25 June 2019 - The European Union has granted an additional 3,6 million EUR to Montenegro for the preparation of project documentation aimed at strengthening infrastructure in the area of railway traffic and digital sector, it was reported by the European Integration Office, says CdM.

Additional funds were approved in the meeting of the Management Board of WB Investment Framework, held in Berlin and organized by European Commission and Federal Ministry of Finance of Germany.

The Montenegrin delegation was headed by the deputy chief negotiator, IPA coordinator, Ms Ivana Glišević-Đurović.

The project worth 3 million EUR will be used for financing the preparation of main projects aimed at the reconstruction of railway section Golubovci-Bar, as well as railway line Bar-Vrbnica, which is part of the main European Union traffic network.

The project is going to cover all the elements of infrastructure that are necessary for regular traffic flow and meet the safety standards determined in accordance with the rules defined at the European Union level.

This is the first time that the European Union supported Montenegro in the preparation of project documentation for the improvement of infrastructure in the digital sector in the amount of 600.000 EUR.

The funds will be used for the preparation of the feasibility study, cost-benefit analysis, conceptual design and technical documentation for the construction of infrastructure required for better internet coverage in rural parts of Montenegro and areas that haven’t got full Internet coverage.

“The European Union is asserting the EU future of Montenegro and the region. Investing in traffic and particularly digital infrastructure, Montenegro proves to be following and investing in new technologies, with the aim of intensifying economic growth and developing society as a whole,” said Ms Glišević-Đurović.

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

25 June 2019 - The Central Bank of Montenegro has already started preparations for introducing the instant payment system which would significantly increase non-cash transactions, as reported by CdM.

Instant payments can be carried out 24 hours, 365 days a year and transactions take only a couple of seconds. The system allows a customer to have money in the account immediately, you can send and receive electronic payments in euros anytime and anywhere. Instant payments can be made via mobile phone, giving you the same experience in terms of speed and convenience as with cash.

Instant payments enable the use of many innovative services, and the Central Bank of Montenegro claims that instant payments would significantly change cash to non-cash ratio.

The Central Bank of Montenegro recently stated that they prepared a working version of the draft law on interbank fees and special operating rules related to payment cards.

"This law regulated interbank fees charged to the payee during national payment transactions by payment cards in Montenegro. This will improve the functioning of the internal market and reduce costs for the payment transactions,” said the representatives of the Central Bank of Montenegro.

Currently, there are 301.597 payment card users: citizens, enterprises, entrepreneurs. The number of issued credit cards is higher by 136.024 or a total of 437.621, which means that somebody has one credit card, or more than one.

Fees, commissions, and terms of use of cards are different in all 13 banks. Credit cards of the clients of Atlas Bank are still on a moratorium; that is, they can not be used. IBM went bankrupt, so practically this bank doesn’t exist anymore. Commissions and fees are likely to be reduced, and that is the common feature of every bank. After the new legislation is adopted, we will see if that will happen.

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

26 June 2019 - Montenegrin independence is eternal and so is Montenegro. That’s what Prime Minister Duško Marković said to Milan Knežević during the Prime Minister’s hour, reports CDM. Marković said it in response to Knežević’s statement that Montenegrin independence was regained by bribery. The first man of Montenegrin Government was loud and clear – Democratic Front is allowed to mourn the lost referendum, but they should forget once and for all about bringing Montenegro back into somebody else’s auspices.

Milan Kneževič asked PM to comment on the direct impact of foreign elements on the outcome of the referendum held in 2006, which have been confirmed by the released transcript of the conversation between Milan Roćen and Oleg Deripaska in 2005.

Knežević claims that this conversation is proof that independence was obtained by bribery.

“The Government provided secret guarantee and Kosovo provided free electricity”, said Knežević and added that monument to Oleg Deripaska should be set up in every Montenegrin town.

Marković said that Knežević’s politics was trapped in the ideas of the last century and reminded him of the historical facts and all the way Montenegro had gone through until regaining its independence. He says there are no elements that would change the overall picture of the referendum in 2006, when citizens made a wise choice.

“We’ve gone so far and we can’t let anybody threaten our country now. That’s why we aren’t buying the invalid provocations”, said PM. He told Knežević that his undermining of Montenegrin independence wouldn’t be tolerated anymore.

Marković also commented on the Law on Freedom of Religion and said he hoped the law would have been at desks of the MPs by the end of July.

“People who haven’t even read the law have been discussing it for weeks. The highest Serbian officials, including the president – nobody has read it. This law has been drafted in accordance with the highest standards of the Council of Europe. It’s a contemporary law and establishes right to the religious organization but within this country and its laws, not within some other country”, said PM.

He added that the Venice Commission confirmed the quality of the law and suggested the amendments where necessary.

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

26 June 2019 - The beauty of beaches in Montenegro has once again been confirmed as Sveti Stefan beach is declared one of the most beautiful in Europe. The popular British daily Evening Standard has created a list of the most beautiful beaches “you should be lying on this summer”, and they just couldn't miss placing one of Montenegro's breathtaking beaches on their list.

Namely, in an article titled "30 of the most stunning beaches in Europe", journalist Laura Hampson noted that the UK and their European neighbours could boast having some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.

The article draws attention to attractive pictures of beautiful beaches with a brief description and advice on how to get there.

In addition to the mega-popular beach Navagio on Zakinthos, the Mediterranean charm of the French Riviera, the hidden bays in Portugal, always attractive Sicily, the Croatian Nugal Beach, the unusual beaches of Durdle Door in Britain, the Cala Macarella beach in Spain (which the British people adore), the list includes Budva Riviera’s luxurious island Sveti Stefan.

“A sandbank makes up this stunning beach that looks onto the Sveti Stefan islet – home to an Aman resort. Half of the beach, on the Budva side, is reserved for hotel guests (unless you want to pay the €100 day charge) while the other side is a free-for-all. Spend the day soaking up the sun, dipping in the deep sea and admiring the mountainous terrain that surrounds you”, says the article, inviting not only British, but tourists from the world to come and visit Montenegro.

The article also explains that the closest airport to the city is the Airport in Tivat and it’s a 50-minute drive to the islet from there. Alternatively, Podgorica (Montenegro’s capital) airport and Dubrovnik airport in Croatia is a one and two-hour drive away respectively.

Read more about the most gorgeous holiday locations in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

26 June 2019 - The Municipal Assembly of Ulcinj recently passed the Decision on declaring Ulcinj Salina a Nature Park. The Decision states that the Municipality of Ulcinj will establish a company to which the city will entrust the management of this protected area from next year.

The protection of the Ulcinj Salina is a precondition of Montenegro’s membership of the EU. In the last Progress Report, the European Commission called on the municipality to adopt a document on the protection of the area, as foreseen within the Environmental Chapter of the EU Accession negotiations. On December 10, 2018, Montenegro opened Chapter 27, which includes a clear demand: the Ulcinj Saltpans must be declared a protected area, and Montenegro must implement effective measures to improve the conservation status of the saltpans. Otherwise, Montenegro will be denied EU-membership.

At a recent session of the local parliament Ulcinj, with 24 votes in favour, one against and one abstention, a decision was made to proclaim Ulcinj Salina a Nature Park. By this decision, the Municipality of Ulcinj assumes the obligation to protect and preserve the area, and from August next year to manage, one of the most important natural resources, which covers 15 million square meters, which is in poor condition.

Commenting on the decision for RTCG, the President of the Municipality, Ljoro Nrekić, said that the local government has always worked hard on maximally protecting the interest of the city. He added that this is a great day for Ulcinj, Montenegro and the European Union, because Ulcinj’s Salina has recently been in the focus of interest of all European countries.

Despite financial problems, Nrekić believes that “this will be a success story”, and that the government will help, as he said, the launch from the deadlock. Hatidze Đoni, a spokeswoman for the municipality, said that they have no choice because the law is clear - the one who proclaims something as a nature park takes on the obligation to protect and preserve it, stating that they have devoted themselves to this in spite of serious financial problems. Đoni said that the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro gave consent to the proposal of the decision a few days ago and that after the adoption of today's decision in the Assembly, the Municipality must establish a public company that will deal with the protection of Salina.

During the assembly, a decision was adopted that obliges the President of the Municipality to examine the legal possibility of prohibiting bird hunting in the area of ​​the Salina, although this is not foreseen by the decision to proclaim the Salina of Ulcinj a Nature Park. The Ulcinj Salina is one of the most valuable wetlands in the Balkans and is of outstanding importance for their birdlife. Because maintenance work has only been carried out sporadically, however, dams and dikes in the area are collapsing, and valuable areas of saltwater are being diluted with fresh water, thus reducing the ecological value of this paradise for birds.

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

The installation of the noise limiters will start in the next few days in Niksic, in 26 restaurants located in the center of the city.

"The installation of the limiters started in 'Njegoseva' street, in the so-called 'Sutomore', where the noise is the highest and it has been reported by the largest number of citizens. Administrative procedures are almost complete, they have all received the solution to install limiters and this will be done gradually. In the catering facilities that do not have built-in limiters, the Municipal Police will regularly control the noise level and the fines will range from two thousand to twenty thousand euros," said Mayor of the Municipal Police, Novica Milovic, adding that in the next ten days the limiters will be placed in the central "Njegoseva" street.

He reminded that the Ordinance on noise, which was prescribed by the Ministry of Tourism, came into force on May 1, and that all catering facilities will have to install the noise limiters. "Limiters define the sound level to the level prescribed by law, which is 65 decibels out of the cafe and 75 decibels in the cafe and if the sound exceeds this, the limiter automatically decreases it to a certain level. This protects the citizen, worker in the catering facility and the environment. The owners of catering facilities have certain prejudices in terms of limiters, as they feel that noise will be reduced, and they are accustomed to higher noise, loud music," Milovic said.

Technical consultant Bosko Perovic from Podgorica recalled that the limit value for night clubs is 90 decibels and that owners of live entertainment facilities will have to have systems that will be limited or the performers will have to limit their system.

"The limiter is a technical electronic device that, in case of exceeding the sound level to which it is fixed, allows for a short time to operate and then returns to the sound level at which it is calibrated, meaning that there is no music restriction or no power cuts, which is advantageous for owners of catering facilities," explained Perovic. Marko Djesnjic, a waiter in the pub "La Trappe" where the first limiter in Niksic was set up, said that they have respected the law on noise levels up to now, that they did not have citizens' complaints about loud music, so limiters would not represent any problem, but they will continue to work as they have been so far. In the narrow part of the city, there are about 80 catering facilities and the installation of noise limiters, except in Niksic, started also in Bar and Herceg Novi.

Text by Svetlana Mandic, on June 25th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

Bar Scout squad "24^th November" and the Alliance of Scouts of Montenegro started Scouting School in the barracks "Pero Cetkovic", which gathered more than 30 scouts from all over Montenegro and participated in the Civic Alliance project. Scouts learn orientation, topography, making knots, principles of teamwork, motivation, leadership and communication, and learn about the work of the Police Administration, the Health Center and the Protection and Rescue service in Bar.

Deputy Mayor of Bar Tanja Spicanovic welcomed the participants at the opening and hope they'd apply the acquired knowledge in their units, adding that the youth are the inexhaustible potential of every country.

While emphasizing that this school is being realized within the project "Volunteers in the community" supported by the Municipality Bar, the leader of the squad Miodrag Tanjo Masonicic said to “Vijesti” that the participants were acquainted with the squad system and with the world-wide scouting organizations WOSM and WAGGGS.

"Through the demonstration exercise, the full range of equipment at their disposal has been presented by the Department of Protection and Rescue Services, and in the Health center Bar, there are important lessons from the field of health and health care, they learnt how the Chemical-Epidemiological Service works and how different analyzes are done," said Masonicic.

He thanked the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense and Minister Predrag Boskovic on the allocated space of the barracks for the training.

Text by Radomir Petric, on June 26th, 2019, read more at Vijesti

25 June 2019 - Macedonian News Portal Radar.mk has recently posted an article about the best holiday destinations for the summer of 2019, and the most modern tourist destination in Montenegro for an active holiday with great nightlife, Budva, has been placed on top of the list!

Montenegro’s sparkling coastline seems to be drawing tourists more than ever since the coastline cities have put their focus on building unique high-class accommodation units and developing the necessary infrastructure for easier access to the coastal cities. Montenegro, and more precisely, Budva has become the most desirable location on the Adriatic for all lovers of gorgeous sandy beaches and seafood specialties. Offering the perfect weather, five-star hotels, high-class restaurants, more than 30 large beaches across the Riviera and the most amazing nightlife on the Adriatic, it is not surprising that Budva occupies a high position on the list of best world destinations for a perfect summer holiday.

Summer vacation is just around the corner and all plans for summer vacation are already becoming a priority. Everyone deserves a little rest on a sandy beach with a cold drink and a substantial amount of sunscreen. Still, deciding on where to relax through the summer is not easy, especially if one wants an affordable holiday, with a beautiful beach and sea and delicious food. Radar has created a list of gorgeous destinations for the indecisive tourists who can’t seem to choose where to enjoy their summer adventure!

Budva is a pearl of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean tourism hub. It is a place where you can feel the influence of the culture of the East and West, Hellenic and Roman culture. Old Town Budva, with its incredible architecture, attracts thousands of tourists, and in the evening, it turns into an outdoor theater that suits the taste of all locals and guests. Budva Riviera offers 35 most famous beaches of the Adriatic (Jaz, Ploče, Trsteno Mogren, Slovenska Beach, Bečići, Miločer, Sveti Stefan and many others). The intense nightlife is one of the main characteristics of the city, which is why Budva is named the capital of Montenegrin tourism.

“Given that the Adriatic Sea is indispensable, Montenegro should be your first choice," says the reporter of Radar. For a more active day at the beach, Budva Riviera offers a wide range of activities such as diving, water skiing, exploring the shores by boat, great food and more.

Except for Montenegro (Budva), Radar’s list of top holiday destinations includes Greece (Thassos), Bulgaria (Ahtopol), Albania (Ksamil) and Malta.

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

25 June 2019 - The café gallery Blue Cat Budva located in the Old Town of Budva will host a group exhibition of selected small format artworks, from oil on canvas to drawings, digital prints, and acrylic on canvas and various graphic works. With this exhibition, which will open from June 26 at 8 pm, Blue Cat gallery will present the works of ten artists from the country and abroad who work and create using different techniques.

The small format helps artists reach out to a larger audience, and it was also preferred by many of them given the level of detail it allowed them to reach, which was not possible in larger formats. The focus on small format artwork led to the creation of great works of art in a very limited space, challenging the artists to try new techniques, colours and strokes. The “smaller works” draw the audience to observe the artworks closer and to pay special attention to details.

The exhibition will be open until August 15, 2019.

According to RTV Budva, the exhibition will include works by the following artists: From Turkey - Serpil Yazman (oil on canvas), Serkan Efe (drawings), Estel Bensinyor (combined technique), Ayca Aydogan (digital print), Mustafa Ozay (combined technique), Senay Akkaya (oil on canvas), from the USA - Pelin Deniz Wilson (illustration), from Russia - Sergey Chayko (oil / acrylic on canvas), Olga Fergert (acrylic on canvas and pastel) and from Montenegro - Ivana Babić (combined technique on glass).

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