November 11, 2020 - The area of ​​Kotor has been under tremendous pressure from excessive urbanization during the last two decades, which seriously jeopardizes its exceptional universal value, warns the Kotor NGO "Expeditio".

They say that the inadmissible transformations of the cultural landscape that have taken place, devastation and inadequate commercialization of cultural heritage, loss of original purpose, and the currently collapsed and dysfunctional cultural heritage protection system and indigent spatial planning system seriously undermine the values ​​of the area.

If these harmful practices do not change soon, Kotor's status on the UNESCO World Heritage List will be seriously questioned. One of the reasons for the worrying condition of Kotor's area and its degradation ​​is that generally among the public, and even among decision-makers, there is no awareness of what it encompasses and the exceptional universal value on the World Heritage List. It is often not understood that the entire cultural landscape, which includes the Kotor-Risan part of the Bay, is a World Heritage Site. What should be preserved is a harmonious relationship between rich and diverse architectural heritage and a unique natural environment - emphasize the NGO "Expeditio."

They announce the recent publication of the guide and map "Natural and cultural-historical area of ​​Kotor on the UNESCO World Heritage List" (authors Zorica Čubrović, Jasminka Grgurević, Ilija Lalošević, Aleksandra Kapetanović). The materials were created to present the basic characteristics, values, and significance of Kotor's natural and cultural-historical area and contribute to the preservation of its status on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Expeditio has developed the website kotorunesco.info with all relevant info regarding the protected area of Kotor.

November 10, 2020 - After several months of waiting caused by the coronavirus pandemic, representatives of the Italian company "Panaque Srl" have succeeded in installing complete aquarium equipment for the first marine aquarium in Montenegro, "Boka Aquarium" and to put it into operation. The news was announced by Dr. Mirko Đurović, Director of Boka Aquarium.

"A test phase is underway to check all pipelines and regulate the necessary parameters that will ensure the safety of fish and other marine organisms in the pools, such as temperature, oxygen, salinity, and all other parameters. This phase includes essential aspects before the finalization of Boka Aquarium. Therefore, the testing will last for 10 to 15 days, so that we can start settling organisms from the sea, primarily the Bay of Kotor, with certainty," said Dr. Đurović.

So far, 95% of the contracted works have been completed at the Boka Aquarium. After the commission handover of the system to the Institute of Marine Biology, the final works on the interior of the aquarium and the exterior arrangement of the yard of the Institute will follow, to ensure the aquarium is ready to meet the first visitors. Technical support by the company "Panaque Srl" will be available both during the settlement period and during the opening of the aquarium to the public.

"Opening to the public will primarily depend on the epidemiological situation because, for now, this is what dictates all plans. We want to be 100% sure that future visitors will be able to fully enjoy the Adriatic Sea's biodiversity and that of the Bay of Kotor. Today, the essential precondition for that is that we have a favorable epidemiological situation. Indeed, we will work on the constant improvement of the installation, because the placement of all organisms in pools requires patience and a slightly more extended period," said Dr. Đurović.

Boka Aquarium is an additional contribution of the University of Montenegro and the Institute of Marine Biology to education regarding the need to protect the marine ecosystem of the Adriatic Sea and to what Boka Kotorska and Montenegro offers tourists.

The aquarium is located in the Radonicic Palace, under the protection of Montenegro's cultural monuments, over an area of 300 m2. After 30 years of non-use due to the poor condition and dilapidated installations, the Institute of Marine Biology breathed new life into this space.

The aquarium will present the Mediterranean's marine flora and fauna, that of the Adriatic and the Bay of Kotor.

The Boka Aquarium is mostly financed by a donation from the Kingdom of Norway through the project "Center for the Protection of Marine Biodiversity" Boka Aquarium - MonteAqua. Additional funds were provided thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Public Enterprise Morsko Dobro, and the University of Montenegro.

Source: University of Montenegro

November 6, 2020 - One of the most popular global series, The Nomad, will be filming from today, until 15th November in Montenegro. The show is produced by the famous Canadian photographer and author Ryan Pyle, and the filming will be carried out in collaboration with the National Tourism Organization (NTO).

The series, according to the NTO, focuses on cities, gastronomy, local customs and people.

"After Heidelberg in Germany, Valletta in Malta and Dubrovnik in Croatia, the author has chosen Montenegro for the series’ next destination. The episode The Nomad - Boka Bay is being filmed in the area of ​​Boka Kotorska, as chosen by the author, with a focus on the city of Kotor," the NTO said in a statement.

They added that, in line with the specific concept of the show, the destination will be presented to an audience of millions, through interviews with the local population on topics related to history, culture, gastronomy, personal life experience and professions.

"Montenegro, with its diverse natural beauty, is becoming increasingly popular among travellers around the world, but less is known about its rich history and authentic stories that locals will share. At Ryan Pyle Productions, we are excited to bring these stories to life and explore everything that Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor have to offer,” said Pyle.

During the filming of the episode, the TV crew will, among other things, have the opportunity to try their hand at preparing traditional Montenegrin dishes, visit the Kotor market, olive groves and several rural households. They will learn about the production of craft beer and the tradition of making wooden boats, and discover what’s on offer for recreation and active holidays in the great outdoors.

The NTO highlights that the television series The Nomad is broadcast through one of the two largest global streaming channels, Amazon Prime, with over 150 million subscribers. The episode The Nomad - Boka Bay will be broadcast via Amazon Prime in the US, UK and Germany.

They add that the episode will also be available through Ryan Pyle’s YouTube channel and his social media profiles with an impressive number of followers, as well as through China’s most influential social network Weibo.

"The 46-minute episode of The Nomad - Boka Bay will premiere next year, and given the expected audience for the series through TV broadcasts and digital channels, it is estimated that this tourist report will be of great importance for promoting Montenegro as a quality tourist destination on a global level," the announcement states.

HRB

November 5, 2020 - Bar-based company Alpha Company Ltd is planning a tourist resort on an area of ​​18,000 m2 in the village of Zabrdje on the Lustica Peninsula. The Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Construction of the Municipality of Herceg Novi has therefore announced a competition for an urban-architectural design for the development, which includes several cadastral parcels.

The anonymous single-stage procedure is open nationally, on a general project basis, until 30th December. The announcement was made at the request of the owner/investor, a Bar-based company, represented by Mikalai Biladzid from Belarus.

The territory is of an irregular shape, with a significant height difference between the initial and final sections, and contains two spatial zones, which, given that they are in close proximity and under the same ownership, will be planned as one functional unit - a tourist resort.

The tender solution should provide for the construction of a tourist resort with accompanying infrastructure. In the northern part, which is closer to the sea coast, the construction of a hotel as the central basic tourist facility is envisaged, while the construction of the remaining additional facilities and tourist villas is planned in the southern part. The resort category will be 4 stars, with the primary facilities being the hotel and villas. There will be a maximum of three above-ground storeys, the local administration announced.

The funds provided for the competition total 24,500 euros. The prize fund is 17,000 euros, distributed as follows: first prize - 8,000 euros, second prize - 5,000 and third prize - 3,000 euros. The total fund for jury expenses, reporting and organization is 7,500 euros. The amounts are stated in the net value in which they will be paid.

All competition fund expenses, including assessment fees and fees related to the organization of the competition, will be borne by the investor.

HRB

November 1, 2020 - An exhibition of photographs by Dusko Miljanic entitled "Faces of My Time" will be held at the Museum and Gallery on Monday, November 2, at 7 p.m.

Dusko Miljanic, a professional photographer from Tivat, was born in 1975, and has been living and working in Podgorica for the last two decades. He perfected his photography art within the Photo Cinema Club Podgorica, under the mentorship of one of the most important Montenegrin photographers, Vojo Radonjić. He graduated from the University of Audiovisual Arts ESRA, Department of Photography, in the class of prof. Robert Jankulosky. He has been hired as the official photographer of several companies and institutions, and he publishes photographs in various publications, magazines, books, monographs, and magazines around the world. He is also involved in art photography.

He was behind the Podgorica Photo Salon in 2006 and 2007. He has exhibited at over 70 joint exhibitions in the country and abroad, while he had his first solo exhibition in Prague in 2006. He has won numerous awards, the most important of which are FIAT (World Association of Art Photographers) and Sterijin for photography in theatrical art. His independent project, "Barvale," is not only a work of art but a step towards socially engaged photographic projects.

Visitors to the Tivat Museum and Gallery will have the opportunity to see a series of portraits of Duško's fellow citizens, older people from Tivat, and the initiators of significant community changes. These photos are a homage to the people who, through their social engagement, have contributed to the continuing authenticity of Tivat.

The exhibition will be opened by art historian Mirjana Dabović Pejović and professor of literature Neven Staničić.

The Museum and the gallery remind visitors to wear masks, keep the prescribed distance, and disinfect their hands when entering the gallery.

FORTECA 2020

CONSORTIUM RECEIVES LONG-TERM CONCESSION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO

November 1, 2020 - Porto Montenegro is introducing a new partner to develop yacht services in Bijela. Drydocks World, part of the DP World Group from the United Arab Emirates, is the new member of the Montenegro Yacht Services consortium together with Adriatic Marinas from Tivat. Drydocks World takes the place of Dutch shipbuilding corporation Damen.

The consortium received a long-term concession from the Government of Montenegro for the shipyard port of Bijela, which includes the regeneration of the former overhaul shipyard for large merchant ships into a first-class company for servicing, maintenance, repair and refit of superyachts.

Porto Montenegro stated that a consortium consisting of the superyacht development and marina management company Adriatic Marinas (ADM - owned by the Dubai Investment Corporation) and Damen - a Dutch shipbuilding group, had agreed that Damen’s role in developing the former Bijela Shipyard would be taken over by the new member of the consortium Drydocks World - Dubai.

They add that the latter is a leading company for the provision of services for servicing, maintenance, repair and refit of yachts, as well as for maritime services and services for maritime platforms in the transport, oil, gas and energy sectors.

"Together we will position the shipyard in Bijela as a leader in the area of repairs and refit of superyachts in the Mediterranean," stated the signatory for the consortium, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Adriatic Marinas, Mohammed I. Al Shaibani.

In addition to opening a yacht servicing company, the consortium plans to establish a training academy in Bijela to train future generations of marine engineers from Montenegro.

HRB

October 26, 2020 - The President of the Municipality of Tivat, Zeljko Komnenovic, and the Executive Director of the NGO "Our Action", Patricia Pobric, signed today an Agreement on Cooperation within the Cross-Border Cooperation Project Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro, "YOUth Drive- Program for raising awareness on proper waste management and empowering legislators to take action." It is a project that connects the Bay of Kotor and the West Herzegovina County with numerous activities, aimed at protecting the environment through improved waste management and consistent application of energy efficiency principles.

The project, supported by the European Commission, is worth € 279,200.48 and will cover seven communities: Ljubuški, Grude, Posušje, Široki Brijeg (BIH), Herceg Novi, Tivat, and Kotor (MNE). The project will last from November 15, 2020, to May 15, 2021.

"Bearing in mind that we are a tourist destination, issues of environmental protection and treatment of various types of waste are of key importance, and we desperately need such projects supported by the European Union," the mayor of Tivat pointed out.

The project leader, Patricia Pobrić, mentioned that the project's goal is to strengthen capacity to apply environmental protection and energy efficiency standards at the local level and that "the municipalities involved in the project are offered a unique opportunity to address this issue."

The project defines two activities: those related to the waste management process itself and activities aimed at young people and the public. When it comes to the waste management process, partners in the project will analyze waste treatment, pollution of watercourses, and characteristics of illegal landfills. The subjects of analyses will also be the existing regulations for waste management, planning and strategic documentation, and existing infrastructure, with development of recommendations at the regional and local level being conducted.

Activities with young people and the public will include developing information material for students, the development of a digital platform, educational info-sessions in schools, a promotional campaign on social networks, and multi-day educational events.

By participating in this project, TIvat Municipality will receive concrete analysis and recommendations from the subject areas. Participation in a series of activities to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection and application of energy efficiency principles will be offered, and primary and secondary school students will have the opportunity to participate in numerous educational events. The project benefits include bins for electronic waste and a container totalling an estimated value of € 14,000.