Lifestyle
"Fairy tales lay in me like seeds: all it takes is a breath of wind, a ray of sunshine or a drop of bitterness to dissolve into a flower." (Hans Christian Andersen). So it is with her. All she needs is a childish smile, a playful imagination, a brush and a palette of colors, and a dream become reality, and fairy tales the most beautiful way to a peaceful dream.
Her name is Irena Rasovic and people generally know her as a journalist who does her job professionally and with quality in dealing with "serious" topics. And she's much more than that. She, like her favorite painter Van Gogh, who has grown to her heart "because of his work, courageous color choices and emotional honesty, as well as his obsession with painting and the fate of a true tragedian, stares at the stars she always wants to dream." And she succeeds in that. Irena has been doing normal size paintings but also walls for years - turning cold marble into a fairy tale.
Irena Rašović (Photo: Luka Zeković)
“I finished literature studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niksic. Although during high school I planned and actively prepared for enrollment in the Academy of Fine Arts, participation in the creation of the gymnasium newspaper 'Steps', some radio shows on the then Second Radio Program of Montenegro, as well as the expressed love for literature, diverted me from that path," Irena said.
Fortunately, with her children and husband and a gift from her maid of honor, she returned to her original love.
“For me, painting walls is a quite new activity. The first works on the wall were made in the period when the children were young, in order to make their space more beautiful and more fun. The long corridor in the apartment at the time was a space that we completely painted. We all took a pen and a brush, and the fun began which continued from one cartoon character to another or a whole family. And that lasted for days. I think that was crucial and for the little ones to realize the importance of freeing their creativity and enjoying their creation. At the same time, my maid of honor Ivana brought me oil paints as a gift, a small reminder of a neglected hobby. Thus, begins a new circle of creation. Oil on canvas, acrylic paintings and murals”.
She admits, when it comes to painting walls, that she is a little cheerful for "unusual solutions, ideas that are not common", that children's rooms are "the most beautiful studio for her, and she enjoys the most in painting the characters that the little ones choose."
Irena Rašović (Photo: Luka Zeković)
“She is especially pleased by their reaction to the new ambience. While working in children's rooms, I also make new little-big friends. They keep a close eye on the painting; they are glad I welcome them to the team and allow them to participate in everything actively. It is not excluded that some of them will, spontaneously, continue their work in painting, or at least that they will admire new skills in the art class."
Recently, she breathed warmth to a kindergarten in Podgorica and colored it with the warmest colors. That, she said, was her biggest challenge.
"It was a real challenge both because of the variety of motives and the short deadline. It was only a few days before the start of the school year, and space for a variety of toddler activities was to be prepared. In addition, ideas were multiplied during the work, and the composition was complicated. In the end, however, everything was above all expectations. In this business, I love the surprise that the finished work brings. It's also hard to imagine how one seemingly simple image can enliven a space and add a new dimension to it. That was the case this time," Irena was pleased.
Illustration (Photo: Private archive)
And it is the pleasure of people and their surprise when they see a finished work that is her favorite compliment. And that glow in children's eyes that is immeasurable.
"I want to work harder to advance my skill. The art of painting space in our country has only recently been affirmed. I want to be with people who think alike in order to be part of actions to try to beautify our cities."
She may even succeed in doing this, and with people who paint with soul and see with heart, breathe new colors into the cities. Warmer and brighter. There is enough of greyness, anyway.
A safe journey to a peaceful sleep
It is best when you manage to keep the child within you. Many try it, but not all succeed. Irena succeeded.
"I love all fairy tales. I used to prefer Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales because of the elements of harsh reality, but today I find the role of the fairy tale quite different. A fairy tale must be a fairy tale full of magic, warmth and imagination and a safe journey to a peaceful sleep."
The blue of the sea and the sky
In Irena's pictures, the common motifs are the sea, sky, and boats. The blue in which “walks in the yellow and the orange”, but also other warm colors.
“I love the width, the sea, the sun, the clear sky. This is what dominates my paintings. I want the picture to be pleasing to the eye, for a person to enjoy looking at it.”
Text by Svetlana Mandic, on September 15th, 2019, read more at Vijesti
It is impossible to think of Herceg Novi without its steps, which were mostly built at the start of the 20th century, as well as during the period of Turkish rule. No-one has yet counted how many steps there are, although many people do this - even in their sleep - when they know that they’ll be climbing them the next day. Admittedly, Herceg Novi writer Nikola Malović claims that the city is crisscrossed with 100,001 steps, an assertion which is gradually becoming widely accepted, especially among non-locals.
However, the steps are indeed the history of the city, and they need constant care. They are the key to communication through Herceg Novi, but over time, especially after the earthquake, the stairways have become damaged, with cracks and broken stone, slippery from the rain in winter, from other sources in summer, and heavy use. The odd touch up every now and again just wasn’t enough.
The City’s Construction and Development Agency is continuing with the renovation of the city stairways, and has developed a project to rebuild the Danica Tomašević Stairway, which leads from the Radius Printing House to the Pet Danica Promenade. The project has been approved by the Municipality of Herceg Novi, and the tender for the selection of contractors will be announced shortly.
The entire projected value of the works for the 193 flights with landings comes to 89,000 euros, and work should begin by the end of the year.
As the Agency informed Radio Jadran, the works on the damaged and in some places “hollow” stairways could be carried out in two phases or at the same time, depending on the plan envisaged by the Municipality of Herceg Novi.
The first phase will include improvements to the sewage network if needed, as well as repair of damaged balustrades and retaining walls. After this work is complete, it will be possible to pave it with natural, roughly hewn dolomite limestone.
At the same time, the surrounding walls of the stairway will be updated by scraping off the peeling patina and re-plastering. Where possible, new handrails will be installed, as well as bench seats.
As part of the project, the greening of the surrounding areas is also envisaged by combining shrubs and grassed areas, alongside the installation of public lighting.
Reconstruction of the steps in the Old Town will follow.
The Agency has also begun designing the reconstruction of the Marko Vojinović stairway, which leads from Bellavista Square to Forte Mare tower. As the Agency has previously stated, work here would require the involvement of conservationist.
Marko Vojinović Steps - Radio Jadran
On the other hand, the smooth and slippery damaged steps that lead from Nikola Đurković Square to Škver – the 28th October stairway, as well as the stairway below the clock tower are crying out for a “more secure solution”. Although these old stairways, or rather the stones from which they are “stacked” still hold well, these are the busiest in Herceg Novi and are extremely worn out and dangerous. Almost every day this summer, one of the thousands of tourists climbing or descending fell, most often between the former Lazarev Garden to Pub Got.
The Agency states the works on these stairways is planned only once the work is finished on the Danica Tomašević and Marko Vojinović steps.
Source: radiojadran.com
The competition for the preliminary architectural design of the kindergarten in Ulcinj has been completed, and the winning solution was created by the author team consisting of Ivan Jovićević, Dušan Đurović, and Mina Gutović.
The second place went to the author team Ortis d.o.o. from Podgorica, composed of Ana Zogovic, Milos Popovic and Biljana Krunic. The third prize went to the Archifocus team d.o.o. from Niksic: Dijana Zorić, Maja Mrdak and Vukola Kecojević. Nineteen designs were submitted for the competition.
The building, valued at €850,000, is located in Ulcinj, in the settlement Ulcinjsko polje. It is designed for 124 children. The gross area of the building is about 1000 m2, and the surface of the playground is 1231 m², or 50% of the area of the urban plot.
Four working rooms for cribs with sanitary facilities, a multifunctional hall, preventive health care and toilets, and three kindergarten units with associated facilities were designed, while in the basement there is a laundry room, kitchen, two management offices, workshops and pantries. The laundry and kitchen are central, designed in accordance with HACCP standards, for the needs of 400 children.
There are plans to equip the roof with photovoltaic panels for the processing of solar energy into electric and solar collectors for central hot water preparation, to take full advantage of the favorable orientation. The room heating is provided by radiator heating, while the central air-conditioning system will be used for cooling, in order to provide optimum conditions for living and working in the building throughout the year.
The entrance to the building is foreseen on the north side via the access square. Along the road on the west side, a parking space with thirteen parking spaces is foreseen, two of which are for disabled people. Access for the economic part is designed along the eastbound side road. Bicycle parking is also provided in the access square area.
On the conclusion of the Kindergarten Competition Minister of Education, Damir Sehovic, said:
“Even with the example of kindergarten in Ulcinj, we show that we have entered a serious and intensive phase of planning and construction of preschools. I believe that the commission that evaluated the received architectural solutions made a good decision, and that we will soon make available to the citizens of Ulcinj a beautiful, modern and functional space for their children."
The competition for the preliminary architectural design of the kindergarten in Ulcinj, one of the kindergartens financed by a loan from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), has been announced by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism.
The announcement of the competition for kindergarten in Ulcinj was preceded by the transfer of the right to dispose of land from the Municipality of Ulcinj to the Government of Montenegro. The estimated value of the land is over € 300,000.
Text by Vijesti online, on September 11th, 2019, read more at Vijesti
The non-governmental organization Euromost today, in the presence of the President of Sports Fishing Society "Sinjavac", Ismet Softic, released new drone footage of Lim’s coast below the industrial zone.
The recordings show that unknown substances are still being released from the pipe.
What kind of material is not known," said President of NGO “Euromost” Almer Mekic, who announced, "the defense of Lim from the air, from the river, from the land and from all sides where they can protect it."
Mekic announced that the non-governmental organization Euromost, together with SRD "Sinjavac", still protect Lim and appeals to meat processors, wood processors, companies engaged in gravel exploitation, not to contaminate Lim, and businesspeople and citizens to do not dump waste illegally on the shores of Lim, because "they will no longer be allowed to, and any such example will always, as before, when environmental incidents occur, be made public and demand that the inspections respond promptly."
Mekic announced that from the beginning of October the non-governmental organization Euromost will register every landfill located on the banks of Lim in the municipality Bijelo Polje and will create a database of their locations.
Text by Vijesti online, on September 14th, 2019, read more at Vijesti
The Drop-in Center for the LGBT community was opened at a new location in the center of Podgorica, making it more visible in Montenegrin society, and will provide psychological, peer, and physician support to improve the social and health circumstances of that community.
The program director at the non-governmental organization Juventas, Jelena Colakovic, said at the opening of the new Center that the social and political climate in Montenegro has changed since the opening of the first Drop-in Center in 2011.
“The context in which we are now going to work is different compared to 2011, when we started and when we had considerable difficulties, that is, when the political and social climate was much more hostile to this topic, as well as to LGBT people themselves. It was not very pleasant, but now it is different, and now we have many more people who have come out and who, by their example, showed that freedom is a beautiful thing," Colakovic said.
She said Drop-in Center would be open from 10 am to 10 pm.
"The Dro-in Center will be accessible to young people, but not only to young people, but also to all those with equality, respect, love, values that they advocate. For all people, the Center is fully open and we want them to be our guests, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or any other difference that characterizes us and makes the society richer and more beautiful," said Colakovic.
She said the Drop-in Center, as a social health service, has a mission to advance the social and health circumstances of the LGBT community.
“We will continue to have psychological support, physician support, but also peer support, that is, community support for all who wish to come, as well as their family and friends, but also life partners. Everyone who wants to practice safe sexual intercourse will be able to take condoms and lubricants in our facilities, and it will be followed by consultations which will be a part of the service," explained Colakovic.
President of the Board of Directors of Queer Montenegro, Danijel Kalezic, stated that the Drop-in Center had been the most significant place for the LGBT community for nine years, since it was first opened.
"Since 2011, when the first Drop-in Center opened, it was the only meeting place where we all discreetly gathered and began to grow as a community. At that Juventas Center, we were empowering, connecting, sharing many beautiful moments, but also being there for each other in less beautiful moments as one big family," said Kalezic.
He stated that the Drop-in Center was important for the LGBT community because there they worked on organizing the first Montenegro Pride.
"It is also the place at which the Queer Brigade was created as an informal group that preceded Queer Montenegro. The first trans organization Spektra also arouse from this place, Pride has been born of from all of this, and since the first day and the announcement it has been stored in the Center, in different locations, up to the moment when we stopped being in more hidden places," Kalezic said.
The Deputy Mayor of the Capital, Sladjana Vujacic, said that the opening of the new Drop in Center was extremely important for the Capital, which, she said, was a step forward towards respect for human rights.
"It's remarkable that this Drop-in is right in the heart of the city. Significant steps have been taken a few years back and today we have fewer challenges when it comes to this topic, which is definitely no longer taboo," said Vujacic.
She urged the citizens of the Capital to visit the Drop-in Center, regardless of sexual orientation, gender or national differences.
"I think this will be a new, beautiful gathering place in the Capital, whose significance will be multifaceted - educational, social, psychological, and it will also be a place for the pleasure and socializing of our fellow citizens," Vujacic said.
The secretary of the Ministry of Health of Montenegro, Nikola Antovic, said that the department and the Government of Montenegro support all activities that mean the promotion of human rights and the integration of all members of society in the community.
"This Center will carry out certain public health activities supported through projects developed and implemented by the Ministry of Health. We will continue to be committed to strengthening and respecting human rights, and we hope that such centers will be open to all citizens," Antovic said.
He estimated that the newly opened Drop-in Center would improve the status of all visitors.
The director of the Women's Rights Center, Maja Raicevic, said that it was important that the newly opened Drop in Center was located in the city center, because that way, she said, the members of that population were more visible in the Montenegrin society.
"It is very important that such organizations and institutions are centrally located in the city so that young people belonging to this community, as well as those who actively advocate for human rights, are more visible. In this way, this story can be further promoted and indicate that the capital recognizes the importance of these rights, ”Raicevic said.
Text by Vijesti online, on September 13th, 2019, read more at Vijesti
A record 137,508 tourists visited Kotor fortresses from 1st April to 1st September.
The total revenue from ticket sales was 1,100,064 euros.
In the same period last year, 104,492 tourists visited the fortresses, generating a total income of 835,936 euros.
Željko Knežević, from the Kotor Directorate of Planning and Construction, which manages the city walls, told Boka News that some 33,000 additional visits had been made in the same period.
The reasons for this, Knežević states, are twenty percent more cruise ship visits compared with last year, paid entry beginning earlier, on 1st April, and the fact that conditions for visiting the fortresses were very good, given the improved weather.
“The positive trend for visits continued throughout September, we have good prospects for tourism in the coming months, and we are expecting a record number of visitors by the end of the year,” Knežević stated to Boka News.
Entrance to the fortresses costs eight euros.
15 September 2019 - The wastewater treatment plant in the capital will be completed in late 2022 or early 2023, Podgorica Water Supply Director Filip Makrid announced for Nova M.
In addition to building the collector, according to Director Makrid, around one and a half million euros will be spent on capital investment this year.
“We were able to secure a financial structure of around 45-46 million EUR. This financial structure consists of 11 million grants and 35 million funds received as a loan from Kfe Bank. We launched the implementation of this major project. What I can tell you now is that we did the preliminary reports as the first phase of consulting services,” Makrid said. According to him, the contractor for the wastewater treatment plant will be selected early next year.
“From now on, we hope that the project will be completed in about 30 months as planned, i.e. the contractor will have an obligation to build the main project or project documentation following the tender procedure and then to execute the project within 24 months. We expect that between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, the citizens of Podgorica should have a new facility and that the facility will be ready to service the capital's services within the next 25 years, ”he added.
As CdM reports, Makrid also announced that, with the help of the Government of Montenegro, as well as with the funds of Podgorica Water Supply Enterprise, one and a half million euros will be spent on capital investments this year.
“We have launched the activities on realization of the project in Lješanska nahija, where we have contracted about 250 thousand euros, in the villages of Bigor, Brežine, on the rehabilitation of primary and secondary network. On the other hand, in the next seven days, a tender will be opened for the construction of the Kaluđerovo oko and Kamenica primary pipeline. The estimated value is around 300 thousand euros and we hope that in this way we will look at some 500-550 thousand euros to invest in some continuity in the area of Lješanska nahija," he said.
The company is continuously working on expanding the sewage network and building atmospheric sewage. However, activities in the municipality of Golubovci are also not missing.
“With the construction of the water supply network for Breislavci settlement, we are actually completing activities on the construction of water supply network in Mahala settlement. Water Supply Podgorica has also reconstructed several rural waterworks that were technically defective. In doing so, they ensured that the water reached the outermost village. About four million euros have been invested in the past for these purposes. In the entire rural area, we have regular water supply starting from Bioče, Piperi, Vranjine, and Komani. Construction work for the building for the employees of the company is going on as planned. Eighty-two employees will receive keys to the apartment in early October," Makrid concluded.
15 September 2019 - The summer parties on the Budva Riviera are not over, confirm the organisers of the Beach Fest (Montenegrin: Fešta na plaži), which will be held on Sunday, September 15, in Rafailovići, organized by the Tourism Organization of the Municipality of Budva and the Local Community of Bečići.
Budva’s Beach Fest was held for the first time two years ago at the initiative of the locals that inhabit Rafailovići. Each year, the festival offers a rich entertainment program to citizens and tourists, and it improves their stay on the Budva Riviera at the end of the summer months. Just as the organisers aimed at the very beginning when they first put great efforts into organising the festival, “Fešta na plaži“ has now become a tradition.
This year’s program of Budva’s Beach Fest begins at 7 pm with the performance of the ensemble Toć, a local band from Tivat and Kotor. From 8.30 pm the audience will be entertained by the acoustic band Trio Gušt, and after them, at 10 pm, the guests will be able to enjoy the performance of the regional star Željko Vasić.
For this occasion, local caterers will prepare delicacies for all visitors, and a particularly interesting part of the program will be the sailing of decorated local boats.
The charm of this small fishing village and the quality program of the event make the Beach Fest perfect end of summer event, so the organisers invite all locals and tourists to join them tonight, on Sunday, September 15th in Rafailovići and have a great time.
Herceg Novi Municipality has formalised its friendship with the Portuguese city of Estarreja with a memorandum signed by the mayors of the two municipalities, Stevan Katić and Diamatino Sabina. As announced after the signing, the Memorandum of Friendship and Cooperation aims to deepen and strengthen ties, with the intention of a future twinning between the two municipalities.
According to the mayor’s office, friendly relations between Estarreja and Herceg Novi have been ongoing for several years, and were established under the auspices of the cross-border project “TIPS4EU”. Partnership in the project enabled the two municipalities to gain insight into spatial and socio-economic specificities, as well as an affinity with each other. The partners then decided to sign the Memorandum, bearing in mind the significance of fostering cooperation and friendship between European municipalities, with an emphasis on exchanging experiences in various areas of development and promotion of intercultural dialogue.
“As city leaders, we need to develop international cooperation, we have an obligation to be open towards other cities and foster friendship. We always have a lot to learn from each other,” stated the Mayor of Estarreja Municipality, Diamantino Sabina.
Signing of Memorandum - Herceg Novi Municipality
As he stated, Herceg Novi and Estarreja have many geographical and cultural differences, but also have similarities. Both are coastal cities, and their people share the same mentality - open-minded and hospitable.
We are all the same if our heart is in the same place. I am certain that our cooperation will be very fruitful and, despite our linguistic differences, we will understand each other very well,” announced Sabina.
Signing of memorandum Herceg Novi Estarreja - Herceg Novi Municipality
He called on the leaders of Herceg Novi to make a return visit, in order to better understand the possibilities in the areas where links could be established.
There is significant space for cooperation in the area of culture, bearing in mind that the two cities are quite similar when it comes to what they offer culturally.
“Estarreja also holds a carnival, similar in some ways to our Mimosa, and also has a street art festival. It is interesting that both cities have houses belonging to Nobel Laureates, in Estarreja belonging to António Egas Moniz who received the prize for medicine, and in Herceg Novi belonging to writer Ivo Andrić,” stated the Mayor of Herceg Novi Municipality Stevan Katić.
He added that they planned to apply jointly for financing from international funds, through which both cities would aim to secure financial support for a range of projects.
The local authorities state that the signing of the Memorandum with Estarreja is just the start of active cooperation between Herceg Novi and numerous local governments. Over the past two years, friendship and twinning agreements have been signed with cities in China, Russia, Western Europe and the region. The ultimate goal is to make better use of opportunities for cooperation, that is the development of cultural, economic, tourism and scientific cooperation, and cooperation in the area of environmental protection and promotion, as well as for exchanging ideas and experiences, and better understanding of cultural, ethnographic and social values.
Source - radiojadran.com
12 September 2019 - Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro Nikola Janović opened the Regional Capacity Building Training for the winners of the projects under the RYCO Second Call for Proposals for project financing. Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro Nikola Janović expressed satisfaction with the fact that the regional training was being organised in Montenegro and emphasised that in this way it is confirmed that the regional cooperation is a priority of Montenegro, particularly in the area of youth policy.
"The Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Sports and Youth from the beginning provide unambiguous support for the functioning of the Regional Office for the cooperation of young people, as so far the most visible product of the Berlin process. In the non-governmental and educational sector, we see a strong partner and we can influence the creation of enabling environmental activism and mobility of young people necessarily by joint efforts," Minister Janović pointed out.
The Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro Nikola Janović pointed to the significance of organising a five-day training that represents great opportunity to strengthen the professional capacities of youth organisations and secondary schools with the aim of better implementation of youth projects.
"I am convinced that through this training you will get the chance to join forces, boost mutual cooperation and partnership trough the policy of reconciliation, interculturalism, participation and social inclusion of young people throughout the region," Minister Nikola Janović said reports Ministry of Sports and Youth of Montenegro.
Minister of Sports and Youth of Montenegro Nikola Janović congratulated youth organisations and secondary schools on the obtained financial support for the implementation of the project and thanked the Regional office and the OSCE Mission for the strong support to the youth sector in the Western Balkans countries.
Read more news about lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.
Remax Property of the Week
Editorial
-
07 Mar 2018, 08:08 AMWelcome to Total Montenegro News!
Interview of the week
- 09 Nov 2020, 20:21 PM
Ranka Vukasovic Botica on Montenegro as a Maritime Country
