March 18, 2019 - The Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor will organise the opening of the exhibition "Old and Rare Books - The Collection of the Maritime Museum of Montenegro of Kotor" on Tuesday, 19 March at 7 pm.

March 18, 2019 - Polluted air, which is mostly a consequence of the Pljevlja thermal power plant, takes more lives than traffic accidents every year, the Institute of Public Health warns.

18 March 2019 - The introduction of electric buses in Podgorica would potentially solve the problem of public transport, which currently does not satisfy the needs of citizens, and the Capital is already considering this solution, said Lazarela Kalezić, Secretary of Traffic, during an interview for the News Agency Dan.

"The climate in Podgorica would not allow us only to use electric buses, so it would be good to think about the option of combined buses. Cities with a similar climate have mostly made a combination of electric and gas buses or other alternative fuels," said Kalezić.

During an official assembly held in December 2018, the Mayor of Podgorica Ivan Vuković, and representatives of the diplomatic corps and foreign businesspeople in Montenegro discussed the planned capital projects and investment potentials of the Capital City. On that occasion, the possibility of the use of electric buses in Podgorica was first introduced. Stating that one of the biggest challenges in Podgorica is solving the problems of public transport, the Mayor said that in that field, the Capital would look up to the solutions already implemented by Belgrade, which has introduced 84 electric buses in 2018.

Secretary Kalezić noted that the current public transport in Podgorica causes many problems, such as air pollution, and stated that buses in the Capital are mostly old and not comfortable for passengers.

"In Podgorica, we currently have 109 buses covering 29 lines. The profitability of public transportation everywhere in the world is questionable. We are considering introducing electric buses, which would lead to a reduction in the use of conventional fuel, which is expensive. We are also thinking about increasing the role of the local government when it comes to transportation issues, "said Kalezić.

Switching to use electric buses should significantly improve the quality of air and reduce morbidity and mortality due to air pollution. The electric bus has numerous advantages over gas buses, such as lower cost of maintenance, lower energy losses, reduction of environmental noise etc.

The advantages of the electric bus, and especially its contribution to the quality of life, justify the efforts and costs required in the initial stages of implementation, and the citizens of Podgorica eagerly await the new form of public transportation.

17 March 2019 - Soil erosion and the alluvial deposits are natural phenomena, and these soil degradation processes have a significant effect on lakes in Montenegro, especially Lake Plav, Lake Biograd and Skadar Lake. These naturally occurring processes reduce the volume of reservoirs.

When the deposit of alluvial materials is enhanced by eutrophication, which means that a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of plants and algae, this ultimately leads to depleted oxygen levels and generally poor water quality. Eutrophication contributes to fish kills, loss of riparian habitat, the death of beneficial aquatic insects, and taste and odour problems.

In an interview for News Agency Pobjeda, PhD Velibor Spalević from the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Montenegro claims that, based on his research, if the soil conservation measures are not taken, Lake Biograd will be entirely covered by alluvial materials from the Biogradska River in the timeframe of 130 years.

As Professor Spalević assessed, soil erosion and alluvial deposits are mostly influenced by human-made activities (anthropogenic factor), but the problem of climate change has recently become an essential factor as well.

"The research I led at Biogradska Forest in 2004, working with the team of researchers that included Milić Čurović, Arvidas Povilaitis and my colleague Slobodan Radusinović, showed that the production of erosion material in the Biogradska River Basin amounts to 17,179 cubic metres per year, and that the real losses of soil structure from the basin amount to 7.983 cubic meters a year. This amount of soil loss is greater than the deposit of alluvial materials because the amount of soil “produced” in the basin does not fully reach the lake. For this particular river basin the intensity of soil erosion is 282 cubic meters per square kilometre, which indicates that this area has very poor erosion ", explains Professor Spalević.

He further claims that, as a catalyst for these processes over time, the depth of the lake will gradually decrease.

"The surface, i.e., the upper layers of shallow waters can get warmed up in the sun very fast, which further influences the growth of autotrophic bacteria. These bacteria can intensify the eutrophication processes. Also, the waters around Jezerštica gradually reduce the island’s right bank, which is another problem for this ecological gem. Furthermore, the experts from the field of geology are recently initializing the talk about the problem of cracks (caverns) that are noticeable on the north and north-western rim and at the bottom of the Lake Biograd," Spalević points out.

The Professor claims that if special measures for erosion protection are not implemented, such as setting up a gabion or some other stabilization barrier upstream Biogradska River, according to the calculations of the models developed for conditions in Montenegro, Lake Biograd will be covered entirely by alluvial materials from the Biogradska River in the timeframe of 130 years.

"Recent climate changes can also affect this estimate by decade, more or less. One hundred thirty years is a period of “only” two human lives. And while we are discussing whether to take action, nature is acting on its own," Spalević says.

16 March 2019 - From March 21 to 23, Budva will traditionally host a remarkable Food Fair, which year after year manages to gather renowned exhibitors of food and beverages producers from Montenegro and abroad.

Each year, Budva hosts a series of specialized fair manifestations and events and each of them represent a great opportunity for the successful businesses to promote themselves.

The 45th Food Fair is a traditional exhibition which gathers representatives of the food industry, agriculture and supporting industries and continuously provides exhibitors with a business platform for placement and promotion of products and services. It is recognizable by exhibitors’ promotional and commercial results in the field of food industry, agricultural production, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages production, production of food and beverages typical for the Mediterranean culture, industry of coffee, olive oil, organic food, fish processing and confectionery products. A significant number of exhibitors from these fields presented their offer for the first time on the Montenegrin market.

Food Fair Budva is the oldest event organized by the Adriatic Fair. The Global Fair Association recognizes it as UFI Approved Event which continuously contributes to the establishment of strong and dynamic economic relations and activities between business entities and institutional partners at the international level. The international character of the event from year to year has been confirmed by CENTRX, an independent auditing company which deals with monitoring of fair events.

By connecting strategic economic branches - agriculture and tourism, the fair offers all exhibitors the possibility to promote their business in a competitive atmosphere, to demonstrate the quality of their products and to improve their business results.

The 28th International Tourism Fair and 24th Ecology Fair will also take place in Budva from March 21 to 23, which is an opportunity for the exhibitors to use all the benefits of synergy that exists between the three events. Traditionally, the event will be visited by the general public, numerous representatives of the tourism industry, media and businesspeople from Montenegro and the region. This event also represents an excellent opportunity to achieve significant commercial effects within a relatively short timeframe.

14 March 2019 - “Shop local and seasonal at our pop up food market, meet the producers and learn about organic agriculture around Luštica peninsula," says the invitation by Luštica Bay representatives for their weekend event Hello Spring!

A two-day local food market named  Hello Spring will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24 from 10 am to 6 pm, at the promenade in the marina settlement Luštica Bay, in Krtoli near Tivat.

The organisers of the food and home-made local products bazaar, the company Luštica Development and the Secretariat for Tourism and Entrepreneurship of the Municipality of Tivat, provided participation for 20 agricultural producers, as well as members of the entrepreneurial section of Elementary School "Drago Milić" and High School "Mladost" from Tivat, Institute for healthy (organic) food - Agrovita, and the producers of Agro Cluster Nikšić.

Numerous producers of cheese, brandy, pickled vegetables, sugar-dipped fruit, honey, soap and herbs from the Bay of Kotor and the surrounding area will be exhibiting their products at the fair. These individual exhibitors include Olga Ovčar, Vidak Tomašević, Julka Radmanović, Predrag Klakor, Mile Dačević, Rašo Miljančić and others. The bazaar offers will also add fruits, vegetables, various types of wine, juice and oil, brought to the fair by Bosiljka Vuksanović, Ethno village "Đedovina", Đorđije Bulajić, Vebija Abazović, Vesna Pavić Mamula, Gvozden Kankaraš and Jelena Pejanović.

Andrej Zasidko will display vegetable bouquets and other handicrafts. Olive products will be presented by the Moric family, as one of the entrepreneurial visionaries on the Luštica peninsula and one of the first individuals from the peninsula to put into operation his long family heritage.

This weekend event that promotes domestic production will also offer a special program for the youngest visitors that includes drawing, painting and competition games, a show of local gastronomic delicacies and education by the producers.

All exhibitors and visitors of the bazaar will have the opportunity to learn more about agricultural tourism, agricultural clusters and Montenegrin food brands by attending the seminars of agricultural production experts - Ilija Moric, Đorđe Bulajić and Svetozar Radonjić.

14 March 2019 - The 9th edition of the best and biggest wine event in Montenegro, which is positioned in the top list of the most important wine manifestations in the region - MonteVino, will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16 at the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica.

MonteVino is organized by the National Association of Sommeliers of Montenegro and the Wine Academy of Montenegro under the auspices of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Capital City and the Tourist Organisation of Podgorica.

Visitors of this year's MonteVino will experience the most comprehensive and high quality assortment of products and services from the wine world. Professionalism and internationality are the main features that distinguish it from competing events of this type, which allows MonteVino to experience a constant increase in the number of visitors and the quality of exhibitors. For its 9 years of existence, MonteVino has been ranked among the leading regional fairs and is the central place for contracting and ordering in the wine business.

Visitors to the lounge will have the opportunity to choose to taste some of the 600 wines from 125 different wineries (of which 22 are Montenegrin) from 16 countries. Forty-eight new wines will be premiered at the MonteVino 2019, which makes it a must-visit manifestation for all wine lovers. Traditionally, a team of experts will be evaluating Montenegrin wines based on "blind tasting." They will rank the wines by quality, based on taste only, without knowing in which order they get to taste the wines.

MonteVino 2019 guests will be able to enjoy the company of the best sommeliers from the region and winemakers who will personally be present at the salon and will give valuable advice on the rules of consumption and other interesting wine-related subjects.

The media attention this event has provoked crosses the borders of the region and has already been accredited by a serious number of media outlets.

MonteVino is a manifestation that gathers exclusively selected producers of premium wines and distillates from Montenegro and the world. This year, just the introductory workshops from March 12th until the beginning of the salon attracted hedonists and premium product lovers to book tickets for this unique event in order to enjoy the ambience of salon tasting and socializing.

"Our goal was to make a traditional manifestation, a recognizable wine salon open only for exceptional drinks of top quality. We are on a great way to put Montenegro on the map of must-visit destinations of true wine lovers, as well as professionals from a wine business,” explained the representative of the Association of Sommeliers of Montenegro.

The manifestation will also be attended by numerous distinguished personas from the economic, public and cultural life of Montenegro, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps.

For all additional information about the event, you can communicate organizers of the event via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

14 March 2019 - On March 13, The U.S. Department of State submitted the annual Report on Human Rights Practices in Montenegro for 2018 – the Human Rights Report that covers internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements.

According to the Report, there were no reports that the Government of Montenegro or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, but there were reports of beatings, with some based on LGBTI identity, in prisons and detention centres across the country. The government prosecuted some police officers and correctional officers accused of overstepping their authority, but there were delays in the court proceedings.

In 2018, there were no significant reports regarding prison or detention centre conditions that raised human rights concerns. The constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, but some NGOs, international organizations, and legal experts asserted that political pressure and corruption influenced prosecutors and judges.

The Human Rights Report states that there were no reports of political prisoners or detainees, that the constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary in civil matters, and in 2018, citizens had access to courts to bring lawsuits seeking damages for violations of constitutionally recognized human rights.

According to The U.S. Department of State, Montenegrin constitution provides for freedom of expression, including for the press, and the government generally respected these rights. Still, attacks directed at journalists continued to be a severe problem in 2018. Independent and pro-opposition media complained about unfair treatment and economic pressure from government ministries and agencies. Some media outlets continued to demonstrate a willingness to criticize the government. However, a lack of training and unprofessional journalistic behaviour, combined with low salaries and political pressure, contributed at times to biased coverage.

When it comes to Internet Freedom, the Report states that the Montenegrin Government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no official reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority.

There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. In 2018, the Government mostly respected the freedom of peaceful assembly, but on several occasions, the Ministry of Interior denied permits to workers and LGBTI groups wishing to assemble to express their grievances.

In regards to the Protection of Refugees, in 2018, the Government allowed individuals to apply for asylum within a few days of entering the country. However, those caught illegally crossing the border who did not apply for asylum were placed into a detention centre for criminal processing and deported. As stated within the Report, of 2,346 asylum applications, 2,079 interviews were scheduled, and 44 were held. Observers noted that attention and readiness to address the increased mixed flow of migrants remained focused on border control aspects, as evidenced by the sharp rise in the number of migrants pushed back from the Montenegrin border during the year.

In terms of Elections and Political Participation, Montenegro held presidential elections on April 15. In its final report on June 28, the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission noted that, although the candidate nominated by the governing party held an institutional advantage, fundamental freedoms were respected. Candidates campaigned freely and the media provided the contestants with a platform to present their views.

When it comes to Section 4 of the Report, Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Montenegrin law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but in 2018, the Government did not implement the law effectively, and corruption remained a problem. Some government officials often engaged in corrupt practices with impunity. The public viewed corruption as endemic in the government and elsewhere in the public sector at both local and national levels. This was particularly the case in the areas of health, higher education, the judiciary, customs, political parties, police, urban planning, the construction industry, and employment.

The Report also determined that the actual sentences for the acts of discrimination, societal abuses, and trafficking in persons were generally lenient. The country aligned its legislation with the Istanbul Convention on violence against women and domestic violence, but domestic violence remained a persistent and common problem, especially within the Romani communities.

In 2018, data shows that the Government generally enforced the law that provides for the rights of workers, including members of the armed forces, to form and join independent trade unions, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes.

12 March 2019 - The campaign aimed at cleaning the park and the beach under Tito's Villa in Igalo, which was originally announced last week, and due to adverse weather conditions it was postponed for today, ended with the collection of ten sacks of small waste as well as three extensive piles of large waste.

“The public utility service workers came together with volunteers and cleaned up the entire green area around Tito’s Villa, after which they headed down to the beach to clean the rest. While we were collecting small waste, they collected the large waste so the entire action was well coordinated," one of the volunteers told the News Agency Radio Jadran.

As a segment of the Institute Igalo, the villa that once belonged to a lifetime president of SFR Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, is one of several dozen luxurious villas that were built in the former Yugoslavia and served the lifetime Yugoslav president. The reason for the construction of the complex was the success of Tito's treatment at the old spa in Igalo, which had greatly benefited his health and is why the government decided to build the villa near this spa. The villa is designed for 30 guests, with the possibility of using medical and rehabilitation services. It has hosted many world political leaders as well as public figures.

This four-story, 5,500 square-meter building is surrounded by 75,000 square meters botanical garden. During the winter, the winds carried an extensive amount of waste around the Villa, which was the main reason the area needed cleaning.

According to the observations of both locals and tourists, the Montenegrin coast has problems with waste, despite the great efforts of state-owned companies and volunteers to maintain the beaches clean. The winds often carry waste on Montenegrin beaches, and this problem is one that also troubles the country’s neighbour, Croatia.

Local activists expect competent city companies to cleanse the beach mechanically soon because volunteers cannot clean this area effectively without proper equipment.

In today's action, the park around the Villa was cleaned in detail, as well as a segment of the Igalo beach and the parking and green area next to the park.

“The result of this action was great. There was positive energy and excellent communication with public utility service workers. We were instructed to contact them for anything we needed, “says Boca, who radiated happiness after yet another successful eco-friendly action.

The enthusiasm of these young eco-activists, who first started to clean the area along the Mojsdeški road, did not even weaken after their fifth action, because they announced cleaning action at Vrbanj shortly.

Acting chief state architect, Dušan Vuksanović, gave Prosis Holding & Finance INC company from the British Virgin Islands and Russian citizen, Uliana Andreva, consent for a conceptual design to upgrade a hotel that they are building in Petrovac. After the reconstruction, this facility will have five stars.

The company is also mentioned in the ‘Panama papers’. Apart from the foreign firm from the British Virgin Islands, BTT Nominees and the Swiss company, BTT Fiduciary Services, its owners are also Montenegrin and Serbian citizens, Zvonko Vasović and Zoran Todorović.

This hotel will have 384 beds. Total gross surface area amounts to 6.000 square meters. Conceptual design functionally connects planned amenities with the floor-level bridge footway, to get a unique whole.  The terrain where the facilities are located slopes slightly towards the south. They are free standing, with railway clearances and pedestrian access.

Existing construction of facilities H1 and H2 will be upgraded with the amenities for congress halls. Ground part of H2 will be upgraded too, for the construction of the pool for the SPA center. Also, facility H1 and H2 are planned to be connected with the communication footway.

In May last year, the Government adopted conclusions regarding the consent for the exchange of real estate between the state and the company from Nikšić. The estimated value of the real estate in Nikšić amounted €418.225. Property in Petrovac amounted €417.770. This location is near the ‘Palas’ Hotel.

The company stated in the request that they needed the exchange for fulfilling the parcel in Petrovac for SPA center. SPA center, with regulated water temperature and jacuzzi, will be located in the second underground level of H2 facility.

Text by CDM on March 13, 2019, read more at CDM.