting June 4, 2019:

1. Info point CENTRE (In the hall of the Institute for the construction of Budva);

2. Info point PRŽNO (at the very entrance to the Miločer park, near the Hotel Maestral);

3. Info point RAFAILOVIĆI (Jadranski put, near the turn which leads to Rafailovići);

4.Info point CRVENA KOMUNA PETROVAC (In the hall of the Crvena Komuna in Petrovac);

5. Info Point BEČIĆI (Jadranski put, across the hotel Splendid, Boreti).

Business hours of the aforementioned info points are from 08.00 am - 08.00 pm.

The Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Budva has two permanent information centres located in the Old Town – Njegoševa Street no. 28 and the info point in front of the Municipal building.

From May to October, seasonal info points also opened at various locations in the city as well as in Jaz, Bečići, Rafailovići, Pržno, Sveti Stefan, Petrovac and Buljarica.

At the information centres, visitors are offered free tourist maps of the city, brochures and promotional materials on the tourist offer of Budva, as well as other service, tourist and useful information. Guest check-in and cancellations can be made at all currently open points.

All foreign nationals and Montenegrin citizens without registered residence in Montenegro are obliged to apply for residence within 24 hours of their entry into Montenegro. If individuals are staying at a registered private accommodation or hotel, the accommodation provider is obliged to do this for them within 12 hours of the hour of their arrival. A foreigner who resides in Montenegro for tourist purposes, and does not use the services of the accommodation provider, can apply for residence registration in tourist information centres.

The direct payment periods of the residence tax are:

1. Info point CRVENA KOMUNA PETROVAC 08.00 am - 5.00 pm

2. Info point RAFAILOVIĆI 08.00 am - 05.20 pm

3. Info point CENTRE 08.00 am - 05.40 pm.

There are currently 10 information points in Budva, out of which seven have the option to directly pay the residence tax, and the eighth - the information point Old City, offers tourists the possibility to directly pay the entrance fee to the Old City Budva.

Read more news important for tourists on TMN's dedicated page.

02 June 2019 - President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović met in Budva during the 2BS Forum with Ambassador of the United States of America, Judy Rising Reinke.

The Ambassador pointed out that the United States greatly appreciates the partnership of Montenegro and its Euro-Atlantic direction. She expressed full readiness for expert assistance to the reforms we are implementing, starting from the recently published EC Progress Report.

President Đukanović thanked Ambassador Reinke for participating in the Forum, as well as the messages of the support in her presentation to the Euro-Atlantic perspective of the region and Montenegro, and high marks for the reaction of institutions to challenges such as the recent High Court verdict in the case of terrorism attempts in  2016.

With the assessment that Montenegro continues to be committed to achieving strategic goals, the President expressed his belief in the potential of democratic and economic development and the readiness to be a responsible NATO member.

"More than that, we are ready to promote the values ​​of Euro-Atlanticism in the region very consciously, aware of the importance of preserving these values, especially in this time," Đukanović said.

He also added that Montenegro is determined to eliminate all the deficiencies in the further path of EU integration, primarily in the interest of the quality of life of our citizens, where the support of the United States is of particular importance.

The interlocutors agreed with the high-quality bilateral relations between the two countries, with a mutual commitment for further improvement of economic cooperation, through the animation of credible partners that, besides investments, will bring new knowledge and standards to this area.

Đukanović and Reinke exchanged views on current processes in the region, highlighting the importance of faster resolution of open issues for its European and Euro-Atlantic perspective.

01 June 2019 - Starting this summer, Montenegrin beaches will receive a guide in the form of an offline android application. The Enjoy Montenegro Coast: Offline Guide is intended primarily for tourists and visitors of the Montenegrin coast, to make it easier to choose the desired beach, but also to locals who want to get to know the Montenegrin coast as reported by the Public Enterprise for the Coastal Zone of Montenegro.

"The application contains a user-friendly offline map with information about the selected beach, marina or protected area on the coast," said representatives of the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone of Montenegro

When choosing a beach, the application will calculate precise mileage from the current location of the user, and then draw the shortest route to the destination.

In the drop-down menu, the user can single out the beaches or marinas with prestigious ecological recognition of the Blue Flag, and there are 30 of those in Montenegro. At all times, the user can check the quality of seawater at around 100 different bathing places along the Montenegrin Coast.

The application was created by the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone of Montenegro, which manages Montenegrin beaches and coastal infrastructure (marinas, ports, pier, berths).

Enjoy Montenegro Coast: Offline Guide android application can be downloaded for free on Google Play Store. Once downloaded, the application functions in the offline mode, that is, no internet connection is required for its use, as explained by the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone of Montenegro.