February 14, 2019 - Kamenari in Boka Bay today is known primarily as the place where daily ferries take thousands of cars and passengers to the other coast of the bay. Situated along the coast of about 400 meters, the ambiance of the Kamenari is the one of very few along our coast, which enjoys the protection as a cultural landscape of exceptional characteristics. The history of this small place is vibrant with facts that could be proud and much larger communities. Famous for educated and skillful locals, the location of the first post office and first public transport in Montenegro hires a lot of interesting details of the productive life of this small place, once proud on bakeries, theatre, but first of all, stones to be thanked for its name.

The ferry service in Kamenari started in 1901 with the families of Milosevic and Sekulovic. Djuro Milosevic was the father of the famous bacteriologist, world expert Dr. Simo Milosevic, at which Igalo Institute today carries the name. 

Kamenari, today a village that we know first of all by ferry transport, was a significant traffic, commercial, service, and crafts center in Boka Bay in the 19th century.

It was in Kamenari that in 1899 the founding shareholders' assembly "Bokeljski Omnibus", the first company for road transport in Boka Bay, which, after obtaining a concession from the Austrian authorities, held the Kamenari-Herceg Novi line. "The stockholders were the distinguished citizens of Boka Bay, 33 of them. Transport was carried out at that time by horses. It is interesting that for this Omnibus, which could have received 25 people, horses from Pesta were procured and that such omnibus worked in Dubrovnik as well since 1899," explains Katuric.

Bokeljski Omnibus, the first road transport company of Montenegro

 

 

The "Bokeljski Omnibus" and Kamenari will mark this year 120 years since its foundation, the predecessor of road transport companies, not only in Boka but also throughout Montenegro and beyond.

Kamenari, Copyright: radio Herceg Novi

Tomo Katuric, private photo collection

 

Sometimes Tomo Katuric, as well as his ancestors, who lived in Boka since 1697, carried the name of Boka Bay to the world seas, engaged as a ship captain, predominantly on the ships of the former Jugooceania Kotor. Today, the name Kamenari, Herceg Novi, Boka Bay and Montenegro he reports to all meridians as one of the most admired philatelies in the world.

The wreath of stone houses in Kamenari was built in the majority of 17-19 years, at the time of the greatest glory and power of the Boka nautical.

Kamenari in the past

 

"Thanks to maritime and distant journeys, people built beautiful stone houses. But the point was not just to bring money here and build. With money, something much more significant, more valuable, and more beautiful came, which is a world culture. That is why Boka still today, despite all the odds, at an excellent cultural level. I own an 1860 letter from sailing ship Ilirico. Out of 14 crew members, eleven signed with their full names, only three couldn't write. So it was not just the captain who was literate, but a sailor and almost all other members of the crew. And that was all people from Donja Lastva, Stoliv, Kamenari, Perast, Risan. People from our region have been mostly literate in the 19th century, " says Captain Tomo Katuric.

12 February 2019 - In cooperation with "Compania de Vinos Montenegro" and the 50th Festival of Mimosa, Lazure Hotel & Marina invites you to their first Balkan Wine Fest, where you can get acquainted with a wide selection of more than 110 wine labels from the best wineries throughout the region. The event will take place on February 16, from 12 pm to 8 pm.

During the Balkan Wine Fest, all guests will be able to sample premium varietals from some of the best wineries; all while music performers keep the party lively during this wonderful experience. Lazure & Marina has managed to gather distinguished winemakers, allowing you to learn all about new and exciting varieties from the experts in a relaxed hotel setting. To complement your festival experience, review the first-class accommodations of the luxurious Lazure Hotel.

The wineries that will be presented during Wine Fest are Krgović Winery (MNE), Winery Vučinić (MNE), Volarevic Winery (CRO), Winery Maneghetti (CRO), Winery Dubrovnik Basins (CRO), Winery Enjingi Kutjevo (CRO), Winery Vukoje (BIH), Dalvin Winery (MKD), Winery Kovacevic (SRB), Winery Zvonko Bogdan (SRB), Winery Erdevik (SRB), Winery Vertus (SRB), Winery Temet (SRB), Winery Kiš (SRB), selected Italian wineries: Astoria, Antonini, Monte Del Fra, San Marzano, Rivera and Brandy/ Rakijas: Kovilj Monastery, Gorda, Stefan Nemanja, Pevec Cellar and Yeni Raki.

Balkan Wine Fest offers a unique wine tasting experience that aims to stimulate all of your senses. Aside from an altogether pleasant experience, the organisers have prepared interesting prizes for the visitors: 3 guests will have the opportunity to win an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast for two people in Lazure Hotel.

Ticket price for the Balkan Wine Festi is 10 EUR per person, and there is a 15% discount on group ticket purchases (3+).  Booking is available via Facebook or by phone number: +382 69 373 120 (Viber).

Lazure Hotel & Marina, where the Wine Fest will take place, is located on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro at the entrance to the picturesque Kotor Bay, next to the beautiful medieval city of Herceg Novi. The complex includes a luxury boutique hotel, which offers exceptional standards of service inspired by Montenegrin hospitality values.

11 February 2019 - NGO Fit Woman Montenegro, in cooperation with the Day Centre for children with disabilities from Herceg Novi, organized a seminar on the topic "Importance and benefits of animal-assisted therapy".

Animal-assisted therapy, which was the main topic of the lecture, is a therapeutic intervention that incorporates animals, such as horses, dogs, cats, pigs, and birds, into the treatment plan. It is used to enhance and complement the benefits of traditional therapy.

Employees in the Day Centre were able to hear a fascinating one-hour seminar delivered by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Alina Denis Kizgin from Romania, who is also a member of the Fit Woman Montenegro organization. The lecture taught the employees how animals could provide a sense of calm, comfort, or safety and divert attention away from a stressful situation and toward one that gives pleasure. Advocates of animal-assisted therapy explained how developing a bond with an animal can help people develop a better sense of self-worth and trust, stabilize their emotions, and improve their communication, self-regulation, and socialization skills. According to Dr Kizgin, many studies and practical experiences have shown that therapeutic animals can positively affect people with disabilities, especially children and youth. Time spent with therapeutic animals among other things improves the health, mood, confidence, as well as the overall social life of persons involved in the therapeutic process.

“This lecture is a continuation of the good cooperation that we have established with the Day Centre, we believe that we will continue to conduct joint activities that will benefit the Day Centre and its citizens, "said Esma Cerinan Otović and Šule Kadan Turkel, the founders of Fit Woman Montenegro. Encouraging women to lead a healthy life and to be actively involved in the presence of the community are the main goals of Fit Woman Montenegro, an organization that has quickly gathered a large number of women in a variety of professional orientations, ages, and backgrounds.

Preparatory works on the Fortress Mamula, or the Island Lastavica at the entrance of Boka Kotor Bay, will be completed by March, along with a mock-up room at the same time as a presentation of the capacities for the future hotel.

That is, as written by “Dnevne novine” cited in the annual report on the realization of the long-term lease agreement of this site in the Herceg Novi municipality.

It also clarifies that construction works will begin in the second quarter of this year, i.e. after the end of March. According to the information provided by the investor, Orascom Hotels Management Mamula Montenegro, four million euros will be invested during the works.

This year, an adaptation and expansion of the port in Mirište are planned, with the projected investments of 160,000 euros. Works on the power supply will be carried out and the necessary electrical power connections to nearby Arza, for which it will be allocated another half a million euros.

Last year, preparatory works for the tourist complex at Lastavica continued, more precisely for the five-star hotel "Mamula", which received the status of the object of general interest.

When it comes to financial obligations and investments over the same period, the Lessee paid an annual rent of 47,772 euros, and another 869,932 euros were invested. Since the start of the project's activities, 2,103 million euros have been spent, mostly for project documentation, equipment procurement, preparatory works, payrolls for employees and consultants' engagement.

The Orascom Development Holding company, headquartered in Switzerland, signed in February 2015 with the Government a contract for a 49-year lease of 31,848 square meters with the exclusive right to use the sea property to which it belongs.

"The Lessee’s investment obligation amounts to EUR 15 million, and the deadline for the completion of the works is 18 months from the date of commencement of the works. The investment program defines reconstruction of 23 hotel rooms, four catering facilities, a memorial room for visitors, a reception desk, a spa center, a dock, two pools, two cascades with recycled water, a water sports club, a centralized kitchen and infrastructure facilities, tank for drinking water and wastewater, substation with aggregate, as well as other accompanying facilities," as is detailed in the project that will generate 200 jobs.

As mentioned, the project managed by Orascom Hotels Management Mamula Montenegro is required to bring 7.5 million euros of different revenues to the Government, in the first ten years, not counting the rent.

Text by Dnevne novine, on February 11th 2019, read more at CdM

10 February 2019 - By launching the postage stamp dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Mimosa Festival, the Montenegro Post honours the tradition of this exceptional festival, of Herceg Novi and the development of tourism in the city, it was announced at the presentation of the stamp. By creating a special postage stamp, Mimosa Festival is listed among the important events in the history of Montenegro, which have earned a valuable postage stamp.

"The Mimosa Festival, by which Herceg Novi is known and recognized, is in a way the tourist ambassador of Montenegro. Therefore, it really deserves to be presented with a postage stamp, "said Aleksandra Perović, head of the Philatelic and International Relations Department of the Post of Montenegro. She invited everyone to send a letter from Herceg Novi to their loved ones, and the letters will bring a flower of mimosa on the postage stamp.

The postage stamp, apart from its primary role, has an important promotional function because "the shipment and its stamp travel the world and carry the message of the country from which they come. The postage stamp represents a symbol of culture and remains in the legacy for generations," said PR manager of Post of Montenegro Vesna Goljević Novović. As she said, the theme for the stamp is always carefully chosen because it promotes the state of Montenegro.

Postage Stamps Dedicated to Jubilee Mimosa Festival are printed on a sheet of 20 stamps. It has a stylized mimosa flower and the mark of the Jubilee 50^th anniversary of the festival. The colours that are dominant on the stamp are white, green and yellow. The nominal value is 0,50 EUR.

The ceremonial promotion of the postage stamp issue "50 Years of the Mimosa Festival" was held on February 8 at 12 pm in the Park Hall in Herceg Novi.

February 9, 2019 - Olive, Wine and Healthy Food Fair within the Great Bokelian Fiesta, part of the official program of the 50th Mimosa Festival, officially began in front of the House of Culture in Bijela. Guests had the opportunity to visit stalls with local products and handicrafts and enjoy a cultural and entertainment program.

February 6, 2019 - Maskare costume balls and carnivals have been an integral part of the Mimosa Festival since the first edition of this manifestation held in Herceg Novi fifty years ago. For this segment of the program, NGO Maskare, an organization that Herceg Novi owes to listing this city on the map of European carnival cities, is traditionally in charge of this segment of the program. It is a map to which this city, as well as many other Mediterranean traditions, certainly belongs.  

Ivan Peulic and his father, NGO Maskare Herceg Novi, Copyright: radio herceg Novi

 

"We became an integral part of the organization of costume balls and carnivals in Herceg Novi. We are sorry there are no more carnival groups. Certainly, people slowly recognize energy, this year we have welcomed dozens of new members," says Ivan Peulic, president of NGOs Maskare Herceg Novi. 

Federation of European Carnival Cities, Sabac, Serbia, private collection of NGO Maskare

 

The NGO Maskare itself became part of the European carnival family in the category of organizations. Last year in Šabac, at the Convention of the Federation of European Carnival Towns, Herceg Novi as a city had full rights of participation and the right to vote in the election of a new board of directors of this organization. "It is up to us to work for the Federation, to work for the city, to work for the country. Wherever we go, we are ambassadors of our city and our country and strive to show ourselves in the best light," said Peulic, one of those dedicated who succeeded in preserving the tradition of masquerades and carnivals, which in the 1990s, due to war events in the region, was almost dim.

The winning mask of the costume ball in Igalo: Vucic and Putin, Copyright: Radio Jadran

 

"We always make sure that our mask is about a current issue. We try to make a boom with the mask we are preparing to recognize what we wanted to say with our mask immediately," says the president of NGOs Maskare. "People love and reward us because we want to highlight the phenomena in our society. There were politicians and controversial businessmen, but we never offended anyone. A prize is not always essential," says Ivan, but the image of someone who is better or the best in what he does is important. 

International Carnival in Herceg Novi 2018, Copyright: Herceg Fest

 

As the most exciting part of this segment of the Mimosa Festival, citizens of Herceg Novi and their guests, for the finals of the festival, are expecting a great International Carnival. "By joining the Federation of European Carnival Cities, Herceg Novi received support and wind in its back from the board of the organization, and for the fourth year in a row, we organize an international show. We expect, given the great jubilee, that this will be one of the most significant events for the triumph of the Mimosa Festival," announced Peulic.

04 February 2019 - The rich entertaining program of the Jubilee 50th Mimosa Festival will be continued with a two-day event, Days of Polish Culture, which will begin on Wednesday, February 6. The locals from Herceg Novi and guests will have the opportunity to meet the young instrumentalists of the orchestra in Lobez, as well as the delicious Polish cuisine.

The manifestation will officially start on February 6 at 11 am at the centre of Herceg Novi, and meanwhile, the program in Igalo will begin at 6 pm. The Youth Orchestra of the Culture Centre in Łobez (Młodzieżowa Orkiestra Dęta Łobeskiego Domun Kultury), under the guidance of Dariusz Ledzion, will have the opportunity to impress the audience in Novi.

On the following night, February 7, the City Tavern will host a “Gastro Evening”, which starts at 8 pm. On this occasion, the guests can taste some of the most delicious were specialties of Polish cuisine!

Among many dishes, there will be a tasting of sour flour soup, sour beetroot soup, pierogies - similar to ravioli with cheese and potatoes, potato pancakes, bigos - cabbage with meat, bread with pork fat and sour cucumbers.

Polish cuisine has many delicacies you do not want to miss, the dishes are cheerful, dynamic and have a taste like they are carefully home-made. The Poles use a lot of sour cream and eggs in their recipes. Traditional dishes often require a lot of time and effort to prepare. Many Poles spend a lot of time preparing, serving and enjoying festive meals, especially for preparing dinner before Christmas or Easter breakfast.

Polish national dishes are bigos, pirogues, sausages, chops, golobki (cabbage roll type), zrazi (type of rolls), roasted meat, sour cucumber soup, mushroom soup, tomato soup, rosul (various kinds of meat-based dishes) and žurek (type of sour wheat soup).

"I hope that the guests in Herceg Novi will feel like they are at home among friends and brothers for the next 50 days. Herceg Novi has always been known to welcome all visitors and to give you everything that a local knows and everything that we traditionally did all these five decades. On this occasion, I thank all the people who participated in the organization of the Festival. I wish everyone good health to enjoy Herceg Novi for the next 50 days as much as possible", said the President of the Herceg Novi Municipality, Stevan Katić.

Tourists and Citizens of Herceg Novi had a chance to get acquainted with the culture and specifics of Japan, Great Britain, Slovakia, Australia, and China at the Newcastle of the World Day, which was held within the program of the 50th Mimosa Festival.

The event was marked with the performances of the artists from Hejin, China, who featured face-changing skills and performed with Chinese traditional instruments. The sounds of bagpipes from North Umbria in England were played by Steel Rigg, Japanese guests featured the art of calligraphy, origami and social games, and Klapa Lira from Herceg Novi and the Art Center As, as well as the students of Herceg Novi Music School, also participated in the program.

The head of the Office for International Cooperation in the Municipality of Herceg Novi, Simonida Kordić, said the Newcastle of the World Day project was held in Herceg Novi for the first time this year.

"It's a project that takes place within the organization of Newcastle of the World. Last year Herceg Novi became a member of this international organization, which gathers over 40 cities from all over the world," Kordic explained.

Herceg Novi, as she pointed out, is one of the central members of the organization, "which is a great success for us as the Municipality and our Office for International Cooperation."

"We are very pleased to be in such an organization that creates a network of projects that link people from the field of culture, tourism, education, and economics from all the world's cities. Last year, the 20th anniversary of this event was held in Japan, where Herceg Novi was admitted to the organization," Kordic said.

According to her, guests from Japan, UK, Slovakia, Australia, America, China participated in the event.

"Everyone brought what is characteristic of their city, and Herceg Novi now has the opportunity to present its art and virtues," Kordic said.

The President of the Municipality Herceg Novi, Stevan Katic, assessed the program Newcastle of the World Day as significant, stating that he was pleased that Herceg Novi hosted numerous cities in the association of Newcastle cities.

"For Herceg Novi, it is good that we signed the Charter on the entry of our town to the Newcastle Town Association in October. And after three months, the results of the entry into the association are visible. I am pleased that this event takes place within the 50th Mimosa Festiva," said Katic.

He also announced other planned events that will be held for the first time in Herceg Novi. "It is also significant that Herceg Novi will host, for the first time, a show of all city music orchestras from Europe, the region and the majorettes. This is an important event for our city, which will also bring Europe and the world to Herceg Novi," Katić said. Rumi Matsushita from Japan explained that the city he comes from is a member of Newcastle, saying that today in Herceg Novi they represent a part of the Japanese culture - calligraphy.

"The boys who visited us today are very much interested in calligraphy, so they became part of our presentation today and we are showing them calligraphy," said Matsushita.

She said that she is in Herceg Novi for the first time, and evaluates that the Mimosa Festival is "fantastic".

Representative of the delegation from the town Nove Zamki from Slovakia, Katarina Hozlarov, said that they came to Herceg Novi to present their small town, which is also a member of the organization.

In history, the city of Nove Zamki played an important role because it was a fortress that has defended Europe from the Turkish invasion. Although we do not have any fortresses in the city, we can offer our hospitality to the tourists, the remains of historic architecture, and a good sports program. I think there is always something nice to see, "Hozlarov said. A representative of Newcastle upon Tyne, a town in the north of the UK, Sue Wilson, said the entire project came from their city, stating that they now have many cities that are members of the association around the world.

"We are doing student exchange, cultural exchange, different business events. Twenty years ago, at my colleague's initiative, I wrote the book Newcastle of the World. At the same time, the city of Japan Shin Siro began to hold conferences. Meanwhile, these two projects merged after 20 years of alliance, I wrote a second book with the same name. Now we have more than a thousand cities as alliance members," Wilson said.

Text by PR Center, on February 3rd 2019, read more at CdM

The Municipality Herceg Novi published a tender in December 2018 for the open procedure for the Public Procurement of equipment and installation of underground containers. The estimated value of public procurement with VAT included is 500,000 euros.

The Local Government Administration in Herceg Novi has foreseen the construction of underground containers in the Budget for 2019, as this waste disposal system proved to be the most efficient in the European Union.

Within the procurement are 32 containers of 5 m³ volume (for wet and dry wastes), 24 containers of 2.5 m³ (for wet and dry wastes) and 30 containers of 500 l capacity.

If the tender for their procurement is completed, the underground containers should be installed by the beginning of the summer season. The installation of containers of 5 m³ and 2.5 m³ will be carried out on all locations in pairs - one for dry and one for wet waste

There are many benefits to this kind of waste collection. First of all, this is a higher degree of hygiene, easy maintenance, clean and well-regulated space around the container, and there is no scattering of garbage and spreading of unpleasant smells. It should also be known that one underground container equals as many as 6 classic containers of 1.1 m3. This means six times less fuel consumption, human resources, time, equipment, and better environmental protection. This reduces the spread of unpleasant smells and carbon dioxide.

Another significant feature of this type of container is their durability, which is estimated at 30 years and after use, they can be recycled. In addition, these containers are waterproof, they cool and compress the collected waste, which allows higher filling capacity. Most of the containers will be buried in the ground, maximum at a depth of 1.8 m. Their usage will be adjusted even for people with disabilities.

Director of "Čistoće" d.o.o Herceg Novi, Vladimir Arsić, said that he is satisfied with the way the company worked in the past year and that positive results were achieved.

As Arsić pointed out, the analysis has shown that the criteria for continuing the future work of the Utility Company is well defined, so they expect the next period to be even more successful.

"Depending on the months, the statistics are different. For the period from June to December 2018, approximately 900,000 euros have been earned on this basis, while about 500,000 euros were collected last year. In August 2017, 113,000 euros were charged, while in August 2018 this value was 194,000 euros; in September 2017, the bill amounted to 81,000, while in the same month in 2018 170,000 euros were charged. In October 2017, 74,560 was charged, while 2018 in the same month amounted to 157,304 euros by the collection of claims. So, in the last quarter of 2018, the billing is up to 120% compared to the comparative period of 2017," explains Arsić.

As for the construction of underground containers, Arsić pointed out that the original investment was not realized because the announced donation of the state and the Slovenian government was not fulfilled, but that this time funds from the Budget were provided, and that with their installation, Herceg Novi would have a new dimension of cleanliness.

Promo sadržaj, on February 1st, 2019, read more at Vijesti