12 July 2019 - The world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa was emblazoned with the colors of the Montenegrin flag in celebration of the Statehood Day of Montenegro.

The flag-inspired projection was the result of cooperation between the Embassy of Montenegro to the United Arab Emirates and the company ‘Emaar’ owned by Burj Khalifa.

“The event confirms friendly relations and good cooperation between the two countries and having in mind Burj Khalifa is one of the most popular attractions in Dubai, this was a wonderful opportunity for the promotion of our country,” Ambassador of Montenegro to the United Arab Emirates, Dušanka Jeknić, stated, according to CdM's report.

Minister of Culture of Montenegro Aleksandar Bogdanović recently participated in the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2019, at the invitation of United Arab Emirates Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi. This year's Summit discussed the role of culture in global challenges and the impact of creativity and technology on positive changes in the world.

At this Summit, Minister of Culture of Montenegro Aleksandar Bogdanović talked with the representatives of the participating countries about similar experiences in the areas of development of cultural and artistic creativity and creative industries and the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Opportunities for cooperation on joint projects of creative industries, promotion of cultural diversity, protection and conservation of cultural heritage and digitization were also discussed. 

On the occasion of the Statehood Day of Montenegro, the flag-raising ceremony was held in Toronto in front of the City Council.

Branko Aleksić, one of the founders of the Toronto-based Montenegrin Cultural Society, hoisted the Montenegrin flag this year. This ceremony has been traditional since 2017 and it’s held every year right in front of the City Council, Toronto, where most Montenegrin immigrants live.

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

Severe weather conditions are possible, the Department of Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Interior Affairs warned the relevant departments to raise the level of operational readiness.

The Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro said that during the afternoon, the day and night, in the area of ​​Montenegro, especially in the southeast of the country and in the Southern Adriatic region, a strong development of thunderstorm clouds with conditions for localized short-disasters - strong winds and heavy rains with hail are expected.

As announced by the Ministry of Interior Affairs, a call was sent to all municipalities, the Police Directorate, all the protection and rescue services, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Transport Directorate, National Parks, CEDIS, the Emergency Medical Services, Elektroprivreda Crne Gore, the infrastructure of Montenegro, Crnagoraput, as well as the airports of Montenegro, Podgorica Airport and Tivat Airport, Maritime Safety Directorate and the Forestry Directorate.

The call is provided with detailed information on the expected meteorological situation and is sent following the preventive activities carried out in the event of time inconvenience.

"As reported in the information, as a consequence of the thunderstorms, local storm effects have been localized, which are followed by very strong winds, and due to the strong development of clouds, potentially short-term heavy rains and flash floods, especially in urban environments and flood flows," says the Ministry of Interior.

As stated in the Ministry of Interior, these meteorological conditions may potentially have a significant impact on the affected area with the potential disruption of infrastructure systems and maritime-tourist activities in the southern Adriatic may potentially affect the usual daily routine of activities.

"The Emergency Directorate invites citizens to undertake the necessary preventive activities to protect property," concluded the Ministry of Interior.

13 July 2019 - Work Hub Montenegro, a flexible workspace offering an “office when needed” service for modern micro businesses and mobile workers, including those who work from home, was opened in Podgorica, on Radosava Burića Street.

Work Hub Montenegro offers bookable desks, formal and informal meeting spaces, high-speed broadband and professional equipment that members can use when it suits them.

“When you have a small business, you wear a bunch of different hats. You are in charge of sales, marketing, finance, HR, IT... And the list goes on. The last thing you want to worry about is finding and managing an office space. So, we want to make your life easier. We have our fully furnished offices for you with a front desk. You can always contact us for further information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +382 20 672 514,” it is stated in the official announcement by Work Hub Montenegro’s representatives.

The work hub offers a professional front for businesses, vital for small or start-up enterprise or a worker running his/her service from home. You can meet clients at the workhub, use its registered address, and have friendly, professional staff at your service.

“Whether you are an entrepreneur, foreign investor, digital nomad, startup, freelancer, developer or a designer; join our community to connect and collaborate with like-minded people, teach and learn from each other, improve and grow your business, save and allocate your resources in a more efficient way and moreover socialize and enjoy life altogether,” says the invitation from Work Hub Montenegro.

The work hub provides a relaxed working environment that facilitates informal business collaboration and networking. You'll find that exchanging ideas, advice and services comes naturally and, crucially, a work hub offers an “antidote to isolation”. WHM allows you to work in a fully equipped office without having to worry about setting up your own private office. You can start working immediately with a minimum investment, save time and money and focus on growing your business.

Work Hub Montenegro offers local and international networking opportunities. Meeting new people from different backgrounds is always a good way to grow and gain more knowledge. Great thinkers, role models, creative minds, established businesspeople, investors, and entrepreneurs from different countries are among WHM community members. Socializing and engaging with like-minded people and exchanging ideas will help you to clear your vision and reach your goals.

Work Hub offers very flexible terms and conditions and there are no strict rules to follow. You can book your co-working space - the desk as you desire and work according to your own needs. It is also very easy to scale up your office space if your team grows by switching plans that can be done easily without any chaos.

WHM was founded by VitaNova Consulting, and its service list includes a private office, private desk, co-sharing desk, virtual office (starter, pro, business), as well as consulting services (Vita Nova consulting services) and assistance with company registration.

Read more business-related news at TMN's dedicated page.

13 July 2019 - The Municipality of Budva, with the initiation of the Secretariat for Utilities and Housing Services, has built yet another gym in the open air in Petrovac, a coastal town in Montenegro, located within Budva Municipality.

Over the past few weeks, the contractor has conducted preparations for the training ground. Assistant Secretary from the Secretariat for Municipal Housing Affairs, Aleksandar Popović, said that the local government representatives are paying special attention that the devices they installed for the outdoor gyms are of the highest possible quality.

Citizens of Budva actively use the first outdoor gyms, located in the nearby city’s swimming pool in the hotel resort Slovenska beach.

"The gym is used every day, especially when there are favourable weather conditions. The equipment can be used for a variety of exercises and is excellent for maintaining fitness and good health. It is made in America and Denmark, and each part of the devices is made of aluminium and special types of inox, which is resistant to seawater and does not require special maintenance," said Popović for RTV Budva.

With this, the Municipality Budva continued to renovate the city and sports fields, and one of the goals is to include as many fellow citizens as possible in various sports activities, concluded the Assistant Secretary from the Secretariat for Communal Housing Affairs.

Just five minutes of an outdoor workout, park or forest exercises can greatly improve your health and mood, according to researchers from England, and even if there is a water surface such as a river or lake in that area, then it makes a really good combination.

Saturated by gyms with stifling rooms and sweat odors, people designed and popularized the subculture of exercise in parks, playgrounds and other open spaces. Today, this is practiced throughout the world and called "street workout". The street workout is a physical activity performed mostly in outdoor parks or public facilities. It is a modern name for bodyweight workouts in outdoor parks. Street workout teams and organized competitions exist.

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

13 July 2019 - Fashion Festival, organized by Porto Montenegro and the fashion agency Fabrika, will take place on 18, 19 and 20 July at Synchro (Sinhro) scene. This is the second edition of the International fashion festival in the popular marina village in Tivat, which “will prove once again that Porto Montenegro is slowly becoming the identity of European fashion scene”, as announced by the organizers.

The fashion show will be opened at Maritime Heritage Collection on 18 July, 9 p.m, by Sylvio Giardino’s exhibition of art-fashion installations called Forms of High Fashion, which is a sort of homage to Italian creativity. His dual identities of high-fashion designers and visual artists make him one of the globally recognizable personalities. “For Sylvio Giardini, art is an inspiration, and fashion is an experiment”, it was pointed out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The historic-nautical building of the Sinhro will be transformed into a unique spectacular runway on July 19 and 20. The latest collections of world fashion houses, right from the High Fashion Week in Paris and Rome, and the red carpet at the Cannes Festival, will be shown then "in the fashion capital of the Mediterranean - Porto Montenegro".

The fashion show "THE BEST FROM WHO IS ON NEXT" by Simonetta Gianfelici and Rami Kadi will be presented on July 19th.

Collections of the new generation of Italian creators who were among the winners of this most prestigious competition for young creators under the patronage of Vogue Italia and with the motto 'Made in Italy'  will be presented by the creations of Davide Grillo and Albino Theodoro. The selection of this project for Porto Montenegro was done by Simonetta Gianfelici, a jury member of this project, and the famous Italian model, who has been on the Italian fashion scene for 37 years. She has been the favourite face and muse of fashion brands such as Dior, Thierry Mugler, Viviene Westwood, Valentino, Gucci, YSL.

"Immediately after the world premiere of Paris Fashion Week, Rami Kadi will present his collection in Porto Montenegro - the essence of the creation of this Lebanese-American designer, creative mind and energy. His high fashion honours handmade motifs. The pixel vision and intriguing shine are the triggers of his love for glittering. With incredible sharpness and uniqueness, Rami, with his sense and feeling for handmade creations, created unforgettable works of high fashion, for the Krylov family in his studio in Beirut. He quickly introduced himself at the High Fashion Week in Paris. Rami Kadi is one of the most liked fashion designers at the moment, whose models are worn by the most famous women in the world on the red carpet at the Oscars, the Cannes Festival, etc. Among them are Isabel Fontana, Isabel Gular, Janet Jackson, Kendall Jenner, Nicole Slezinger, Olivia Palermo, Sara Sampio.

The third night of the fashion festival will present the creations of Luisa Beccaria and Michael Cinco. Luisa Beccaria is a prominent Italian designer coming with Spring / Summer 2020 collection, and a mini collection of "dreamy dresses". Her collections are in 3 words: romantic, imaginative, feminine. Luiza Beccaria presents a modern female dreamer - Her models were worn and worn by ladies like Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Packer. Angelina Jolie, Madonna, etc. The Duchess of Windsor, Lady Gabriel Wilson, on May 18 this year, wore a wedding dress designed by Beccaria.

The fashion show of Michael Cinco is the culmination of the 2nd edition of the Fashion Festival in Porto Montenegro - one of the most famous high fashion creators in the world will be presented with his latest spectacular collection. He collaborated with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Naomi Campbell. He showed collections at Fashion Weeks in Paris, Miami, Los Angeles, Singapore, Perth, the Philippines, New York. He grew up delighted with the glamour of women of classic Hollywood films, the impeccable elegance and sophistication of Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and the spirit of these women is being implemented in their dresses," they announced from Porto Montenegro.

12 July 2019 - NLB Bank is the winner of the Best Bank in Montenegro 2019 Award, granted by the renowned financial magazine Euromoney. Lucy Fitz George-Parker, Emerging Europe Editor, handed over the award to Martin Leberle, Chief Executive Officer of NLB Bank, at a ceremony held on July 10 in London.

During its several decades of business in Montenegro, NLB Bank, as a system bank, has built the position of a reliable and responsible partner with a distinctive quality of service.

The prestigious award for the Bank of the Year confirms that NLB Bank is recognized as a credible financial partner to citizens and the economy even outside of Montenegro’s borders, providing strong support in the development of the environment in which it operates.

Despite its tiny size, Montenegro remains a profitable and highly competitive banking market. The Balkan state’s largest lenders all posted strong results last year, with subsidiaries of both Société Générale and Slovenia’s NLB Group notching record net profits. However, it is NLB Banka that wins the award for best bank in Montenegro thanks to its impressive growth, superior efficiency and progress on innovation; it is said in the official statement by Euromoney.

“Ranked fifth in Montenegro by total assets, with a market share of 11.1%, NLB Bank more than doubled its return on equity to 14.9%. This was driven partly by lower net impairments and provisions – non-performing loans fell 2.8 percentage points during the year to 5.2% – but also by rising revenues. Net interest income rose by 9.9% thanks to double-digit growth in retail lending, while non-interest income was up 12.9%. A new ‘super-fast cash loan’ product, offering five-minute decision-making in-branch or via Viber, proved particularly popular with Montenegro’s retail borrowers,” explain Euromoney’s experts.

On the corporate side, NLB Bank coordinated the first joint cross-border financing with its parent group for a real estate development project on the Montenegrin coast. Combined with a 0.6% reduction in operating costs, the jump in net profit brought NLB Bank’s cost-to-income ratio down to a sector-beating 51.8%. Capitalization meanwhile remained comfortable, with the overall capital adequacy ratio increasing by 1.3 percentage points in the 12 months to the end of December to 16.2%.

"We are proud of this significant recognition that confirms our long-term goal - to be the best bank in Montenegro. We have worked hard to achieve this goal by focusing on the process optimization and sales channels of the bank in order to provide a unique user experience and customer satisfaction. All that we did contributed to the achievement of the best financial result in 2018, and the trend of positive business is recorded for the fifth consecutive year. A good result has enabled us to keep the leading position in the market and remain a respected brand in Montenegro. This result would not have been possible without the great commitment of all employees in NLB Bank, but also without the support of a strong NLB Group, which is dedicated to building its position as a financial, banking expert in Southeast Europe, "said Martin Leberle, on behalf of the Management Board of NLB Banka, on the occasion of winning the prize, reports CdM.

London-based Euromoney Magazine belongs to the group of the world's most influential financial magazines, which publishes global information for financial experts and top managers since 1969. Since 1992, Euromoney has been granting the Awards for Excellence, and this year it received nearly 1,000 applications from banks in a reward program covering 20 global, 50 regional awards and best bank awards in almost 100 countries.

The "Bank of the Year" award, which this magazine awards, is considered one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of finance and banking.

Read more about the business environment in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

12 July 2019 - The conclusions after the twenty-third Smell of Linden and Honey Festival recently organised in Cetinje are that due to the high quality to which domestic producers pay great attention, but also because of all the measures that are being taken to market original and safe products, traditional, autochthonous, quality Montenegrin honey can be considered as a national brand.

At the Smell of Linden and Honey Festival, all visitors could find honey from Mount Lovćen, sage’s honey, honey from Ljubotinj, mead, propolis, propolis drops, propolis spray, propolis balm, honey with black chocolate, bee wax etc.

Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović visited the manifestation at the Balšići market, which gathered 50 exhibitors from Montenegro and the region. During his visit to the Festival, Mr Simović concluded that he believes that by working together, Montenegrins can make an extra step in the production and placement of larger quantities of honey and honey products on the market. "The manifestation Smell of Linden and Honey Festival is the work of hardworking hosts - beekeepers who successfully connect their business with generous gifts of nature of this area, traditional, autochthonous, quality Montenegrin honey. This business is our chance and the opportunity we are trying to valorize, the joint efforts of the beekeepers, the Old Royal Capital of Cetinje, as well as other local governments, beekeeping associations and the Federation of Beekeeping Organizations and the Government, which has been creating more and more support to the agriculture sector, especially beekeeping for a number of years,” assessed Simović.

Opening the manifestation, the Mayor of the Old Royal Capital Cetinje, Aleksandar Kašćelan, estimated that thanks to the proactive policies and incentives of the Government of Montenegro, beekeeping is becoming more and more popular and more profitable. He assessed that in Montenegro, honey can be rightfully referred to as a national brand. "First of all, because of the quality to which domestic producers pay great attention, but also because of all the measures that are being taken to market the original and safe products. This is especially because of the good prospects for the placement of large quantities of the honey produced in Cetinje and generally Montenegro on European and other markets, which highly value brand and good image,” said Kašćelan.

The smell of Linden and Honey Festival 2019 was organized by the Association of beekeepers Cetinje, with the support of the Cetinje Municipality, the Tourist Organization of the Old Royal Capital and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Read more about goods from Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

11 July 2019 - President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin congratulated the President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović on the occasion of the 13th of July - the Statehood Day of Montenegro.

"Dear Mr. President, please receive congratulations on the occasion of the national holiday of your country - Statehood Day. I wish to the people of Montenegro peace, happiness and prosperity," said Putin in the congratulatory letter sent to Montenegro.

President of the United States of America Donald Tramp also congratulated the Statehood Day of Montenegro to the country's president and its citizens.

"Dear Mr. President, on behalf of the citizens of the United States, I congratulate you and the citizens of Montenegro the state holiday July the 13th. During 13 years of independence, Montenegro has made important progress in its integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. Your historic admission to NATO in 2017 has further strengthened a strong partnership between our two countries and I warmly welcome your continued contribution to regional and global security," pointed out President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

Donald Trump also added that the United States will continue to support Montenegro in its reform efforts and development goals and that the common values of security, peace, and freedom are the basis for an even deeper partnership in the coming period between the two countries.

According to the report of the Office of the President of Montenegro, congratulations on the occasion of the Statehood Day were also sent by King Philippe of Belgium, Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen, King of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fatah el Sisi, President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Australian Governor David Hurley, President of South Korea Moon Jae-In, King of Sweden Carl Gustaf, President of the Republic of Slovakia Zuzana Caputova, President of Hungary Ader Janos, President of Switzerland Ueli Maurer, President of Algeria Adbelkader Bensalah, President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos, King of Jordan Abdullah II, President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Choe Ryong hae, President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman and others.

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

11 July 2019 - President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Ivan Brajović, handed out 13 July awards for 2019 to Dragan B. Perović, for the author TV series  “Crnogorci sentom po svijetu”, cycles of TW shows “Myth exorcist” and his book “Stefan Perović Cuca – orepak bića”, Božidar Šekularac for the book “Montenegro in the time of Crnojevići” and to Pavle Goranović for the book under the title “Poetry”.

Brajović pointed out that the 13 July Uprising was one of the noblest historical books of Montenegro, whose old pages had been printed in the oldest state printing shop in the world.

“This book echoed the freedom of our homeland. It is the book that is being written even nowadays and it must not ever be finished as it would be the end of Montenegro. Histories are written, and states live along with their people,” said Brajović, as CdM reported.

If there had not been 13 July, contemporary Montenegro would not exist, he continued.

“That day in 1878, when our independence was confirmed at the Congress in Berlin; or that day in 1941 when a new, liberated Montenegro was born. That is what we are celebrating. We are celebrating the Statehood Day in an independent Montenegro and we are presenting 13 July awards,” Mr Brajović.

He said we lived in the time when a word, uttered or written, given or taken, started to devalue. Instead of uniting, a word divides, foils, it targets and makes everything relative.

“In such times, only wisdom can outlive the interest and the spite, just like rationality can outlive anemia and lethargy. Therefore, we must be wise and patient, because the truth will always find its way. We are here to keep our word and do what we had decided. For all these reasons, it is my pleasure to be here today and present our creators with awards,” said Mr Brajović.

He said that today “we are reaping what our ancestors had sowed”. Everything that survived many decade-long droughts and floods, snows and winds; everything that outlived ideological, religious and other differences and conflicts; everything that reinforced the sparkle of Montenegrin statehood and weaved Montenegrin sky into the civilization constellation.

"Today, we are worshipping Montenegrin victims who fought against the greatest evil of humanity – fascism. And you, dear award winners, thank you for your work and dedication. Your success and your achievements are the success and achievements of Montenegro,” stated Brajović.

Dragan B. Perović said that the award was the crown of many-decade long work, effort and desire to make a contribution to the Montenegrin cultural milieu.

“Montenegro is above us. It’s been immersed into the misfortunes and troubles of others for so long, letting them make up for their lack of history using its own values. We must come back to our own selves and render of decisions on your own, relying on our own striving and bright traditions,” said Perović.

The decision on granting 13 July awards was reasoned by the president of the Jury, Rajko Todorović Todor, who said that the works of the laureates represented the durable value of the Montenegrin culture and science.

Speaking about the works of Božidar Šekularac, president of the Jury said that 28 publications testified to his continuous commitment to scientific and pedagogical works and represented a significant contribution to Montenegrin historiography.

He said that Pavle Goranović is one of the most prominent Montenegrin poets, whose poetry is filled with numerous philosophical associations and implications. His book, “Poetry”, is characterized by the maturity of the expression and language, a connection of space and worlds, making this author one of the most important figures at the Montenegrin literary scene.

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

A letter to the president of the Montenegrin Government, Dusko Marković has been posted stating that the implementation and monitoring of maritime regulations and practices regarding Montenegrin seafarers are worrisome and alarming, as assessed by representatives of educational institutions, professional associations, and training centers.

In the letter to the premiere, it has been stated that all the individual and joint efforts of the mentioned factors to the realization of system changes in the previous years, did not reach the understanding of the relevant Ministry.

"We are fully aware that the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs of your cabinet has received the necessary powers to monitor and implement maritime regulations, which is the practice in all other maritime countries. Starting from the fact that the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs, as in all other maritime countries, is the most responsible entity and the main carrier or coordinator of all activities related to the system of education, training, certification and employment of seafarers, we are addressing you to draw your attention on the alarming state of these areas. The reason for our address is that all of our individual and joint efforts in the previous years, to systemic changes did not come to the understanding of the Ministry," says the letter.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Addressing is solely based on the profession, it is stated further:

"Our common intention is to make the existing unsustainable situation better as soon as possible, for the benefit of the seafarers as well as of all other subjects and participants in these processes. Our remarks, in the shortest time, relate to: non-recognition of maritime specificity, unorganized  and insufficient professional capacity of the Ministry, poor coordination of the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delay in the adoption and / or the partial regulation of the legal regulation regarding respect for the minimum international obligations maritime standards, partly enforcing or disregarding the existing legal regulations relating to the education, training and employment of seafarers," it says further in the letter.

In order to change this very adverse state, where the last moment to make radical steps has come, the initiators suggest:

“The measures that would alter this, by us, are a very unfavorable condition, whose hard consequences are already felt every day and we are afraid that it will ultimately become irrefutable. Therefore, we propose to organize a round table together in September. Besides your cabinet and the Ministry of Transport and Maritime, the representatives of education, training and employment of seafarers, maritime professional organizations and maritime companies should be invited to present problems, but also to propose and accept the best solutions.In case of your willingness and interest to make a change, please specify the competent person to represent you in the organizing board of the round table and also the responsible person from the Ministry of Transport and Maritime, who would work with the other organizations during July and August.                                                                                                                                                 In case you need additional explanation, we stand at your service," states the letter, signed by the following initiators: Education: Maritime Faculty of Kotor, Prof.  Dr Špiro Ivošević, Central Maritime School - Kotor Veljko Botica, Professional Associations:Union of Seafarers Montenegro cap. Neđeljko Radulović, cap. Marijo Pilastro, Nautical Training Centers: Azalea White Nenad Lazović, Maritime Faculty of Kotor, Training of Seafarers Prof. Dr. Lazo Vujović, Agencies for Maritime Employment Mediation: Azalea, cap. Nenad Lazovic, Nor Monte cap. Janko Milutin.