August 6, 2020 - The Secretariat for Tourism and Entrepreneurship of the Municipality of Tivat is continuing to innovate with their list of local agricultural producers who are ready to sell their products in the community, with the option of direct delivery to the consumer.

We are continuing the successful practice of promoting local domestic produce, while at the same time providing support to local agricultural producers. They have the opportunity to promote and market their products, or indeed their catch, while the public has all the necessary information in one place, making it easier to access quality home-made products.

"Let me take this opportunity to invite all other interested registered agricultural producers from across the municipality of Tivat to join us, so that our fellow citizens can access healthy and quality produce in a way that is both relatively simple, and safer, from a health perspective, than going to a store," said Petar Vujović, of the Secretariat for Tourism and Entrepreneurship.

The Municipality of Tivat will continue with this and similar types of support to small-scale agricultural producers, so that local farms can weather the current situation as best they can, and with as few negative consequences as possible.

Let's support our local agricultural producers, let's buy local!

HRB

July 15, 2020 - The Festival of the Mediterranean Theatre Purgatorije in Tivat should start on August 1 with a reduced program and conditions that are not limited to specific dates or the realization of the entire program. Whether and to what extent the language of culture must be redefined - whether muses are permitted to remain silent while plagues are raging - whether long-term abstinence from art can atrophy the need for it as a haven for the mind and soul... All of this, as well as the virtual dimension of culture and this year's Purgatorije program were the topics of the interview by Radio Tivat with Neven Staničić, Director of the Cultural Center of Tivat.

"On an individual level, it is impossible to stifle creativity in any condition. It even inspires and heats up, but collective projects in the cultural industry are a problem," Staničić believes.

"It is impossible in these conditions to coordinate guest appearances from several countries in the region in important international cultural festivals. It is difficult to imagine a theatrical event taking place with the obligatory application of all protection measures.

For the audience, it could be managed somehow, but how will a love scene take place on the stage without respecting physical distance, for example? Culture cannot do without an audience and direct contact. Although we received great reviews from all over the world for the online version of our Guitar Fest, I am not a fan of such an experience, which cannot be compared to listening and watching a guitar master from a few meters away.

We will try to realize the program as we know and can, in coexistence with the coronavirus. Sometimes it seems easier to deal with it than with cultural alternatives, and we want to stay at the level we have maintained for many years. Today we have surrogates at all levels. We have streets instead of assemblies, fights instead of matches. So, instead of the culture we are used to, we may get an adequate solution," says Stanicic, who is probably the main "culprit" behind Tivat having one of the most important theater festivals in the region.

The Purgatory Mediterranean Theater Festival 2020 starts with the theater's premiere play "The Other Side of the Wind" on August 1 on a small stage in the summer house Buća. It is a marine theme with an engaging text by Miroslav Antić, directed by Branko Ilić, in which students of the Cetinje Faculty of Dramatic Arts play, for whom it will be an exam, and graduation play. The rehearsals are going according to plan in the main hall of the local Cultural Center.

"Tivat Cultural Center has always been a place where young actors start their professional lives, and so far, we have done three such projects. "Tre Sorelle" is an excellent example, it is a show with excellent ratings, a large number of performances and awards, so we hope that such a fate will befall the "Other Side of the Wind".

The second premiere, "Application Volant" out of four planned for this year's Purgatorije, is scheduled for August 5. The rehearsals are taking place in Sabac, after which final rehearsals should continue here in Tivat. The play comes on the back of the celebrated "Jami District", with the same production team and author team. The text is signed by Minja Bogavac, and directed by Kokan Mladenović.

"It's about the impact of mobile phones on our daily lives, with a projection on the future. In the play itself, the audience will have to use their phones on which they will install the play's required application to start," explains Staničić.

This summer, local plays will be performed: "Filomena Marturano", "Bokeški D-mol", "Little pirate", "Tre Sorelle", "Jami District" with the celebration of its 100th performance. The repertoire also includes several guest performances - "Don Quixote" by the City Theater from Podgorica and the Bar Chronicle, "Twilight of the Gods" by the Belgrade Drama Theater and "Colonel of Birds" by the City Theater from Podgorica.
This year's Pugratorije will have its own literary and musical segment.
"On August 3, we planned to honor the audience on the Summer Stage, especially the women, with the musical-poetic evening of actor Ivan Bosiljčić, which would be a kind of replacement for the musicals that have marked the beginning of each edition of Purgatorije."

The music segment of Purgatory, the festival "Mediterranean Notes", will most likely be held from August 18 to 22 with three to five concerts, and with guests, world-renowned violinists - Nigel Kennedy and Stefan Milenković. The contracts have been signed, and the relevant Ministry is interested in helping to keep the festival going.

The program of this year's Purgatorije is much reduced, as well as the budget and financial outcome.

"The problem is not that we are now postponing, moving and reducing some things, but that we, even if the coronavirus disappears very quickly, will not be able to return to the level of 2019, but we must go back and start some things from scratch. We should be more than optimistic and expect the same budget for culture as it was at the beginning of 2020 if we know that we have reduced it by 80% at this time.

Perhaps it is now a consolation to be proud of what we have done so far, to have fond memories, and to know that we will have new beginnings. We're not going to move any more now from where we left off. I'm afraid it will be a few steps below. But we have enough experience, and we hope that it will help us quickly reach the level we once had," concluded the Tivat Cultural Center's Director, Neven Stanicic, in an interview with Radio Tivat.

Source: Sonja Štilet, Radio Tivat

July 12, 2020 - "I'll tell you a story" is the title of the exhibition of paintings by Hana Mirkov, which opened last weekend in the exhibition space of the Tivat Municipal Museum and Gallery.

"Hana's specific expression in her paintings is recognizable not only in this city or this country, but also abroad. Each of Hana's works is a separate illustration of an event, a legend, a specific part of the city, a tradition, a situation or a universal value. According to the motifs, like the scenography, that she places on the canvas, even those who do not know the legend, story or sights of a city, can get to know it through her paintings. Of course, Hana's ability to sensitively choose themes and motifs leaves a really positive impression on all those who view her work,” stated the Director of the Municipal Museum and Gallery Jelena Bošković, on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition.

She highlighted that the inspiration for 25 exhibited works in acrylic, pencil, and combined technique - pencil, ink and pen, came to Hana with the reading of the book "Antique Bassoon" in which well-known Tivat journalist and publicist Mašo Čekić draws together numerous stories and interesting legends from the history of the Bay of Kotor and the former way of life of its inhabitants.

“The story I told in these works is colourful, removed from the expected context, it makes us who we are and inspires our lives with new energy. This amazing book with wonderful stories strongly encouraged me to create because while reading, the pictures came to me on their own and I simply had to produce them as I did,” said the artist, Hana Mirkov.

Photo - Hana Mirkov

Mirkov was born in Split in 1989. She finished art high school in Cetinje in 2008, from where she graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts. She continued her education at the Accademia di belle arti di Bari, Italy. She lives and works in Tivat. She has participated in numerous collective and solo exhibitions, both in the country and abroad, as well as dozens of artists’ colonies in Montenegro and Serbia. She has been a member of the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro since 2012.

On July 5, 2020 - The Tivat Police Force have filed a criminal complaint against the President of the Municipality of Tivat, Siniša Kusovac, for violating the measure of self-isolation.

"Officials of the Security Department of Tivat, on the order of the competent state prosecutor, have filed a criminal complaint against the President of the Municipality of Tivat, Siniša Kusovac. The reason is a well-founded suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of failing to comply with health regulations to combat dangerous infectious diseases by violating the measure of compulsory self-isolation at home, " the Police Administration announced.

Numerous individuals claim that they saw him yesterday afternoon on the Žukovica beach in Donji Grbalj - Vijesti writes. 

Tivat resident and Vijesti correspondent from the area Siniša Luković reported to the police yesterday that the President of the Municipality of Tivat Siniša Kusovac had been spotted during the day in Žukovica - Municipality of Kotor - thus violating the self-isolation measure established by the health and sanitary inspection, Tivat police announced to Radio Tivat. 

Kusovac confirmed that he was there, but claims that he did not get out of the car and that he did not violate his self-isolation.

According to individuals in the locality, Kusovac was in Žukovica yesterday between 5 and 6 pm - one of the most beautiful, but somewhat isolated beaches in Boka.

He arrived in the official car of Tivat Municipality, a black "Nissan Quashqai" (TV MN 001), which he had previously put at his own disposal for 24 hours.

When one of member of the public went to take a photograph, Kusovac allegedly noticed and quickly got into the car, and drove away. However, witnesses spotted a black Nissan travelling along the road from Žukovica to Glavatičići. Although he did not initially answer the phone or reply to an SMS from "Vijesti," Kusovac later told the journalist in a telephone conversation that he had not left his house, and he was certainly not in Žukovica.

However, when asked who had been on a non-working day in Žukovica, if not the person provided with the official vehicle, Kusovac responded confusedly and then said that another person from the Municipality might have used the vehicle. He later changed the story after "Vijesti" sent him a photo of the municiple vehicle on a country road and asked for an official statement:

"I went down (to Žukovica) and was there for literally two minutes. I did not bathe in Žukovica, but I left the place of self-isolation for a short time due to a private problem, with the competent sanitary inspector's consent. By the way, the village of Glavatičići in Grblja was assigned to me as my place of self-isolation, not Tivat. I did not violate my self-isolation because I did not get out of the car, and I was not in contact with anyone. Feel free to let those who saw me there report if I talked to anyone there, let them say how long it took and what it was. I reported everything to the police and the sanitary inspectorate. It is my view that I did not violate self-isolation, "Kusovac told Vijesti, not wanting to answer the question of what he was looking for on Saturday afternoon in Donji Grbalj and why he was leaving the house.

Due to the fact that he had been in contact with a teacher from the Tivat kindergarten "Bambi" at a meeting in the Municipality last week, who was confirmed to have a coronavirus infection late Sunday evening, June 29, Kusovac has been officially in self-isolation since Thursday, July 2.

He was tested for coronavirus, but has not yet made any announcement as to the result.

Before announcing that he had been placed in self-isolation on Thursday, Kusovac went to work for three days and contacted numerous members of the public. On Tuesday, June 30, he attended and spoke at a session of the local parliament.

Those who violate self-isolation measures, according to the valid regulations in Montenegro, can be fined or imprisoned for up to a year.

Another criminal offense that can be brought against persons who violate self-isolation and are confirmed to be infected is the transmission of dangerous infectious diseases. Anyone who does not act according to orders to stop the spread of the infectious disease can be sentenced to between one and three years in prison.

Sources: Vijesti, Radio Tivat

1 July, 2020 - The Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Tivat, in cooperation with "Morsko Dobro" has, as part of the project Green Destinations, nominated Tivat for the 2020 Top 100 Sustainable Destinations. The application process comprised several key steps. Namely, through the use of the Green Destinations platform, information had to be entered and reports made on the 15 criteria required, and a good practice example had to be given. Tivat Nature Reserve “Solila” was chosen as this example from Tivat Municipality, focussing on sustainable principles, problem solving, and creating a good environment for nature, tourists and the local community.

Some of the 15 criteria are: tourism policy - the destination must have a publicly available, long-term tourism policy or strategy related to environmental, aesthetic, social, cultural and economic issues, as well as issues of quality, health and safety. Air pollution - air pollution is adequately treated,  and the effects of air pollution related to tourism are effectively controlled. Promotion of local products and services - the inclusion of local craftsmen, producers and service providers in the tourism chain in accordance with the principles of fair trade is supported; local and sustainable products that support nature, culture, local identity and the local economy are promoted. Sustainability Standards - Internationally recognized sustainability standards that comply with the GSTC criteria for tourism-related businesses are promoted by the destination or business sector.

Issues related to tangible and intangible cultural heritage, nature and landscape, waste treatment, etc are also included. The application for the 2020 Top 100 Sustainable Destinations was to be completed by 1st July, while feedback is expected on 1st September, and the official announcement of destinations on the final list will be made in October. Destinations selected for the Top 100 will also qualify for the Sustainable Destination Awards 2020, which will be presented at Global Green Days Destinations in the spring of 2021 in Bodrum, Turkey.

The Tourist Organization of Tivat would like to thank all the associates and colleagues from the following organisations and businesses who helped with the application and whose cooperation made it possible for Tivat to enter the  TOP 100 sustainable destinations for 2020: The Secretariat for Investments, Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, the Secretariat for Communal Affairs and Transport, the Secretariat for Tourism and Entrepreneurship, the Secretariat for Culture and Social Affairs, and the companies DOO "Komunalno" Tivat, Brand New Tivat, as well as the Protection and Rescue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, strategic partners Porto Montenegro and Luštica Bay and NGO Expeditio. 

The Top 100 Sustainable Destinations competition is being held for the sixth time in a row and aims to present tourism stories and examples of good sustainable development practice from local and regional destinations as inspiring examples to others, both travel organizers and tourists.

Through reporting on a variety of Green Destinations criteria and also using their internet platform, destinations can work on strengthening tourism sustainability, avoiding mass tourism, and also help promote tourism, warning destinations of hidden dangers associated with tourism development.

By publishing an annual list and sharing good practices and success stories of destinations, Green Destinations aims to identify initiatives that make tourist destinations more sustainable, responsible and attractive from the point of view of the tourist experience.

Source: Radio Tivat, Zora Krstovic

June 22, 2020 - Last weekend, the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Tivat hosted representatives of a study group of media and travel agencies from Bosnia and Herzegovina and a group of influencers from Albania.

The visit of a group of media and tourist agencies from BiH to Montenegro was organized by the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, in cooperation with local tourist organizations along the coast. On Saturday, June 20, the group stayed in Tivat. TO Tivat, in cooperation with partners, designed an interesting programme to showcase what the area has to offer and present the potential of the municipality of Tivat as a tourist destination.

The programme included a tour of the Porto Montenegro marina resort, a walk along the Tivat Pine waterfront and a tour of the luxury complex Luštica Bay. The tour of Luštica Bay, accompanied by a guide, included a visit to “The Chedi” hotel, “The Rok” beach bar and “The Spot” restaurant, where dinner was organized in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The gathering was attended by representatives of the media: BHT1, TV Sarajevo, Face TV, Klix portal, Exclusive, SA Radio and portal, and Gracija magazine, as well as representatives of Relax, Sirius, Castanea, M97, Viptravels travel agencies.

Sunday, June 21st, was reserved for a visit by Albanian influencers, who were guests of the Regent Hotel in Porto Montenegro from June 19th to 21st. Well-known influencers from Albania had a full programme organized by the management of the Regent Hotel, with Sunday morning organized by TO Tivat. The tour organized by TO Tivat in cooperation with the agency “Montenegro Destinations” included a ride through the city in attractive tuk tuk vehicles, followed by a visit to the beach complex “Movida”, where after refreshments in the beach bar influencers had the opportunity for a walk and to take some stunning photos. The authentic taverna "Vino Santo" was a perfect spot with just the right atmosphere for the group to enjoy lunch, arranged to include tasting of fish specialties.

The previous Saturday, June 13, the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Tivat hosted a group of local influencers, also guests of the Regent Hotel, and in cooperation with Montenegro Destinations, organized a picnic in the atmospheric village of Gornja Lastva.