17 July 2019 - During the first half of the year, out of 134 commitments planned by the EU Accession Programme, Montenegro fulfiled 95 commitments, that is, more than 70%, while the expected realisation of final regulations in the next few weeks will significantly increase the overall level of commitments, Deputy Chief Negotiator Marko Mrdak told the press following Cabinet session, reported the Office for European Integrations.

At this session, the Government passed the Report on the implementation of the Programme on Accession of Montenegro to the European Union 2019-2020, for the first half of 2019.

"Out of 134 planned commitments, 95 (71%) were fulfilled, out of 84 planned laws and by-laws 52 (62%) were implemented, while out of 50 planned strategic documents, 43 (86%)  were fulfilled," Mr Mrdak said.

The cabinet meeting also adopted the Information on the Collegium for Negotiations' guidelines for the further functioning of the negotiating structure, defined at the 22nd session of the Collegium, with a view to intensifying the dynamics of the negotiating process and achieving better results in the continuation of the EU accession process.

In addition to agreeing that meetings of the Negotiating Group, Rule of Law Council and the Collegium for Negotiations with the EU will take place once a month, and that meetings of all working groups will take place by 15 July, it was agreed that periodic meetings of line ministers with non-governmental organisations that are members of working groups should be organised.

"In this way, not only do we want to formally boost the system of cooperation with civil society organisations, but essentially find a mechanism for improving all public policies and the use of all knowledge in our society. We can say that the Government has defined the most intensive and most dynamic a plan of work in the coming period, focusing on all of its expert capacities and consulting the political level," Deputy Chief Negotiator Mrdak concluded.

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

18 July 2019 - The water polo team of Montenegro ends the group phase of the World Cup in Gwangju Thursday morning, July 19th.

After two games played with Serbia and Greece, both settled at score of 10:10, the Montenegrin water polo team will have an easier training against hosts of South Korea, and an opportunity to practice some things for the knockout phase, reported CdM.

The ranking in the group no longer depends on the Montenegrin national team, but on the match between Serbia and Greece.

"At today's meeting, we watched a match with Greece. The meeting concluded that we were guilty of this result, and we had this feeling right after the match. We have two tied matches out of two played and we will probably take second place in the group. That is if the match between Serbia and Greece ends up as a tie. It is all up to us, I think we play good water polo, we swim well, we are physically well prepared. We need to fix some of the things in the game, primarily individual responsibility," Vladan Spaić pointed out.

He also added that the team needs to fix some things in defense, as they can not afford to repeat the same mistakes in the continuation of the championship.

"Everything is good so far, we do not have a defeat at the championship, and from that side, we have to stay positive and focused on the current course of the competition. We still have great chances for high ranking. As for South Korea, they are a total outsider, but they should not be underestimated. We have to enter the match seriously, to play some known actions and to get up a little more and prepare for the eighth finals," concluded Spaić.

His team mate Đuro Radović shares the same opinion.

"Two of the hardest matches in the group have passed, aand we should end the group phase without defeat, which is positive. In both matches, we had control, from game to game, we seemed to grow as a team, to play better, which is the goal for now. Let's go on; there is no more glance back. Against South Korea, we need to raise the level of the game to the maximum. The knockout stage is next and that is something we were preparing for. We are going against South Korea for the most convincing victories, so that we can deal with some things in the game," Radović pointed out.

The match with South Korea is played on Friday at 10.50 AM, while the match between Serbia and Greece is scheduled for 9.30 AM.

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

17 July 2018 - The online course of the Montenegrin language arose as an institutional need and a response of Montenegrin state authorities and institutions to the needs of the country’s emigration, said Assistant Director of the Directorate for Diaspora, Ivan Jovović, during a recent press conference aimed at promoting the course.

The cooperation agreement between the Directorate for Diaspora and the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature from Cetinje, concluded in March this year, defines cooperation on various projects, primarily assistance in the education of the diaspora in the field of Montenegrin language and culture of Montenegro, and other forms of educational and cultural cooperation, since the language is the basis for the preservation of the identity of a national community. This project represents an opportunity to show that the Directorate for Diaspora has enabled even better communication with all those who see Montenegro as their home country or country of origin, which in turn has a major impact on the intensified cooperation between Montenegro and its diaspora.

The Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature Ethem Mandić also spoke at the press conference, expressing satisfaction with the online course project and noting that "connections through language and culture are the basis for preserving identity, and the transfer of language to as many speakers and its popularization not only in the diaspora, but in other cultures should in general be the primary goal of Montenegrin language-cultural policies, and this course is just one of the steps that have been taken and implemented in this regard”.

The Montenegrin language online course is composed of ten lessons of multimedia and interactive type that are segmented into basic grammar and general communication categories. All lessons contain audio examples of the pronunciation of the word and their meaning in English, Spanish, Turkish, and Albanian. At the end of the lessons there are short revisions of the material being processed, while at the very end of the course, a revision of the entire processed material is designed, which offers the users the possibility of verifying the acquired knowledge.

The most Montenegrin diaspora is in the English, Turkish, Spanish and Albanian linguistic areas, and therefore the online course in Montenegrin is available in these languages. The project is the result of cooperation between the Directorate for Diaspora and the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature from Cetinje.

16 July 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković congratulated citizens of Andrijevica, Municipal Assembly members and local leadership on the Municipality Day, saying that the continued commitment to development and determination in the implementation of development policies, especially in the Northern Montenegro region, as testified in this municipality, always deserve the Government's and Prime Minister's support.

On the occasion of the Municipality's holiday, the Prime Minister hosted President of the Municipality of Andrijevica Srđan Mašović and his associate Miodrag Ivanović.

The leadership of Andrijevica informed the Prime Minister about the projects that were successfully completed and the ongoing ones, with particular reference to the numerous activities of local self-government on the valorisation of tourism and agricultural resources. In this regard, PM Marković expressed the Government's full support for the further enrichment of the Komovi Nature Park's offer and completion of the House of Fruit Project as well as works on improving local infrastructure, as stated in the announcement by the Public Relations Service within the Government of Montenegro.

Recalling the last year's meeting where the Municipality of Andrijevica was mentioned as an example of a responsible relationship, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the fact that since then, the Municipality has registered further progress and creation of new values in tourism, agriculture and the use of energy potential through small hydropower plants.

The meeting discussed several development and infrastructure projects that should contribute to the further improvement of Andrijevica's tourist offer and its better infrastructural connectivity with other cities of Montenegro.

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

15 July 2019 - Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković hosted the delegation of the European Forum of Medical Associations, who are staying in Montenegro in order to prepare the 34th Annual Meeting of the Forum scheduled to take place in Podgorica in late August.

The Prime Minister welcomed the delegation, led by Secretary-General Dr Otmar Kloiber, and thanked the Forum for deciding to organise, in collaboration with the Medical Chamber of Montenegro, this year’s meeting in our country. 

Prime Minister Marković told the European Forum of Medical Associations delegation that health is in the focus of the Government and that the Government and the ministry have been working on boosting citizen’s healthcare and living standards of healthcare employees. As a confirmation, the Prime Minister presented the facts implying that in the past four years, modern medical equipment worth more than 9 million EUR has been purchased, that more than 8 million EUR have been invested directly in the reconstruction and renovation of health facilities and through the programme of the energy efficiency improvement, as well as that 234 doctors returned to the healthcare system as specialists, while 430 doctors have been sent to specialisation, for which the funds were provided from the Budget.

Prime Minister Duško Marković also noted that in the past two years alone, 160 medical workers have solved their housing issue and that the Government together with the unions signed an agreement on providing funds for solving housing issues of the healthcare employees by 2020 worth 1,2 million EUR, as stated in the announcement by the Government of Montenegro.

Both sides agreed on the further improvement of Montenegro’s health care system, as one of the preconditions for even better positioning of our country as a luxury tourist destination, emhasising that Montenegro has great potential for the development of health tourism. 

In that regard, Dr Kloiber congratulated the Government on the current reforms of the health system and society as a whole, and on the successful development policy, noting that Montenegro is already seen as an integral part of Europe. 

President of the Medical Chamber of Montenegro Dr Aleksandar Mugoša also attended the meeting.

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

15 July 2019 - Crnogorska komercijalna Bank., the Montenegrin subsidiary of OTP Bank, purchased 87.602 shares (90,55%) of Societe Generale Bank Montenegro, at the Montenegro Stock Exchange, reported CdM.

“The total value of block transaction amounted to 35.629.692,37 euro, i.e., 406,72 euro per share,” Montenegro Stock Exchange said in a statement.

It is also announced that Crnogorska komercijalna Bank is going to offer redemption of its shares to all the remaining minority shareholders, in accordance with the law and secondary legislation.

The Central Bank of Montenegro approved the merger of Crnogorska komercijalna Bank and Societe Generale Montenegro Bank in May this year, and also by Competition Protection Agency.

On this occasion, it was stated that Montenegro’s Agency for the Protection of Competition has provided a positive opinion on the request for merging Crnogorska komercijalna Bank and Societe Generale Bank Montenegro, and forwarded it to the Central Bank of Montenegro. Central Bank of Montenegro later made the final decision on the request for merging based on collected data, while the opinion of the Agency for the Protection of Competition was also one of the conditions even though it is not mandatory.

With a market share of 11.5%, Société General Bank Montenegro was the fourth-largest bank in the Montenegrin market and as a universal bank was equally active in the segment of citizens and enterprises.

Until all the final steps are taken, Société General Bank Montenegro will continue to service the population and corporate clients with a high level of quality and commitment while preparing a smooth transition for clients while ensuring the stability of their relationship with the bank.

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

16 July 2019 - Representatives of the Italian company Pizzarotti said they hope that the Government of Montenegro will choose them for the realization of the other sections of the Bar-Boljare motorway. They presented their experience on similar projects to the Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs of Montenegro, Osman Nurković, who said that "there will be no privileged players in that match".

Nurković recently had the opportunity to host the representatives of the Italy-based company Pizzarotti, who showed interest in continuing the implementation of the Bar-Boljare motorway project.

Minister Nurković informed the Pizzarotti representatives about the current status of activities related to the construction of other sections of the Bar-Boljare motorway project, and expressed satisfaction with the growing interest of European companies in relation to the implementation of the most important Montenegrin infrastructure project.

Representatives of the Pizzarotti company highlighted their rich experience with the implementation of smaller projects, expressing hope for prospective cooperation with the Government of Montenegro concerning the motorway project.

"Montenegro is committed to improving its transport infrastructure and we called on all potentially interested parties to express their interest and propose their conditions and models for the construction of other sections of the Bar-Boljare motorway on the principles of private-public partnership, based on the best international practice, respect of the principle of equal treatment, free competition and non-discrimination. There will be no privileged players, and the price and deadlines, as well as the quality of work, experience and references will be the only recommendations that we will appreciate as an Investor in a transparent procedure for selecting a contractor to continue the construction of the motorway," Minister Nurković pointed out during the meeting.

Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A. is a construction and civil engineering company with its headquarters in the Italian city of Parma. Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A. has a history stretching back 100 years. It was founded in 1910 by Gino Pizzarotti as a sole trader, since when it has undergone process of evolution that has never stopped. Converted in 1945 into a limited liability company by Pietro Pizzarotti, father of the current Chairman, Cavaliere del Lavoro Paolo Pizzarotti, in 1961 it became a joint-stock company with a share capital of 250 million euros.

Over the years, Impresa Pizzarotti & C. has been involved in a continuous evolution, and since the late 50's has consolidated its presence in the construction sector and large public infrastructure works on behalf of government agencies and most important Italian private companies. Impresa Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A is amongst the leading Italian and European construction sector companies operating in the design and construction of major civil and infrastructure works, such as buildings, hospitals, roads and motorways, rail works and underground works. Transport infrastructure (roads, highways, railways, underground railways, airports and ports) are Pizzarotti Group's primary area of activity, both in Italy and abroad.

Read more about the business environment in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

16 July 2019 - The exhibition New Realities - Réalités Nouvelles from Paris will open on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at 8.30 pm at the Modern Gallery Jovo Ivanović in Budva.

The exhibition, organized by Public institution Museums and Galleries of Budva in cooperation with The Salon des Réalités Nouvelles from Paris, is one of the most important in this year's exhibition season of the Institution and represents important cultural cooperation between France and Montenegro. At the exhibition, whose curator is Senka Subotić, 50 artists who have dedicated their work exclusively to abstraction will present their work, reports RTCG.

The Salon des Réalités Nouvelles started working after the Second World War. It has an international character and brings together the most eminent artists from all over the world. Founded in 1946, it represented the ideas of artists such as Kandinsky, Mondrian, Malevich and Lissitzky, extending the ideas of the groups that preceded and were active in the first half of the 20th century; most notably “Cercle et Carré” and “Création-Abstraction”, in time grew into an association that today bears the name Réalités Nouvelles. The group gathers over four hundred artists, oriented to abstraction in the field of painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, installation, engraving, and digital media. Abstract artists who are not members can also take part in the exhibitions that are organized once a year, so Yugoslav artists Petar Omčikus, Momčilo Milovanović, Bata Mihailović, Dado Đurić, Ljubinka Jovanović, Kosa Bokšan, Milija Belić and others began to exhibit at the beginning of the 50s. Today, the Salon is open to all artists who deal with abstraction in any form of fine art, and represents a "stepping stone" for artists for further success and progress in the field of abstraction, as well as an inexhaustible source of ideas and possibilities. The association is made up of about forty artists elected by the president, and at the same time its members are in charge of the organization of showrooms and exhibitions, both annual in Paris and throughout the world. Since 2008, the Salon is presided Olivier Di Pizio.

The exhibition in Budva will include 50 exhibitors, among them Milija Belić, a Serbian-French artist who has a special role in organizing this exhibition and establishing significant cultural cooperation between Budva and Paris. Also, in addition to numerous foreign artists, Ivan Jurašin from Belgrade will present himself to the audience in Budva, as well as Darko Karadžić, an artist from Montenegro who is the winner of last year's Salon Award.

The exhibition will be open until August 20, 2019.

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

14 July 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković recently visited a new road from Ulcinj to the border crossing with Albania Sukobin - Murićani - 13,5 km long section from Ulcinj to Krut which was put into traffic. 

On this occasion, the Prime Minister said that a 25 km long and 12 million EUR worth road links Ulcinj with Albania, which improves the life of citizens living there and the access of tourists to Montenegro.

Previously, a 4,75 km long section from Krut to the crossroads to Ostros and a 6,5 km long section from the crossroads to Ostros to Sukobin had been reconstructed.

When asked by a journalist whether the Government would help the Ulcinj municipality, the Prime Minister said that such a thing was done within the budget rebalance.

"You saw that the Government had proposed a budget rebalance not because we have a problem with finance, but because we want to allocate the excess funds to citizens, primarily to healthcare and those who are unemployed, to launch some new infrastructure projects, but also to assist the Municipality of Ulcinj to deal with development issues on its own," Prime Minister Duško Marković noted for the announcement of the Government of Montenegro.

Prime Minister Duško Marković recently visited the newly built 9 km long and 3,9 million EUR section of the Cetinje - Ivanova Korita road from Lovćen to Krstac.

On this occasion Marković said that this road is built according to all standards beyond the usual standards for local roads. It has all the characteristics of a regional road and he used an opportunity to congratulate the Directorate of Transport and the Contractor on an excellent job.

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

15 July 2019 - Montenegro - one of Europe’s “secret places” that manages to charm tourists from all over the world keeps popping up on all lists of countries you must visit for a perfect vacation. Journalist Nick Rostron-Pike from The Sun has fallen in love with Montenegro, and in a recently published article, he described his memories of the perfect luxurious and action-packed family holiday!

Meandering through the scenery, it is easy to understand how the name Montenegro — meaning black mountains — was born. Some 85 per cent of the country consists of this rocky terrain — and some of the vistas can only be described as breath-taking.

The same adjective, though, could be used for some of the overtaking manoeuvres you will witness on the roads. A ninety minutes’ drive from the airport lies the seaside town of Ulcinj — in a former pirate cove with a beautiful, long sandy beach. Our first choice for an all-inclusive 4H Holiday Village, because everything is laid on just perfect for family breaks.

Pulling up to the reception we were greeted by what seemed like the closing party at Ibiza club night Manumission. Entertainment trio The Widgets (Gizmo, Whatsit and Doobley) started our break on just the right note by whisking the children off to dance and play while the adults enjoyed a well-earned drink.

The break was some valuable bonding time for my young daughter and me. However, our deluxe two-bedroom family room could have accommodated a family of four — with its double bed and an adjoining area with two single beds.

The bathroom would also be big enough for four, and everyone’s various beauty routines, plus there was a spacious balcony — the perfect place to enjoy a cold beer and the late evening sun while the little one snored. Some of the resort’s rooms even have swim-up balconies, which looked brilliant for those with kids who like to start the day with a morning dip.

In fact, children’s activities are a major selling point of the hotel, with all sorts of fun and games tailored to different ages and abilities. Whether its high ropes, games in the pool or archery that take your fancy, they’ve got you covered. The resort even has its own alien-themed Escape Room. Rumours that I’d left my own little monster in there while I visited the Irish bar are obviously wide of the mark, though.

One of the best things for children was the football and swimming academies where, for a small extra charge, your young ones can enjoy expert tuition. FA or Uefa-qualified coaches run the footie sessions, for those aged five to 16. But the winner for us was the swimming, run by ASA-qualified Amy and Chloe. The pair was brilliant at working with all abilities — and my girl made fantastic progress.

While we enjoyed the learning pool, there are also four more pools — catering to everyone. You can relax on a Bali bed in tranquillity or, as I did, try to get the better of your child in Total Wipeout-style challenges in the main pool. If you tire of the pools, then there is also the 16km-long sandy beach just moments away.

When it comes to food, Montenegro has you covered. With four different restaurants to pick from at the resort, your options are not limited. There is a huge array of grub on offer at the Swallow buffet- restaurant — stretching from trusty beans on toast, through to fresh fish and Montenegrin bureks (Turkish-inspired filo pastry with cheese or meat). And that was just breakfast. Lowered counter-tops, and child-friendly tables and chairs, were nice touches for the little ones — and even my fussy eater was impressed with the delicious fare on offer.

If you fancy a more scenic spot for lunch, head down to the beach bar, which rustles up sandwiches and salads while you enjoy the sea view. The pick for us, though, was the Grill restaurant which, unsurprisingly, serves Croatian konoba-style grilled meat and vegetables. Baby courgettes and peppers were the perfect accompaniment to seared steaks and cevapi (kofte-style sausages made of pork and beef mince).

After all that eating and drinking, it would be easy to relax into the evening and head off to bed.

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