08 April 2019 - At the second Digital Summit of the Western Balkans, held last week in Belgrade, the Municipality of Herceg Novi was presented by the Vice-President Danijela Đurović. She took active participation at the panel Digitization as a driver of local socio-economic development.

"Local governments play a key role in the digitization of services because they can make their complete availability and the easiest use for every member of the society," Đurović pointed out.

In this regard, the presentation by Vice President Đurović at the Digital Summit of the Western Balkans focused on examples from real life, precisely the concrete ways in which the Municipality of Herceg Novi used digital development for the modernization of the work of the public administration.

One of these services is "System 48", which allows citizens to apply, send a request or inquiry to the local government by invitation, message, email or through the website. In addition to the existing Civic Bureau, a branch office was opened on the Riviera, which is connected to the central system. The tourist organization has introduced with electronic cards that connect the offer of the city, provide discounts for tourists and easier information with QR code. The town is also constantly working on the best coverage of the city with free internet. Another example that Đurović referred to is the "Find & Park" concept, which plans to implement the Parking Service.

"As one might feel, the focus of introducing such services is "bringing local government closer, better communication, easier aging of rights and fulfilling obligations"," Đurović said.

In addition to Đurović, Darko Mrvaljević and Boran Ivanoski from NALAS (Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe) spoke on the panel on digitization as a driver for the development of local communities.

The Digital Summit, which brought together about 3,000 participants from 30 economies of the Western Balkans, Europe and the world, was opened by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Marija Gabriel and the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union Houlin Gao.

The Digital Summit was initiated by the Multi-annual Action Plan for Regional Economic Cooperation within the framework of the Berlin Process, an initiative aimed at improving regional cooperation, and the first such meeting took place last year in Skopje.

08 April 2019 - Volleyball Club Budva won the Montenegrin Cup after defeating Jedinstvo Franca 3-0 (25:16, 25:19, 25:22) in the grand finale in the Mediterranean Sports Center. Players of the Volleyball Club Budva returned the volleyball cup trophy to this city.

All of this was made possible thanks to the new club - a club originated with the desire to return the volleyball trophy to the capital of Montenegrin tourism, which disappeared with the closing of the most successful Montenegrin volleyball club, the Budva Riviera.

In addition to the defeat in the Cup final, the team of Darko Prebiračević was eliminated in the semi-finals of the playoffs from Budućnost Capital Plaza, with two maximal defeats. In the decisive matches in the season, the team from Bijelo Polje could not count on Montenegrin national player Luka Šuljagić because of his illness.

Volleyball Club Budva will have the opportunity to win the double crown, and the final series against Budućnost, to three victories, will start on April 13th.

As far as the match is concerned, starting from the first set, there were no dilemmas about who would come out victorious.

Budva started with 5:0, which played without injured captain Jovan Delić, and continued to 8:2. Jedinstvo returned to 13:11, but the host scored with six points in a row for 19:11 which was too much for their opponent.

The second set was pretty equal until the score of 16:14 for Budva, when the host team scored 4 points in a row for 20:14 which eventually gave them the set.

It seemed that Jedinstvo in the third set would prolong the uncertainty. The team from Bijelo Polje opened this set better than the other ones, quickly scored 6:11, followed by 12:18 and at this point everyone thought that the fourth set was already on its way.

However, the team from Budva did not give up, and with 5 consecutive points, they first reduced their opponents' lead at 15:18, and then switched from 15:19 to 21:19. The guests held until 22:21, when Budva reached the first match point with two consecutive points. This match point was defended by the team from Bijelo Polje, but the other one was at 24:22, when the young Ivan Zvicer scored the match winner.

Alen Didović with 16 points was the best in the winning team, Ivan Urtado and Zvicer added 10, Dejan Jocić 9. The best in the defeated team was Bojan Strugar with 16 points.

Technician Shun Imamura was named the best player of the men's final.

The school ship by the Navy of Montenegro, sailing boat "Jadran", sailed from its base in Tivat for a three-day cruise with the pupils from the Maritime High School of Kotor.

"The extraordinary cooperation of the Navy VCG and the Maritime High School continues this year as well. Third-grade students of the nautical and naval direction started sailing with the task of applying the knowledge acquired in the classroom through practical work on the ship," said the director of the school, Professor Veljko Botica.

Because this year's third-class generation is the most numerous in the history of this school, the regular annual tuition of students and their training in practice on "Jadran" had to be organized in three instead of the usual two groups. That is why the high school students who will sail in Montenegro's territorial waters from Boka to Ulcinj and back on “Jadran” will take shifts by the end of next week.

In the first group on board, there are 46 students - 23 machinists and 23 boaters, and with them on board, there are four professors. Among the cadets are also two young girls who diligently carry out all tasks together with their peers.

"On board, the students have been welcomed by the crew of Jadranwho is always in a good mood. They are under the command of Captain Zoran Ivanovsky, who is always ready to help the cadets adapt to the conditions of life and work on board," Botica said.

The next group of fifty students leave for the cruise on Monday, April 8^th, and return on Wednesday, and will be replaced with a third group on board that will return from the sea on Friday, April 12^th.

"A total of 141 of our students will be able to feel what it's like to sail and sleep on the waves, what life is like on board, both when the sun rises and when it rains, when the sea is clear and how important it is for an individual to contribute to group goals, and to check their knowledge and skills," said Professor Botica, adding that students will be able to apply their theoretical knowledge in terrestrial, electronic and astronomical navigation, maritime and marine engineering as well as under the supervision of the professors and members of the crew of "Jadran", to take part in the navigation watch on the deck and in the engine room of the ship.

Text by Sinisa Lukovic, on April 4th 2019, read more at Vijesti

04 April 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković and representatives of the renowned Dutch shipbuilding company Damen Kommer Damen and Porto Montenegro Mohammed Al-Shaibaniagreed said at a meeting in Bijela that the project of the transition of the former shipyard into the service of luxury yachts is successfully developing in accordance with plans, that it represents a new aspect of Montenegro's development, and that it is expected that the new industry will employ up to 450 workers when it is in full operation. 

Representatives of Damen, which employs 10,000 people in 35 shipyards on five continents, build 160 vessels every year and generates an annual turnover of two billion euros, presented a plan for the transition of the former shipyard. The plan is to rebuild 14 yachts in the first season 2020/2021, while in the fifth and sixth year they expect to reach full capacity - 100 yachts a year with an average employment of more than 400 people. 

"That means we need a lot of employees. We want to find out as quickly as possible whether people from Montenegro are looking forward to work. We want to provide training for interested people in our shipyards in Northern Europe and to organise a training programme in Bijela," representatives of the Damen Group told Prime Minister Marković.

Prime Minister Duško Marković stressed that, after visiting the site, he is thrilled with what he saw, having in mind that it is one of the projects that changes the Montenegrin economy. 

"I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, and today I feel fine. There were challenges, but we overcame them together. This project is important for the whole of Montenegro because it changes the whole philosophy of our development. With this project, we first solve the issue of the environment and open up a new clean industry. At the same time, we connect our tourism industry and industry. That is why this is a new era in the economic development of Montenegro. This needs to be understood by every state administration official. Any limitations will be overcome. Here I see a perspective for young people and that is why I am pleased that Damen is here. We need your experience and your know-how more than money. You will enjoy the full support of the Government," Prime Minister Duško Marković underlined at the meeting. 

In the context of the importance of development based on clean technologies, the Prime Minister recalled that the Government allocated EUR 50 million for remediation of five locations: the former shipyard in Bijela, solid waste dumps and red sludge pools in the former Aluminum Plant, the abandoned mine shafts of Šuplja stijena and the coal ash and slug from Maljevac dump. 

After the meeting, leaders of the Damen Group and Porto Montenegro, who on 30 November 2018, signed with the Government the concession agreement for the Shipyard in Bijela, with the aim of transforming the former shipyard into a service of luxury yachts, shared the optimism. 

Chairman of the Damen Shipyards Group Kommer Damen expressed his special gratitude to the Prime Minister for engaging in this project. 

"I am very grateful that with the assistance of the Government of Montenegro, and especially the Prime Minister, we have made progress in cleaning the Shipyard and that we are likely to start operations in March 2020," Kommer Damen said following the meeting.

Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors of Porto Montenegro David Margason said that he is thrilled by the fact that, after a long preparation, the remediation and the beginning of the shipyard transition are finally underway. 

"I am very pleased that our investment in tourism in the last ten years has finally brought new investments into this business," said David Margason. 

The Prime Minister also spoke with Executive Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Porto Montenegro Mohammed Al-Shaibani. 

The meeting discussed the plans for further development of Porto Montenegro as one of the most important tourist resources of our country, as well as plans for expanding the tourist offer. 

4 April 2019 - International Conference: Adriatic Biodiversity Protection – AdriBioPro2019 will be organized from April 7-11, 2019 in Kotor, by the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro.

The 2019 International Conference: Adriatic Biodiversity Protection will provide updated scientific, decision-making and policy-relevant information across a broad array of different Adriatic issues, marine biology, and related scientific disciplines. Emphasis will be on how state-of-the-art research on Adriatic biodiversity protection, conservation of coastal and marine areas and sustainable use of marine resources can contribute to policy- and decision-making. Particular focus will be put on the development opportunities which marine biotechnology can offer in the Adriatic. Organized to include plenary and breakout sessions covering both disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, Conference results will be used in shaping future marine science priorities and policy in Montenegro and other Adriatic countries.

The Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro is granted by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to implement a project “Marine Biodiversity Conservation Center “Boka Aquarium” (MonteAqua)” in cooperation with the Center for Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation of Inland Waters, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac. The International conference “Adriatic Biodiversity Protection – AdriBioPro2019” is the final project event, dedicated to gather all relevant national and regional stakeholders and to secure closer regional cooperation in the Adriatic Sea region.

According to the UNEP, the Mediterranean Sea is subject to tremendous pressure from multiple human uses and climate change. Recent research results indicate the cumulative impacts of human activities in the Mediterranean, ranking it as a hotspot of marine biodiversity, and one of the most heavily impacted marine region worldwide. One of the most intensely used and severely degraded regions of the Mediterranean is the Adriatic Sea. It implies a necessity of developing appropriate and effective policy-responses including adaptation actions, enhancement of resilience and implementation of mitigation activities. The Conference will address alterations of Mediterranean ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Adriatic Sea and its biodiversity and analyse widespread conflict among marine users. By presenting the latest science, the Conference will facilitate, synthesize and summarize the science-policy dialogue.

The topics which will be addressed during the conference include marine biodiversity conservation, conservation of coastal and marine areas, preventing marine pollution, rare and endangered species in Adriatic sea, marine invasive and alien species, roles of aquaria, international trade in endangered marine species, sustainable use of marine resources, marine biotechnology and freshwater biodiversity conservation.

April 4, 2019 - KotorArt Talents at this year's KotorArt festival Don Branko's Music Days will have the opportunity to perform at four concerts. These are the concerts planned in the Church of St. Spirit, Concert Hall of Music School "Vida Matjan," starting at 21.30h.

March 31, 2019 - The Social Democratic Party initiated the dismissal of the President of the Kotor Municipality, Vladimir Jokić, supported by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the Social Democrats (SD) and the Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI). SDP, among other things, claims that the Municipal President abused his authority and usurped the ingeniousness of the Kotor Municipal Assembly. About the political crisis in Kotor and the initiative for his dismissal, and about the Port of Kotor, the status of Kotor on the UNESCO list and the issuance of the key document for the area – Spatial Urban Plan of Kotor municipality, we spoke with Mayor Vladimir Jokić.

• Your dismissal petitioners claim that you are abusing your powers and usurping the inherencies of the Municipality Assembly.  They accuse you of partitioning and making decisions that will cause long-term damage to Kotor. How do you comment?

• The SDP calls that you, embezzling the ingeniousness of the Assembly, made up to 14 illegal decisions.

• The SDP argues that decisions are affecting the city's long-term damage. In a statement from 25 March, asking for your dismissal, the municipal committee of the party stressed that "it must stop self-determination in making vital decisions for the city that is damaging the durable goods of citizens and introducing the city into lawlessness." What are the decisions?

• The fact is that one of the issues raised by the Kotor crisis is the question of the Port of Kotor. The first stumbling block was the election of the board of directors of this company in May last year.

• On the occasion of the Concession Agreement, the Government of Montenegro concluded with the Port of Kotor, and they are discussing the investment plans for port infrastructure publicly, which critics claim will further jeopardise the natural and cultural heritage of Boka Bay. The business plan is an integral part of the concession agreement, which you have supported at the extraordinary assembly of shareholders of the Port of Kotor, convened on this occasion for performing a single act without consultation with coalition partners.

• Political disagreements over the concession over the Operational Coast of Kotor in the public space have opened discussions on topics such as the carrying capacity of the destination, the ecological effects of capacity building of the Port of Kotor, but also the orientation of tourism development of the city, today the primary target for excursions. Are citizens scared because the development plan of Port of Kotor will further increase the pressure on the city and the way of life of citizens?

• Kotor is on the move to finally get the Urban Spatial Plan, whose overturning backdrop for years has been an argument for numerous devastations of the cultural landscape of the protected area of Kotor. The Urban Spatial Plan is undoubtedly a primary development document, but it should also be a guarantee of preserving the natural and cultural values of the space that has been significantly compromised in recent decades. Will this document incorporate in detail the requirements set out in the UNESCO / ICOMOS Joint Reactive Mission Report?

March 28, 2019 - "Most tourists coming to Kotor are from the UK, Russia, the region, France, Germany, and the USA," the director of Tourist Organisation of Kotor Ana Nives Radovic told Radio Kotor.

In Kotor, at the 18^th KotorArt Don Branko Days of Music, arrives a world-renowned cellist, Narek Hakhnazaryan. The concert is scheduled for August 5^th in the concert hall at the Church of St. Spirit, starting at 9.30 pm.

A limited amount of tickets are on pre-sale at discounted prices. They can be purchased online via www.gigstix.com or physically throughout Montenegro at the selected Tobacco S Press kiosks. A detailed overview of the locations can be found at www.gigstix.me.

Born in the family of musicians, he began his education in his native Yerevan (Armenia), and continued at the Conservatory in Moscow and the New England Music Conservatory in Boston. He learnt how to play the cello also by the famous Mstislav Rostropovič, whose foundation provided him with the scholarship. He entered the international scene in 2011, when he won, as a 22-year-old, at the 14th International Competition “Tchaikovsky”.

"It is our great pleasure to start presenting artists for this year's Festival. The program that will be implemented in July and August was mostly agreed during the previous year, and early contracting and presentation of the program is a practice and standard for the manifestations of our profile in Europe and critical not only from the aspect of culture but also tourist offer. Among other things, this is also evidenced by the recent acknowledgment by KotorArt: EFFE Label - the European Quality Seal for Art Festivals as well as the "Wild Beauty" awards for the best manifestation in Montenegro for 2018. Narek Hakhnazaryan is an outstanding artist, with incredible energy and musicality, whose solo recital on the cello of the works by J. S. Bach, which is rarely heard, we are all eagerly waiting. His concert will be a kind of culmination of the entire Kotor concert season, which from November to June in our city is organized by KotorArt and the Music School "Vida Matjan", and which this year is dedicated to the cello," said Sara Lakicevic, PR of the Festival.

Hakhnazaryan has played with world orchestras such as the London, Chicago, Detroit, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Rotterdam, Seoul, Helsinki and Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Marinski Theater Orchestra and the Milan Scala, establishing a cooperation with conductors such as Gergiev, Jarvi, Spivakov, Pletnev, Robertson et al. He held recitals in the world's leading halls and plays the cello, which was built in 1707 by Joseph Guarneri. This will be his first visit to Montenegro.

This year's KotorArt Festival Don Branko Days of Music will be realized under the auspices of Kotor Municipality and the Ministry of Culture as well as with the help of numerous sponsors.

Text by M.D., on March 26th 2019, read more at CdM

27 March 2019 - There are many reasons why you'd want to visit Montenegro, the most beautiful coastline, dramatic history, the mountains that rear up to meet the sea and a crystal clear bay. Still, this country has recently worked on significant improvements in the number and quality of hotels, so now is a great time to visit this Mediterranean gem and enjoy the luxury that leads to a perfect holiday.

According to the recent data published by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, the number of hotels in Montenegro in 2018 increased by 25.

The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism stated that the newly opened facilities that have 1985 units in total are mostly luxury high-class hotels.

Within the reports by the Ministry, it is explained that six new hotels built in 2018 have a service that meets five star standards and nine hotels have four stars. In the total number of new hotels, 24% of all units meet the requirements of five-star services, and 36% meet those of the four-star hotels.

"The number of beds in five-star hotels is 50,48 per cent of the total unit number, and the beds in four-star hotels make up 21 per cent of the total number of beds in hotels that started working in 2018," the Ministry's document said.

The newly opened hotels include Perla Residence (Podgorica), Hotel Rivijera – Iberostar (Herceg Novi), Hotel Jadran – Iberostar (Perast), Hotel Holliday Village Montenegro (Ulcinj), Hotel Chedi – Luštica Bay (Tivat) and Hotel Lazaret (Herceg Novi).

Furthermore, when it comes to the categories that foreign tourists at the global level mostly look for in Montenegro, eight hotels have three stars and two facilities have two stars.

The Ministry believes that the growth of the structure of accommodation capacities of high category, as the most important segment of the tourist product, has been particularly contributed by numerous stimulus measures.

These stimulus measures include the abolition of the obligation to pay utility bills for building a four and five star hotel, reducing annual real estate tax to 30 per cent for hotels with four stars, reducing annual real estate tax up to 70 per cent for five-star hotels in priority tourist sites, and lifting the obligation to pay an import VAT for products and services related to the construction of five-star hotels and a low VAT rate of only 7 per cent for hotel accommodation.