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Ulcinj Salina Declared a Nature Park: Montenegro Closer to EU Membership
26 Jun 2019, 19:34 PM

Ulcinj Salina Declared a Nature Park: Montenegro Closer to EU Membership

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.

Lord Howe and Eurofighter Typhoons Arrived in Montenegro
26 Jun 2019, 00:48 AM

Lord Howe and Eurofighter Typhoons Arrived in Montenegro

25 June 2019 - British Lord Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of State for Defence, is currently on an official two-day visit to Podgorica, Montenegro. During the visit, Lord Howe will meet with Prime Minister of Montenegro, Duško Marković and officials of the Ministry of Defence, says the statement from the British Embassy in Montenegro.

Lord Howe, who is a Conservative member of the House of Lords and its Deputy Leader, supports the House of Lords in its job of improving legislation and debating topics of national significance. As the Minister of State for Defence, the lord is the Spokesman in the House of Lords on defence matters, including EU relations, which is why Lord Howe’s visit is of great importance for the improvement of the relations between UK and Montenegro.

Lord Howe and Eurofighter Typhoons Arrived in Montenegro 2

During the visit of the British lord, two combat aircraft of the type Eurofighter Typhoon will also come to Podgorica. The aircraft will be stationed at the airport Knjaz Danilo in Golubovci. Eurofighter Typhoon is the world’s most advanced swing-role combat aircraft providing simultaneously deployable Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface capabilities. With units operating worldwide, the Eurofighter Typhoon fleet completed over 500,000 flying hours with unparalleled operational statistics from Europe to the South Atlantic and the Middle East, and the UK is a key member of the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium.

The visit of Lord Howe and the combat aircraft is another example of successful cooperation between the United Kingdom and Montenegro.

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

Union of Seafarers Commented on Law of Maritime Safety Act Draft
23 Jun 2019, 22:49 PM

Union of Seafarers Commented on Law of Maritime Safety Act Draft

June 23, 2019 - The Union of Seafarers of Montenegro has sent more comments and suggestions to the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs regarding the preparations of the new Maritime Safety Act, currently being drafted in the Ministry headed by Osman Nurkovic.
 
From the Union, they have been advocated by the lawmakers to impose an obligation that all ships of more than 300 meters long and 40 meters wide that go to Boka Bay must have two instead of one pilots.
 
“From the security point of view, and because of the minimal maneuvering space, and the large number of vessels in the small waters of Boka Bay, big ships should have the help of two pilots. Examination on them is limited; two pilots would have made it easier and safer to perform a complex job of pilots,” states the explanation addressed to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Transport.
 
During the more significant part of the year, mega cruising ships are running regularly in Boka, some of which are over 300 meters long, so it is safe to navigate boats of so many mistakes through the challenging navigation area and the limited space of the Gulf of Boka very hard for the crew and pilots. They suggested from the Union to the Ministry and stipulated by law the obligation to use tugs, or suppressors for larger ships when carrying out the mooring and take-off maneuvers.
 
“The necessary number of tugs would have to be defined concerning the tonnage of the ship. Also, it is required to oblige the port operator who accepts these ships to have a related harbor service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “
 
They explain that sailing from a port is a complicated job, highly dependent on meteorological conditions, as well as the technic validity of the ship’s equipment and power plant.
 
“The consequences of an eventual strike on a ship, shore and the like can be catastrophic, especially in Boka. To avoid the possibility of poor estimates and human error, it is possible to safely perform a maneuver even in the event of a sudden cancellation of a ship’s facility or other vital devices, and in the case of deteriorated meteorological conditions, the mandatory use of tugs/lifts must be legally prescribed and such service in ports adequately organized “.
 
They point out that this is common practice in all well-organized and safe ports in the world.
 
“Please note that until now, in the waters of Boka, there have been some luckily escaped incidents, which could have catastrophic consequences. Also, some events led to damage to the ship. The safety of ports and vessels in it and the reduction of environmental hazards must be secured at a far higher level than the current one. The current situation, especially in Kotor, is unacceptable and far from safe. “
 
From the Union of Seafarers they suggested the general ban on the movement of vessels in the Boka aquatics should be higher than 10 knots for certain categories of smaller, fast vessels of 2.5 to 7 meters long and that they were “in certain, precisely defined parts of the b, permit higher cruising speed than currently prescribed.”
 
Source: Vijestiijesti
ODUPRISE: Peaceful Gatherings With Lot of Reports Against Organizers
22 Jun 2019, 08:13 AM

ODUPRISE: Peaceful Gatherings With Lot of Reports Against Organizers

June 22, 2019 - The demonstrations organized by the movement ODUPRISE represent the example of nonviolent resistance. The police seemed to be unready for the rally when they did not have the chance to beat and attack citizens, opposition activists, journalists. The judiciary was surprised by no misdemeanor and other reports. But the power quickly came to an idea, writes the weekly independent Monitor.
 
During the Caravan, a tour of the cities of Montenegro, organized by the ODUPRISE Movement in April, officials of Budva, Herceg Novi, Bijelo Polje, and Pljevlja and security departments of Zabljak, Kotor, Tivat, Mojkovac, Kolašin, and Savnik filed 11 misdemeanor proceedings against seven persons. Due to the blockade of the CEDIS premises (Montenegrin electro distribution system) in Podgorica, police filed misdemeanor charges against eight people.
 
ODUPRISE activists, police say, blocked employees and citizens and hindered workers in securing work.
 
"When we were in Brussels at one of the meetings, I said that protesting in Montenegro could serve as an example of how peaceful and without hate speech. For four months and over ten protests, there was no broken flower; people came out in front of their locals to greet us. And the reports are spitting over us," says Omer Šarkić from the ODUPRISE team. He explains that the misdemeanors are seen as pressure and financial depletion of activists who have little or no income. "When a city caravan went, I reported a protest in front of the Assembly from where we went for a tour. Additionally, the police have titled Mirsad Kurgaš in some towns for misdemeanor malpractice. So, those letters are written," says Šarkić.
 
Kurgaš explains, "I still have not been able to count all the entries, I know they are over 10. They are announcing the Caravan from the cities of Bijelo Polje, Savnik, Kolasin, and I have already received applications for Tivat, Kotor, Budva. In Kotor, they wrote that I was the organizer of the gathering. I was there, but I do not know on which basis they have concluded that I am the organizer."
 
"I wrote an application for the event I did not attend, and in the report, it is written that I am the organizer," Demir Hodzic has a similar experience. He said that the police are writing reports for the protest in front of CEDIS explaining protesters wanted to enter the premises. And we were tied to the chains in front, and of course, the entry did not fall into our minds. There is a recording of a cop we put on social networks. They applied to drunken behavior. And we are just about to agree with the police to immediately report suspect faults to our gatherings that face the detective, and we were not drunk. The police have legitimized us instead."
 
Due to the failure to announce a public gathering in front of the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, in mid-April, the police used all legal remedies, so complained Hodžić because of the violation he had committed in Article 33 of the Law on Public Conferences and Public Events (non-reported public gathering). And others: Slaven Radunović, Vladimir Dajkovic, Dragan Sošić, Mirsad Kurgaš, VM, Nenad Čobeljić, Džemal Perović, NG, Danijela and Vanja Đurišić are suspected of a violation of Article 11 of the Law on Public Order and Peace- hindrance of the official in the exercise of legal powers.
 
"It's an attempt at pressure because we are not scared of their games. It is a clear message to citizens that to expect if they protest," says Hodzic.
 
He recalls that for one of the earlier offenses he had been in the court for eight months and that the application was finally dismissed. "I hope there are independent practitioners in the courts who will see what stands behind this. This is all part of the process necessary to reach an independent judiciary and police, and ultimately a sovereign state," concludes Hodzic.
 
Dragan Sošić states that he has not yet received all the applications at his address, but that he counts that they will eventually be over 10. "These are mostly financial penalties that we do not have to pay. My account is blocked, and the threat is, if not pay, a month in prison. So this is tremendous pressure on both our families and us."
 
"They have the effect of scaring the other citizens to think twice about whether to protest, because it's a blow to the wallet for many of the biggest punishments," Sošić says.
 
Failure to report a gathering, graffiti, interfering with official duty, and drunk behavior is some of the applications that Mirsad Kurgaš received. With the help of the Human Rights Action, he submitted the report against the police for discrimination.
 
"For the protests against cutting the cypresses in Bar, the three applications are united. Recently, police officers at the Bar Court for Misdemeanors gave a two-hour statement. I am being charged to disturb the official on duty. We know that our judiciary is often not tried by law, but I hope there are professionals in the courts," says Kurgaš.
 
In addition to institutional threats, there is also informal pressure. Kurgaš told Monitor that he was recently invited by an officer of the National Security Agency, duly presented and sent his warning.
 
"All this is a confirmation that for them, the free citizens are the greatest danger. The epilogue of this is the fines. I do not have, and I will not pay. I do not sound like Josip Broz and the famous non-recognition of the court, but I do not acknowledge these punishments because I consider that citizens have a constitutional right to protest. And my protest has always been peaceful," says Kurgaš.
 
At the beginning of July, a trial was scheduled for the blockade of CEDIS. Then in Podgorica Hodzic, who is waiting for a job in Sarajevo, Sošić, who found a seasonal job on the coast and Kurgaš from Bar, will gather. And they also announce that, in addition to a court gathering, protests ODUPRISE will not stop.
 
Text by Pedja Nikolic for Monitor - Independent Weekly
 
US State Department Recognized Montenegrin Efforts in Preventing Human Trafficking
22 Jun 2019, 02:16 AM

US State Department Recognized Montenegrin Efforts in Preventing Human Trafficking

21 June 2019 - The U.S. State Department's 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report states that Montenegro is continuously making significant efforts to meet the standards for the elimination of human trafficking fully.

The U.S. State Department, led by US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, has recently published the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Government’s principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Government’s commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law enforcement issue.

Within the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, it was concluded that Montenegro is a country whose Government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. "The government demonstrated significant efforts during the reporting period by undertaking awareness-raising efforts and reaffirming its commitment to enact anti-trafficking legislation. However, the government did not demonstrate increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period. The government did not show evidence of overall progress in prosecuting and punishing trafficking offenders and identifying victims of trafficking," it is stated within the Report.

The U.S. State Department recognized the efforts of Montenegro in regards to the establishment of a multi-disciplinary task force to proactively investigate trafficking and changed case referral procedures to decrease the chances of trafficking cases prosecuted under other offenses and thus praised the country for drafting and adopting a national anti-trafficking strategy for 2019-2024 and a national action plan for 2019.

Prioritized recommendations for Montenegro in relations to the prevention of trafficking include the focus on vigorous investigation, prosecution, and conviction of traffickers under Article 444 of the criminal code, increasing proactive screening of potential victims, especially for women in prostitution, migrants, seasonal workers, and children engaged in begging, providing advanced training to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement on trafficking investigations and prosecutions and incentivizing and encouraging victim participation in investigations and prosecutions in a victim-centered manner.

The U.S State Department also highlighted the great need for Montenegro to create and finance an accessible compensation fund and inform victims of their right to compensation during legal proceedings and to ensure the Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons has adequate independence, capacity, and impact on implementing anti-trafficking efforts.

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

President of Montenegro with EU Ambassadors to Montenegro
22 Jun 2019, 02:13 AM

President of Montenegro with EU Ambassadors to Montenegro

21 June 2019 - President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, at the invitation of the Romanian ambassador, the EU presiding country, Ferdinand Nagy, was guest at the working lunch with the ambassadors of the EU member states accredited in Montenegro.

President Đukanović thanked Ambassador Nagy for the initiative for the meeting and Romania on the dedicated relationship to bilateral cooperation and the European perspective of the region during a successful presidency. At the same time, he thanked the Head of the EU Delegation and all ambassadors of the EU countries for their unambiguous contribution to the adoption of European standards and value systems in Montenegro on its path of integration. The President emphasized the significance of the timing of this meeting in the context of the yesterday's conclusions of the General Affairs Council, the recent elections for the European Parliament and the published report on the progress of the countries of the WB, as well as the discussion on the EU's strategic movements and its attitude towards the WB.

The President assessed that the Council's conclusions were below what the WB's expectations were, pointing out that a better level of compromise would have been achieved for the stability of the region and Europe and economic and democratic development.

"The balance may be a real expression of how the state sees the EU, but it is not in agreement with what we see from the region," Đukanović said, especially in the context of postponing the decision to open negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania, and added that this region will never be stable without integration and can not experience the required pace of economic and democratic development. Therefore, according to the President, the future competitiveness of European politics is extremely important, to find a balance between the expectations of the Balkans and Europe as a global player.

According to the official statement of the President of Montenegro Cabinet, Đukanović said that in the past few years Montenegro has made evident progress and a clear strategy and continuously growing capacities that guarantee that this strategy will be implemented.

"With the awareness of the inability to overcome all the overnight deficits, the President stressed that Montenegro has managed to preserve the multiethnic harmony and emancipate the country from its dependence to the region, and today, as a NATO member, on a protracted road to the EU proves that it is able to cope with all the challenges. Montenegro will continue to uncompromising advancement of the rule of law and preserve a good pace of economic development," Đukanović said among other things.

President of Montenegro with EU Ambassadors to Montenegro1

The host of a working lunch on behalf of the Romanian presidency said that the country would continue to support the enlargement policy in line with individual progress and share the Commission's assessment of the need for the EU to be a credible partner that respects its promises to candidate countries that have fulfilled their obligations. I am very proud that I witnessed the exceptional progress of Montenegro during my diplomatic mandate, Nagy said.

The head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Aivo Orav, spoke about the successful presidency of Romania and the conclusions of the Council, which, he said, was the best compromise and the best possible result.

"What is important is that strong commitment to the expansion has been confirmed," Orav said.

He stressed that further efforts are needed in order to improve the rule of law, fight against corruption and organized crime, freedom of speech and media freedom, and that the EU recognizes positive progress in economic development, and cordially welcomes the active role of Montenegro in the region and in relation to its neighbors and one hundred percent compliance with the common foreign and security policy.

"The Union is ready to help Montenegro, including financially, to become part of the EU as soon as possible," concluded Orav.

The ambassadors expressed interest in the position of the President on the current issues of internal and regional policy. Among other things, Montenegro's contribution to strengthening regional stability and a constructive view of Montenegro on EC assessments and Council conclusions has been recognized.

During the working lunch, the interest in the process of passing a new law on religious freedom was especially expressed.

President Đukanović stressed that Montenegro is determined to solve the very delicate issue of the church, and will not resort to provocation, refraining from further straining the situation, but will uncompromisingly defend its interests. In response to the interest in applying ODIHR recommendations, the President expressed optimism about the further work of the Interim Parliamentary Committee, carefully developing a two-thirds consensus.

"In this regard, we will initiate the renewal of the dialogue with the opposition, which we discussed earlier with the EU delegation, and our offer is fully in place," said Đukanović.

Regarding the protection of freedom of speech, Đukanović emphasized that there is no dilemma in the state political course as far as this is an important issue and the importance of the media for the democratic development of society. The aim is to create the conditions for full freedom and independence of the media and maximum professionalization, which can only be a contribution to the democratization of the society by the legislative and institutional framework.

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

Kotor Crisis: Jokic Urged Prosecution and Government to Dismiss Local Assembly
21 Jun 2019, 18:31 PM

Kotor Crisis: Jokic Urged Prosecution and Government to Dismiss Local Assembly

June 21, 2019 - Kotor President Vladimir Jokic urged the Prosecutor and the Montenegrin Government to take measures within their jurisdiction and prevent legal and political violence as it continues to be possible in the case of crimes committed in Kotor.
 
Jokić sent the call to the relevant state apprentices for the decision from the meeting of the DPS, SD, LP, HGI and former SDP deputy Bruna Lončarević, held on 19 June, on the continuation of the 19th session of the Kotor Municipal Assembly on Monday, 24 June, starting at 10 am. On behalf of the proposer, announced their authorized representative Željko Avramović.
 
President of the DPS Club in Kotor, on behalf of the Municipal Assembly, signed a call for the continuation of the session on Monday and sent it to Jokic, the president of the Kotor Assembly, Dragica Perović and assembly. The municipality representatives immediately filed a criminal charge against him at the Basic State Prosecution in Kotor, suspecting Avramovic that he had committed the criminal act of "false representation."
 
They are continuing the session that Perovic claims is impossible after the Administrative Court's decision to annul the decision to remove Jokić from the mayor's seat, which DPS, SD, HGI, LP and two SDP members issued on 24 24 April, DPS, and allies supported by former SDP party Bruno Lončarević intend to resign the mayor of Kotor again. From the current local government led by the Democrats, this move and the formation of a new assembly majority in which DPS and the allies, deciding the 17th vote in the 33-member parliament with former SDP deputy, Bruna Lončarević, are termed political corruption and violation of the will of voters from the last local elections in October 2016.
 
At the press conference with the president of the Assembly of Kotor Dragica Perovic and the Deputy Mayor Milivoj Samardzic, Jokic invited the government to "hold an emergency session and dispose of the Assembly of  Kotor following the Act and its own Decision on the Kotor Municipality. Because of the consequences of political corruption for some time now, it does not perform its functions".
 
"Any other act or omission will be in the bosom and represent the legitimacy of political corruption and the illegal mutilation of the constitutional legal order as a method of taking over and forming power rather than a free will. Once again, I call on the government to dissolve the assembly and restore mandates to citizens as the sole holders of sovereignty to decide for themselves on the political future of the city," said Jokić.
 
DPS, SD, HGI, LP and Bruna Lončarević announced that after they re-vote on Jokic's replacement, the chief of local DPS, Željko Aprcovic, will be elected, and they will announce the resignation of parliamentary chairman Dragica Perovic.
 
Montenegro First to Adopt Smart Specialisation Strategy after EU Members
21 Jun 2019, 01:20 AM

Montenegro First to Adopt Smart Specialisation Strategy after EU Members

20 June 2019 - At its latest session, the Government of Montenegro passed the Smart Specialisation Strategy for 2019-2024, which is the first time that a non-EU country approves a strategy of this kind.

"This strategy is not a strategy of the Ministry of Science, but of the State of Montenegro, which recognises the priority areas that have the greatest potential for economic development, for which research and innovation are key factors that can significantly increase competitiveness. In fact, it is a recipe for the European Union to trace the modern development of an economy based on domestic potentials, but with openness to the international market, and to advance technologically the traditional sectors, especially through digitisation," Minister of Science Sanja Damjanović said in press conference for Ministry of Science of Montenegro.

In this way, investments focus on domains and areas for which the strategy has shown that Montenegro can be competitive on a wider scale. In that regard, Montenegro has identified the following priority areas: sustainable agriculture and food value chain, sustainable and health tourism, energy and sustainable environment, with the technological support of information and communication technologies.

The Smart Specialisation Strategy is one of the conditions for using EU funds, as well as a strict prerequisite for the use of structural funds once they are available to Montenegro. 

It took two years to draft the strategy according to the methodology developed by the EU, which closely followed and evaluated each stage of the process. The Ministry of Science coordinated this process with the support of the Ministry of Economy, but in fact, more than 300 people from the academic, economic, public and civil sectors worked on this strategy, more than half of which were from the business sector. 

"An important benefit from this strategy is to access European thematic platforms for smart specialisation, which will be available to us from today. Thematic platforms are created by the countries of the European Union that have similar strategic priorities within their S3 strategies. In this way, they implement joint projects and enter the international market. Our country is striving to join such platforms," Minister Damjanović explained. 

The Science Minister said that the next step is to define the national structure that will be in charge of both the management and the implementation of the S3 strategy. 

The Smart Specialisation Strategy is adopted for the period 2019-2024. The Strategy will form the basis for priority investment in research, innovation and development. During this period, investments worth about 174 million EUR are planned. Out of the total planned investments, 116.5 million EUR will be provided from the budget, while investments from the private sector are projected at 21.7 million EUR. A total of 33.5 million EUR will be provided through the EU funds and 2,5 million EUR from other international organisations and programmes.

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

Malaysians Get Montenegrin Citizenship for Opening Hotel in Kolašin
21 Jun 2019, 00:58 AM

Malaysians Get Montenegrin Citizenship for Opening Hotel in Kolašin

20 June 2019 - For the first time ever, the Government of Montenegro has agreed that the Malaysian owners of the company Kolašin Resort & Spa which is to build a condo-hotel in Kolašin, can obtain Montenegrin citizenship based on this investment.

At the 126th session of the Government of Montenegro, chaired by Prime Minister Duško Marković, the Government established the List of Development Projects in the Field of Tourism. This Development Projects List includes the construction of the condo hotel Kolašin Resort & Spa, Kolašin, delivered by the Stock Company Kolašin Resort & Spa from Podgorica.

“The first project submitted under the Governmental Decision on the criteria, method and procedure for the election of a person who can acquire Montenegrin citizenship by admission for the implementation of a special investment program of special importance for the economic interest of Montenegro implies the construction of a four star hotel in Kolašin, with a capacity of 93 accommodation units or 380 beds and an estimated investment value of 11.360.959,00 EUR, and that the investment implies the opening of 66 new jobs,” says the official report of the Government from the session.

The Government agreed that the owners of the company "Kolašin Resort & Spa", "hiding" behind an offshore company from Malaysia, which is to build a condo-hotel in Kolašin, can obtain citizenship of Montenegro based on this investment.

In the Government's proposal, this condo hotel is included in the "list of development projects in the field of tourism", which is the basis for obtaining "Montenegrin citizenship by the reception to realize a special investment program of special importance for economic and economic interest".

In the decision of the Government, the names of the new Montenegrin citizens from this company are not listed, but they will be determined in continuation of the procedure before the Government Agent for Economic Citizenship Affairs, reports Vijesti daily.

According to data from the Central Registry, the founder of the company "Kolašin Resort & Spa" is the offshore company "Oriental Management INC" from Malaysia. Representatives in the Board of Directors and potential new Montenegrin citizens are Rowshan Ara Chowdhury, Mohammed Abdul Alim Chowdhury and Salim Chowdhury Nirjhor.

Damir Davidović, Secretary of State at the office of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro, explained that “the investor for economic citizenship is expected to meet strict criteria, primarily related to the size of the investment, the number of jobs the investment would create and the financial ability to realize the project, so the business plan for such projects requires serious and extensive preparation”, reports Vijesti daily.

“Investment projects aimed at economic citizenship in the field of tourism can be hotels with at least five stars, 60 accommodation units and at least 80 new jobs in the coastal region and Podgorica. In the north, it is necessary that the hotel has at least four stars, 35 accommodation units, and 25 new employees. The minimum value of the project on the coast and in Podgorica is 15 million euros, and in the north five million euros,” highlighted Davidović.

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

Montenegro and Serbia: Cooperation in Fight Against Organized Crime
20 Jun 2019, 01:12 AM

Montenegro and Serbia: Cooperation in Fight Against Organized Crime

19 June 2019 - Minister of the Interior Mevludin Nuhodžić and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia Nebojša Stefanović noted in Belgrade the high-quality cooperation between the Montenegrin and Serbian police in the fight against organized crime, adding that criminals will not be safe either in Montenegro or in Serbia, as reported by the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro.

Minister Nuhodžić praised the cooperation of criminal police, as well as joint operational teams, which resulted in locating internationally wanted persons, the intersection of the narcotics smuggling channels and the solving of serious crimes.

"We are witnessing that criminal groups operate not knowing the boundaries, not only in our region, but also around the world. That is why our best answer is an open, efficient and honest cooperation that clearly states that criminals are not and will not be safe either in Serbia or Montenegro and that our countries will strongly oppose and fight against the organized crime," Minister Nuhodžić said.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Nebojša Stefanović said that cooperation in the field of fighting organized crime is effective and that members of the criminal police quickly exchange information that is important for detecting criminal offenses.

"We have exceptional cooperation that will continue in the future because we want to send a clear message to the criminals that the police will come out as winners in the fight against organized crime," Stefanović stressed.

Speaking about the cooperation between the border police of the two countries, the two ministers discussed expanding the capacity of border crossings in order to facilitate the transit of citizens, not only during the summer season, but throughout the year.

"Our aim is also to stop the smuggling of narcotics, goods, as well as the transfer of persons who belong to a criminal milieu," said Stefanović, who thanked Minister Nuhodžić and members of the Montenegrin police for exceptional cooperation.

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

Honorary Consulate of Montenegro Opened in Trieste, Italy
18 Jun 2019, 00:25 AM

Honorary Consulate of Montenegro Opened in Trieste, Italy

17 June 2019 - Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović opened the Consulate of Montenegro in Trieste, Italy, headed by Honorary Consul Sven Bichler.

On that occasion, Minister Darmanović pointed out that the opening of the Consulate in Trieste, in the year when Montenegro and Italy celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations, represents an important step towards the expansion of the diplomatic network and confirmation of the commitment to continuously develop cooperation between the counties. According to the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, he also expressed confidence that the activities of Honorary Consul Bichler will contribute to the further strengthening of bilateral ties and the promotion of economic, tourist, scientific and cultural potentials of Montenegro. 

Minister Darmanović reminded that Montenegro and Italy have very good political relations and high-quality cooperation, especially in the domain of economy, tourism and energy, which is confirmed by the growing presence of the Italian economy on the Montenegrin market. "Our diplomacy significantly contributes to the diversification of the Montenegrin economy and high growth rates through dedicated and comprehensive work on connecting business communities and attracting foreign direct investments," Minister Darmanović concluded. 

Honorary Consul Bichler emphasised that cooperation between the two countries can be further improved, and that it is necessary to inform the Italian public in a timely and targeted manner about the characteristics of Montenegrin society and market. He presented plans to organise a presentation on Montenegro in Trieste, stressing that there is room for deepening of connections, especially in the wood, food and textile industry. 

Prefect of Trieste Valerio Valenti, Mayor of Trieste Roberto Dipiazza and CEI Secretary-General Roberto Antonione also attended the ceremony.

The recent meeting that took place in Trieste between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the Central European Initiative adopted the Trieste Declaration, which confirmed that Montenegro will take over the presidency of the Initiative from 1 January 2020

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

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