10 January 2019 - The Montenegrin economy should achieve a slightly lower rate this year, due to its strong base, following the high of last year's growth, announced the Vice Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro, Nikola Fabris.

"We forecast that the growth rate of gross domestic product in this year amounts to about 3.5 percent," Fabris said in an interview with the Mina Business Agency.

According to him, sectors that the Central Bank of Montenegro expects to be economic growth holders this year are tourism, energy, and construction, mostly by the continuation of construction of the highway, tourist and energy facilities.

‘’Also, it is realistic to expect a gradual recovery processing industry and an absolute growth of agricultural production in the function of imports substitutions," Fabris concluded.

The Ministry of Finance recently developed an Autumn analysis of macroeconomic trends and structural reforms in cooperation with other relevant institutions. The autumn analysis included economic trends and growth in the first nine months of 2018.

The World Bank and the IMF revised their projections for the countries of the Western Balkans, so the forecast for the western Balkan countries was 3.5%, while for Montenegro, the World Bank revised the projection for 2018 to 3.8% or the whole 1 pp. more than the original estimates.

The projection is that by the end of the year, the public finance deficit will amount to 135.5 million EUR (2.9% of GDP). The budget deficit will be 173.1 million EUR (3.8% of GDP), while the local government will have a surplus of 37 million EUR (0.8% of GDP).

However, the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro recently stated that the grey economy and unfair competition are great business barriers.

“To overcome those barriers, we need to provide greater flexibility of labor market and enable the employer more space to cancel the contract of employment in case the employee fails to justify the reasons for his employment, reduce labor costs, primarily contributions thereof. That will provide higher employment, reduce the grey economy and create new jobs. It will also increase the minimum wage and consequently, reduce the unfair competition and increase the budget revenues,” pointed out Golubović.

10 January 2019 - According to the annual list of the Henley and Partners Company, Japan still proudly bears the title of the most powerful passport in the world. Montenegro occupied the 45th position which means that Montenegrin people can access 123 destinations without a prior visa.

Second place is taken by Singapore and South Korea, while France and Germany share the third position whereas Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Luxembourg, and Spain take position number five.

The sixth position is held by Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland,  United Kingdom, and the USA.

Belgium, Canada, Greece, and Ireland share the seventh position on the list of the most powerful passports. The Czech Republic is in the eight spot and Malta in the ninth. Also, Australia also found its place among the top 10, sharing its position with Iceland and New Zealand.

Boasting cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning 14 years, the Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and it is enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.

The Henley Passport Index website provides comprehensive, printable lists of the countries you can access visa-free, with an electronic visa (e-Visa), with a visa on arrival, or with a normal visa. It also allows you to compare the strength of passports and understand how you might improve your travel freedom with alternative citizenship.

When asked about why global mobility matters today, the Henley and Partners Company stated: "As the world economy has become increasingly globalized, the need for greater visa-free access has grown steadily. Across the economic spectrum, individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale."

"Wealthy individuals, in particular, are more cosmopolitan and transnational today than ever before, with roots, networks, assets, properties, and even citizenship spanning multiple countries. In many ways, global connectivity has become an indispensable feature of wealth creation and wealth preservation, and its value will only grow as regional volatility and instability increase," as concluded in the report on The Henley Passport Index.

January 11, 2019 - From the Institute of Marine Biology (IBM), they have announced EUR 700,000 for the international “Food for Health” project to be implemented in cooperation with Italian and Albanian colleagues.

January 11, 2019 - Last year, Montenegrin tourism achieved many record-breaking results, and post-season prolongation has shown that the country is pursuing a strategic goal to become a year-round tourist destination, said the National Tourism Organization's Director Željka Radak Kukavičić.

January 11, 2019 - To promote a tourist offer based on an active holiday in nature, the National Parks of Montenegro (NPCG) participated at the Tourism Fair in Vienna together with the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro. In addition to representatives of NPCG and the National Tourism Organization, representatives of the Montenegrin tourist industry participated in the "Ferien Messe 2019" fair in Vienna, from 10 to 13 January.

January 11, 2019 - The first ten days of January this year saw the weather colder than the average, and preliminary data from meteorological stations show that the average air temperature is lower in all places in Montenegro, said meteorologist Dragan Burić.

"Given that it has almost become a rule that the weather is warmer than is customary for the year, we can say that the first decade of January this year is unique because it is colder than the average. According to preliminary data from our meteorological stations, the average air temperature for the first decade of January is lower than the average in all places in Montenegro," Burić said.

12 January 2019 - On January 12, Swiss DJ and producer Deetron will perform at the District Club in Podgorica. The party starts at 11 pm, and Deetron will play until 3 am. Cule DJ will be in charge of the warm-up, and the entry fee is 8 EUR.

Over the course or a career spanning more than two decades, Deetron has defined himself as one of the most dynamic artists in electronic music, continuously evolving his sound and style. Growing up in Bern, Switzerland, Deetron grew up in a musical home – his father was a double bass player – and was inspired when his childhood friend won the Swiss regional DMC heats. Listening to local hero DJ Djaimin and later witnessing an eye-opening set from Detroit legend Jeff Mills helped him to form a deep understanding of the fundamental pillars of what it means to be a great DJ – a deep record bag and a dedicated commitment to technical prowess.

Skip forward two decades and this relentless pursuit of excellence is evidenced in everything Deetron does – a master of three decks, few DJs on the planet can match his agility and poise in the booth. As a producer, Deetron has released a similarly accomplished string of records over the more than ten years, each honing in on a coherent but unique sound palette. For his second album ‘Music Over Matter’, released on Music Man records in 2013, the vocal element of his music came to the fore with a collection of collaborations and dance floor – ready tracks that incorporated ” a prismatic mosaic of vocal textures and expertly crafted grooves.”

In 2014 Deetron’s imprint Character was launched as well as the release of his Fabric 76 mix. The first few releases on Character, including the ‘Mars EP’ (Deetron & Ripperton as Roots Panorama) and ‘Theory or Light EP’ (Deetron), incorporating the massive underground hit ‘Photon,’ demonstrated an ambitious search for dance music that resisted the confines of any specific genre. In 2016 a long-time friendship with DJ Bone resulted in the collaborative project ‘The StoryTellers’ with a well-received EP and standout B2B sessions at Concrete Paris, Shelter Amsterdam, Brunch Elektronik Lisbon and 909 Festival that showcase the dynamic energy from a meeting of kindred hearts and minds.

In 2017 Deetron surprised with a remix of”Automation’ by British funk band Jamiroquai, and went on to tour with them for a number of shows. At the start of 2018, he then added to the DJ-Kicks series with a mix featuring exclusive collaborations with Jamie Lidell and Steve Spacek. With a busy international touring schedule and more remarkable as-yet unannounced records on the way, Deetron will undoubtedly be contributing to the evolution of global dance music for years to come.

District Club is inviting you to enjoy the performance of one of the best Swiss DJs. It’s a party you don’t want to miss!

11 January 2019 - The Singing Association "Grbalj" is organising a New Year's concert of traditional singing, customs, and dance on Monday, January 14, at 7 pm in the Kotor Cultural Centre "Nikola Đurković".

The list of performers at this event includes members of the Grbalj Association, the Serbian Cultural and Art Association "Sveti Đorđe" Goražde, "Teatar 303" Kotor, the Folklore Association "Sveti Jovan Vladimir" from Bar, the performers who will play the Montenegrin traditional musical instrument – gusle, performers who will play the diple and solo singers.

Ethnological heritage fans will be able to enjoy the performance of numerous traditional folk songs and customs. The audience will get to hear a cappella singing by the members of the singing association, who will perform numerous traditional songs which originated from Grbalj and are characteristic only for this region.

An interesting custom of the Singing Association Grbalj is that they have numerous young members, aged five to six years, and they perform with the adults on stage. The youngest members love the scene, and they have talent, which the audience recognises year after year and they get the biggest ovations.

Within this year's concert, which will be held on Monday, January 14th in Kotor, this Singing Association will once again demonstrate how the origin, past, and tradition of Grbalj can be presented uniquely.

The Singing Association "Grbalj" was founded in 2000 with the aim of protecting the cultural heritage of Grbalj, which has attracted the attention of a significant number of scientists: ethnologists, ethnomusicologists and archaeologists for centuries. The Association wants to introduce people to Grbalj’s customs and, at the same time, preserves the songs, customs, and traditions that originated from this area.

The first performance of the Singing Society "Grbalj" was held in Kotor. After they performed locally for a while, they had numerous performances throughout Montenegro and the region. One of the traditions of the Association is to organise a concert at the Cultural Centre Kotor each year on January 14, which is one of the most visited concerts in the region.

Singing Association “Grbalj” is a regular guest of numerous cultural associations from Sarajevo, Foča, Goražde, and Višegrad. The association members are recognizable for their kindness and humanity, mainly because they always respond to all performance invitations for humanitarian purposes.

January 11, 2019 - Among many Turkish investors operating in Montenegro, there is the owner of a Turkish national food restaurant in Podgorica. Baris Bidav told TVCG that he came to Montenegro, first of all, because of the favorable business environment, which enabled him to open the company in a brief time, such as lower taxes and, according to him, more comfortable living conditions.

Two years ago, Bidav came to Montenegro for a holiday.

"I realized that this is a country where I can stay. Then I came here for three months. I did nothing. I was just looking and exploring the market," Bidav said.

A few months ago, this research yielded fruit. Baris opened the Turkish national restaurant in Podgorica.

"I decided to open a restaurant here because I saw it was missing. I came with my cook, and we started making Turkish dishes," he says.

But Barish is not the only Turk who came to Montenegro for business. Since 2017, the number of companies whose founders are Turkish citizens is multiplying.

"In 2015, we had only 29 companies registered by Turkish citizens. During 2016 - 71 companies, while in 2017 there were 435 registered subjects. When it comes to 2018, this figure is drastically higher, and it is about 1,545 entities founded by the Turkish citizens," said Milica Vuletić from the Tax Administration.

When everything is gathered, the Turkish citizens in Montenegro have a stake in 2.097 companies. Most of them are opened in Budva, just over a thousand, then in Podgorica and Tivat. For now, the tax is paid on a regular basis. "In 2017, they made two million and 600 thousand, and in 2018 that figure doubled. So, we have a charge of five million and 300 thousand euros," said Vuletic. It is precisely the payment of these taxes that led Barisha to Montenegro. He says that in Turkey, where he still has a production house, he pays as much as 48 taxes.

"Why did I come from Turkey? Because three conditions are very useful for foreigners - one of the reasons is to open the company in a very short time and get a work permit. The second reason is the amount of tax, which is low compared to our standards and we saw the possibility of an easier business in Montenegro. The third reason is a small country and easier living conditions," says Barish.

While living in Istanbul, Barish spent almost four hours traveling go to work and returning home. That's why he's surprised why Montenegrins complain about traffic jams.

"Turkey has a lot of people. Montenegro has very few inhabitants, and that is why life is slower, while in Turkey it runs faster," he says.

He also points out that the business we finish in five business days is done in Turkey in one day.

"Montenegrins are not very fast. You're a bit slower, but it comes from a geographic position, and if you do not work quickly it will not have a greater impact on your business," he said.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Montenegro, at present, 4,187 Turks reside in the country. There are still more Chinese and Russians, and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

Text by RTCG, on January 10th, 2019, read more at CdM

January 11, 2019 - Executive Director of the Directorate for Defense Policy, Ivica Ivanovic, met in Riga with the Political Director of the Ministry of Defense of Latvia, Janis Karlsberg.

The interlocutors expressed readiness to improve the defense cooperation of the two countries in the field of defense, initiated in 2008 by signing a Cooperation Agreement in the field of defense.

In the focus of Ivanovic's and Karlsberg's talks, there was the upcoming visit to Latvia by the Minister of Defense of Montenegro, Mr. Predrag Boskovic, as well as the recent transfer of the Scout Department of the Army of Montenegro to the mission Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP). Ivanovic said that our country's presence in Latvia demonstrates the tendency to continually contribute to the overall efforts of the Alliance in strengthening the security of its citizens and territory, while also enhancing the operational capability and interoperability of the Army of Montenegro.

Ivanovic informed Karlsberg about the modernization of the Montenegrin Army's capacity, the progress of the implementation of the Goals' Capabilities, the promotion of Euro-Atlantic values in the Western Balkans region, through the implementation of NATO's “open door” policy, and the provision of support to the countries of the region in achieving their key foreign policy goals. He thanked for the support provided by the Republic of Latvia to the training of Montenegrin officers and Defense Ministry officials at the Baltic Defense College.

Karlsbergs stressed that Montenegro is proving to be a reliable and credible ally and stressed that Latvia would continue to support Montenegro and its efforts on the path to the European integration. He assessed that Montenegro's contribution to the eFP mission is another proof of Montenegro's commitment to strengthening global peace and stability.

The two colleagues exchanged views on contemporary security threats and stability of the Balkan and Baltic region, stressing the importance of jointly opposing the challenges through an active national contribution to the collective defense system.

Ivanovic also met with the Ambassador Edgars Skuj, General Director for Security Policy and International Organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, with whom he exchanged views on the current security situation. It was concluded that only joint efforts and teaming up could eliminate security challenges on a global scale.

Text by CdM, on January 10th, 2019, read more at CdM