02 March 2019 - The most expensive villa in Montenegro was sold in Tivat Municipality for 10 million EUR, stated Niko Laković, executive director of Nekretnina.me, a website offering superb luxury properties throughout Montenegro.

According to Laković, certain villas and apartments in Montenegro have been sold at even higher prices than in some other, more developed tourist destinations.

“Over the past few years, the real estate market in Montenegro saw an upward trend and the opportunities have been pretty favorable. The luxury real estate market functions mainly thanks to Porto Montenegro and Luštica Bay, where most of the high-end apartments were sold at higher prices than in some more developed tourist destinations,” said Laković.

The average price of villas per square meter in a high-end Montenegrin village ranges from 6,000 EUR to 7,000 EUR, said Laković, adding that some coastal villas are being offered from 5,000 EUR/sqm to even 10,000 EUR/sqm (palaces in Dobrota, Ljuta and Perast).

So far, affluent real estate buyers from Serbia showed the most interest in Montenegrin luxury properties followed by the Turks, Russians, and Brits.

Luštica Development Company, responsible for developing and building Luštica Bay, stated that last year was pretty much successful when it comes to selling homes and apartments which brought to somewhat higher prices of the remaining real estate in this newly built luxury complex. According to this company, the most expensive villa in Luštica Bay was sold for 2.43 million EUR and right now, there’s another 3-room townhouse available for purchase if anyone’s willing to give 1.03 EUR million for it. As for the apartments in this village, the most expensive one is situated in the residency ‘Kamelija’ and can be purchased for 1.58 million EUR.

Source: Cafe del Montenegro

02 March 2019 - Representatives of the Government of Montenegro recently hosted President of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Michael Wiederer for talks on the 2022 European Women's Handball Championship, which will take place in three countries - Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia.

The representatives of the Government of Montenegro stated that further development of sports is among the strategic policies of the Government, together with the affirmation of top athletes and their results, as well as the improvement of sports infrastructure throughout the country.

It was concluded that Montenegro, as part of further support for sports and state promotion, has taken adequate steps to sponsor this competition with the valuable support of the European Handball Federation.

In that context, the meeting also discussed the need to build a multifunctional sports hall in the Capital City of Podgorica, which would serve other purposes as well. Both sides agreed that the new facility would be an important link in further affirmation of sports, but also an important additional content in the tourist offer of Montenegro and the Capital City.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of Sports and Youth Nikola Janović, Vice President of the European Handball Federation Predrag Bošković and President of the Handball Federation of Montenegro Petar Kapisoda.

Recently, the biggest Montenegrin club, the Women's Handball Club Budućnost, celebrated the Jubilee - 70 years of existence in the Montenegrin National Theater.

Seven decades were presented through a documentary by Blagota Marunović and the Center for Multimedia Production (CEZAM), in which their stories about Budućnost were told by the former presidents Miško Kalezić, Rade Đurđić, Budimir Stanišić and Predrag Bošković, famous coach and sports director Nikola Petrović, legends of this sport Maja Bulatović and Bojana Popović, current head of the expert staff Dragan Adžić and well-known senior fans - Zef-Bato Dedivanović and Husein-Ceno Tuzović.

28 February 2019 -  At its latest session, the Government of Montenegro passed the Action Plan for the implementation of the Schengen Action Plan for 2019 and the Report on the implementation of the Schengen Action Plan for 2018.

The discussion expressed satisfaction with the high percentage of realisation of the measures envisaged for 2018 (90.48%). During the reporting period, the Draft Law Amending the Law on Border Control was passed, whose adoption will improve the normative framework and fulfil the obligations stipulated by the Schengen Action Plan. The new Law on Foreigners has been successfully implemented, which regulated the entry and exit in a quality way, as well as the movement and stay of foreigners in Montenegro in line with international standards and obligations set out in the Action Plan for Chapter 24.

The capacities for the arrival of asylum seekers and enhanced cooperation with international partners regarding their care; the activities and capabilities of the border police, as well as cross-border police cooperation and activities on the suppression of transnational organised crime, have been improved. The focus of the new Plan, among other things, will be focused on the implementation of measures for which funding from EU funds is foreseen, in the amount of 8 million EUR.

The session also approved the Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for the period 2019-2024 and the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for 2019.

The strategy represents the national policy of combating trafficking in human beings in the coming five-year period in the following: prevention, protection of victims, prosecution, partnership, coordination and international cooperation. Unlike previous documents, the new strategy contains an analysis of the current situation in the fight against trafficking in human beings, as well as a cross-section of the remaining challenges and recommendations for further action to achieve a higher degree of efficiency of the entire system of combating trafficking in human beings. The efficiency and functionality of the prevention, identification, protection, assistance and monitoring of victims of trafficking with a special focus on children will be improved, as well as the efficiency of investigations, prosecution and punishment following criminal legislation. The goals of the strategy were elaborated in the Action Plan for 2019, where specific activities, bearers, dynamics, necessary financial resources, as well as indicators of the results, were defined.

28 February 2019 - "Investing in the stability and prosperity of the region is actually an investment in the security and the future of the European Union, i.e. the whole of Europe. Close cooperation is a common interest, because only in this way can we provide citizens with economic and social development and security," Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Drljević said in Budapest on the topic of European Union integration. 

The Chief Negotiator for EU of Montenegro participated in the Third Western Balkans Conference "Integration through Business", organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade. 

The region, Drljević said, does not want to remain on the margins of Europe, continuously proving that as a partner it can give a significant contribution to the stability and security of the continent through a joint struggle with the challenges of modern times, such as migrant pressures and security threats. 

Speaking at the panel "Connecting the EU and the Western Balkans - the Berlin Process and beyond", the Chief Negotiator pointed out that Montenegro continues to take steps to develop national transport and energy infrastructure and promote closer economic cooperation at the regional level, noting that well-developed and interconnected infrastructure is the driver of economic growth and opportunities for new jobs by attracting foreign investment. 

The conference was opened by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, who said that the EU's strategic interest was to integrate the Western Balkans, stressing that this is important because of economic and security aspects. In this regard, he expressed the expectation that the enlargement policy will remain high on the EU agenda after the elections for the European Parliament and the formation of a new European Commission. 

"Hungary is committed to speeding up the enlargement process. Our interest is stronger EU, and this is possible only through the integration of the Western Balkan countries," Minister Szijjártó said. 

He added that the integration of the Western Balkan countries can contribute to the EU's competitiveness and said that Hungary will continue to invest in the region, which is Hungary's significant trade partner. 

The conference was attended by decision-makers, experts and representatives of the business community, who exchanged views on the business environment and development concepts of the Western Balkans, as well as the ways in which the European Union, Germany and Hungary can contribute to the economic development of the Region. 

It was pointed out that economic development plays an important role in the EU accession process, and that, despite its achievements, faster and stronger development of the region is needed in order to improve living standards in the Western Balkans. In this context, the support of Hungary and Germany to the economic development of the region was expressed.

01 March 2019 - Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković met with the new Head of the International Monetary Fund Mission to Montenegro Srikant Seshadri. The Government of Montenegro has achieved success and made a major turn in strengthening the economy and stabilising public finances, it was noted at the meeting. 

"We achieved an excellent result, above expectations. However, numerous challenges lie ahead of us and we have to answer them first and foremost through strong and comprehensive structural reforms - in the field of public administration, health, education, pension system and social policy," PM Marković said.

Seshadri agreed that Montenegro needs structural reforms and improved management, and in that context, the meeting exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities in those processes.

The Prime Minister thanked the International Monetary Fund for the technical support it provides to the Montenegrin institutions and added that it was precious given the limited administrative capacity and insufficient knowledge of certain complex reforms that need to be implemented.

Seshadri promised continued support of the International Monetary Fund and assessed that Montenegro could have higher growth rates in view of its potentials.

01 March 2019 - You still haven’t decided where to head to for the winter holidays? Here’s our suggestion – come to Montenegro! As the name implies (Black Mountain), more than 80% of Montenegro is covered in mountains so we would say the best way to experience Montenegro is first to experience its mountains. Particularly in winters, Montenegro is in abundance with all kinds of winter activities from skiing, snowboarding, to ice-skating, snowmobiling and others.

Montenegro has two main ski resorts, Ski Resort Kolašin 1450 and Ski Resort Savin Kuk, located within the staggering mountains of Bjelasica and Durmitor. Besides them, there are also smaller ski centres like Ski Centre Vučje, Ski Centre Lokve, Ski Centre Hajla etc.

Ski Resort Kolašin 1450 offers a wide range of services including the ski-lift facilities, ski equipment rentals, ski depot for children and adults, night skiing, ski schools by professional ski instructors and much more at the 25km of slopes. The resort is located 8km from the city centre, at an altitude from 1450m up to 1973 meters, and easily accessible by car or bus.  The slopes are well-maintained, divided and marked. Besides for experienced skiers, this place is very popular amongst the beginners and intermediates, who want to improve their skills. With good snow quality and reasonable prices, we are sure you will enjoy this resort to the full.

Renting ski equipment for one day this season costs 10€ for adults, and for children 8€, while the price of a ski depot for the disposal of ski equipment is from 3€.

Close to the National Park Biogradska Gora, this ski area is considered a great tourist destination where after an exhausting day on the ski slopes, you can rest and savour the delicious home-made Montenegrin cuisine with a glass of mulled wine.

Kolašin 1600

Besides Kolašin 1450, this year, Ski Resort Kolašin 1600 has been opened, as “the new pearl of winter tourism in Montenegro”. The infrastructure of this ski centre will operate in total about 4.6 km of ski slopes, on which one six-seat ski lift is installed.

Savin kuk

Ski Resort Savin Kuk is located within the territory National Park Durmitor, 5km from Žabljak which is known as one of the favourite tourist destinations. At the altitude of 2,000 metres, this ski resort has two two-seater cable cars, three ski lifts, one of which is equipped with reflectors for night skiing, as well as a children's ski lift. There are a total of 5km ski slopes, with a capacity of 3 000 skiers. The resort is easily accessible by car and bus transport is often being organised from Podgorica.

Javorovača

In Žabljak, there is also another ski centre Javorovača, with two ski lifts, baby lift, night skiing, ski school and ski service, at the track length of 400 m.

Vučje

About 20 km from Nikšić in the direction towards Žabljak at an altitude of more than 1,300 metres, located on the slopes of the plateau of Krnovo, Ski Centre Vučje is placed. A recreational trail of 1200m, two smaller tracks of 120m and a snowboard park with jumps are at disposal for the visitors. The cable car has a capacity of 200 skiers per hour. Ski equipment renting prices are 10€ a day, which is the same price for a daily ski pass, while ski area for children and beginners, as well as rental of sledges, is 5€! The tourist-recreational complex Vučje, besides a ski centre, service for renting and repairing ski equipment, also includes a 3-star hotel with a restaurant.

Hajla

After being inactive for 13 years, Ski Centre Hajla has been reopened in 2017. Hajla is one of the most magnificent mountains in Montenegro. It is located at the very border of Montenegro and Kosovo, and with its highest peak of 2403 m, it is the highest mountain of the Montenegrin part of the Mountain wreath of Prokletije. Two ski schools are operating on the ski area, "Rožaje Ski School" and "Turjak Ski School" which are conducted by lead skiing instructors with international licenses. All accompanying equipment for safe skiing including safety fences, trail markers, mountain rescue services and equipment for urgent repair of possible injuries are installed, with a medical worker also on the track. Within the track named Turjak 2, snowboard club „Jump“is organising snowboarding school with a five-day training course.

Lokve

Ski Centre Lokve is located on the mountain Cmiljevica, at an altitude of 1350 to 1700 meters. Found close to the same-named hotel Lokve, which has not been working for the past couple of years due to privatisation, this ski centre is 15km away from Berane, and next to the main road to Rožaje. Thanks to its mesmerising nature and the fact that is close to the highway to Serbia, this ski centre has a great potential of becoming a real winter attraction in this northern part of Montenegro. Currently, the length of existing slopes is around five kilometres, and the centre has a two-seater chair lift and two ski lifts. The daily ski equipment price for adults is 10€, for children 7€ and the youngest 5€.

Source: My Guide Montenegro

28 February 2019 - The German Airline Lufthansa has confirmed that starting from April, the company will launch a seasonal flight from Tivat to Munich and Frankfurt in Germany as part of the expansion of the network in the Balkans Peninsula.

Lufthansa will enter the Montenegrin market next year by launching flights from Munich and Frankfurt to Tivat. Services from both German cities will be maintained once per week. The Munich-Tivat service will start April 13, while the Frankfurt-Tivat service will be launched three days later, April 16. The services will be maintained with the airline’s 136-seat Airbus A319 aircraft.

The Director of Lufthansa Group in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia, Bernhard Wodl, stated that Lufthansa decided to launch connections between Tivat and both its hubs in Germany, as the Montenegrin market has a lot of potentials. From Montenegro, passengers will be able to use Lufthansa’s large global network of hundreds of destinations and thousands of connections.

During the negotiations with the German airline, Danilo Orlandić, Head of the Airports of Montenegro, gave a statement on the importance of the connection with the German market and the cooperation with Lufthansa. "Lufthansa, as one of the most important carriers in Europe and the world, should be our partner. The German market is extremely important for our tourism industry. Furthermore, German airports have excellent worldwide connectivity, so the launch of new routes to this market is vital for the public, "said Orlandić.

You can find more information about the new service and the schedules of the new flights at the TMN dedicated page.

Other Lufthansa Group-member airlines serving Montenegro include Austrian Airlines from Vienna to Podgorica, Brussels Airlines to Tivat, as well as Eurowings from Dusseldorf to Tivat. Other airlines which have already confirmed new flights to the Montenegrin market next year include Laudamotion from Stuttgart to Podgorica and Enter Air from Poznan to Tivat.

27 February 2019 - Montenegro is committed to universal abolition of the death penalty and provides full support to the international community in ensuring transparency of data in this area, all order to develop effective strategies and prevent discrimination and inequality, Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović repeated in Geneva.

On the second day of his visit to Geneva, Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in a high-level panel discussion on the death penalty on "Violation of human rights about the use of the death penalty, in particular with respect for the right to non-discrimination and equality".

During this panel discussion, Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, reminded that death rows were disproportionately populated by the poor and economically vulnerable; members of ethnic minorities; people with psychosocial or intellectual disabilities; foreign nationals; indigenous persons; and other marginalized members of society. The High Commissioner encouraged all States to take a stand on the right side of history and join the international trend towards abolition.

On this occasion, Minister Darmanović had the opportunity to meet with Michelle Bachelet, and discuss the topic of the panel.  "During the discussion, the role of the Office of the High Commissioner for the Prevention of Human Rights was emphasized, and the Minister transferred the willingness of Montenegro to cooperate with OHCHR to further improve the situation in the field of human rights protection," the statement from the Ministry said. Darmanović also thanked OHCHR Expert Support in the goal of strengthening capacities and facing challenges in this area.

High Commissioner Bachelet praised the proactive role of Montenegro in the work of the Human Rights Council, cooperation with special procedures and mechanisms of the UN, as well as regular and timely reporting to the contracting authorities. She emphasized that it was important to continue with the reforms, and she expressed the readiness of the OHCHR to provide additional assistance to Montenegro in further activities on this plan.

27 February 2019 - On February 27, Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković opened a new factory of carbonated water “Rada“ in Bijelo Polje. On that occasion, the PM said that this is a factory that will contribute to the growth of the economy and production and that will substitute the import of carbonated water amounting to nearly 8 million EUR. He added that the saved money will remain in the country's economic system and contribute to the development of a better standard and that the Government is showing that it opens new, high-quality and sustainable jobs and makes the best use of the vast natural potentials.

"A little over two years ago, I promised workers that we will find ways to compensate for the unpaid salaries, to link years of service and to provide severance payments. Also, I promised that the State will do everything to find an investor and start production. I felt then that they did not believe me; not even the citizens of Bijelo Polje. This Government ceded its claim of 280.000 EUR to pay salaries and severance payments to workers, while also securing 576.000 EUR to link years of service for the former employees to Bjelasica Rada," the Prime Minister said. He added that the entire project was supported by the Water Group Company from Kolašin, not only in terms of the money they invested but also in terms of their motivation, enthusiasm, capability, and know-how.

"Guided by this, they have built this factory, launched products based on state-of-the-art equipment and technology. I want to thank them and congratulate them. The new factory which is in front of us will contribute to the growth of our economy. With this production, we substitute imports of carbonated water amounting to nearly 8 million EUR, and that money remains in our economic system and contributes to the development and a better living standard," the Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković explained.

Marković also pointed out that over the past two years, the Government has shown that it can reach and exceed the expected rates of economic growth, even to the most persistent critics.

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović, Minister of the Interior Mevludin Nuhodžić, Bijelo Polje Municipality President Petar Smolović and President of the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro Vlastimir Golubović.

The former Bjelo Polje giant - Rada, whose reputation of quality transcended the borders of Montenegro, returns to the domestic market with old quality, but a new visual identity. Four million euros were invested in the reconstruction of the factory and the associated infrastructure.

26 February 2019 - In order to get a full picture in regards to the lifestyle in a certain country, it is of great importance to learn about the cost of living there – the costs of food, transportation, utilities, real estate etc. Numbeo Website, one of the most famous crowd-sourced global databases of reported consumer prices, perceived crime rates, quality of health care, and many other statistics, has recently updated the data on cost of living in Montenegro. If you are planning to visit Montenegro, or to move to this gorgeous gem of the Balkans, here are some of the prices you need to be aware of.

When compared to the United States, the cost of living in Montenegro is generally 43.88% lower. Taking rent into consideration, the cost of renting an apartment in Montenegro is 74.39% lower than in United States.

When it comes to restaurants, for a basic meal in an inexpensive restaurant you will need at least 5.25 EUR, while for a three course meal in a mid-range restaurant for 2 people, you have to set aside about 25 EUR. For one liter of domestic or imported beer, you will need about 2 EUR and if you prefer a soda, it will cost about 1.56 EUR for 0.33 liter bottle.

If you’re a fan of buying healthy food at the market, in Montenegro, for 1 liter of milk you will have to pay about 0.78 EUR, white bread loaf will require 0.56 EUR, while 12 eggs will cost about 1.40 EUR. When it comes to meat, for 1 kg of chicken breasts you need to pay 4.92 EUR, while 1 kg of beef round or an equivalent back leg red meat will cost about 6.79 EUR. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, 1 kg of apples is 0.88 EUR, 1 kg of bananas is 1.08 EUR, 1 kg of potatoes is 0.47 EUR and 1 kg of onions is about 0.62 EUR.

For those who enjoy smoking cigarettes, 20 pack Marlboro costs about 2.70 EUR.

If you don’t have your own car, a one way ticket in a local transport costs 0.90 EUR, while the monthly pass is 26.50 EUR. Taxi start is 1.00 EUR, while 1 km drive in a taxi costs 0.50 EUR. If you do have your own car, 1 liter of gasoline costs 1.30 EUR.

Basic utilities (electricity, heating, cooling, water, garbage) for 85m2 apartment cost 96.63 EUR per month, and one minute of prepaid mobile tariff local costs 0.13 EUR. If you just can’t function without internet, 60 Mbps or More with unlimited data, cable/ADSL will require at least 24.94 EUR.

When it comes to childcare, monthly preschool or kindergarten for one child costs about 125 EUR.

One pair of jeans in Montenegro (Levis 501 or similar) cost 58.50 EUR, 1 summer dress in a chain store requires about 33.56 EUR, 1 pair of Nike running shoes cost about 69.69 EUR, and if you want to purchase male leather business shoes you will need to set aside at least 82.78 EUR.

In terms of rent, 1-bedroom apartment at the city centre is 288.86 EUR/month, while outside the city centre, the rent cost will amount to 215 EUR. A 3-bedroom apartment (city centre) requires roughly about 492.74 EUR.

If you’re looking to buy an apartment in Montenegro, price per square meter to buy apartment in city centre is 1486.85 EUR, while price per square meter to buy apartment outside of centre is 1048.61 EUR.

These data are based on 2127 entries in the past 18 months from 158 different contributors and they are based on all entries from all cities in the country.