Diplomatic&Commerce Montenegro #1

GOD SAVE THE KING: BRITISH AMBASSADOR HOSTS KING CHARLES’ BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (JUNE 2023)

MY GOAL IS EUROPEAN MONTENEGRO

AMCHAM STAYS MONTENEGRIN ECONOMIC STRONGHOLD

SVETLANA VUKSANOVIĆ

AN EXCELLENT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

WE NEED SYMBIOSIS WITH NATURE

“THE TOWER OF STRENGTH” IN CANNES

OUR FOCUS MUST BE CHAPTER 27

EU ACCESSION CAN BE A MATTER OF JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS

ECO STANDS FOR WEALTH AND HEALTH

President of the Board of Governors of the AmCham

German ambassador to Montenegro

President of Montenegro

PETER FELTEN

KOTOR-LOVCEN GONDOLA LIFT

NIKOLA VUKČEVIĆ

DRITAN ABAZOVIĆ

AZRA VUKOVIĆ

DRAŠKO BOLJEVIĆ

FOLLOW US TO STAY UPDATED

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FEATURED INTERVIEW

MY GOAL IS A DEMOCRATIC, WEALTHY, AND EUROPEAN MONTENEGRO

JAKOV MILATOVIĆ

President of Montenegro

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AIR MONTENEGRO

THE NATIONAL AIRLINE IS OF INVALUABLE IMPORTANCE FOR MONTENEGRO

ROBERT

MILOŠ

MILICA MINIĆ journalist journalist@diplomacyandcommerce.me

Advertising Director MIRELA VUČINIĆ advertising@themedia.capital

Photos GORAN ZLATKOVIĆ

SHUTTERSTOCK

FILIP DAMJANOVIC

Translation

JELENA KRKLJES

Prepress

Color Media Communications Ltd.

21123 Petrovaradin, Serbia

Contributors:

Milica Minić, Sanda Nikolić, Milos Dragaš, Robert Čoban, Žikica Milošević

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AMBASSADOR’S INTERVIEW

WE ARE MORE WILLING THAN EVER TO WELCOME MONTENEGRO TO OUR CLUB

PETER FELT

German ambassador to Montenegro

MARK ANŽUR

Air Montenegro CEO

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CHINA – CLOSED SOCIETY CHINA NEEDS FOREIGN WORKERS. SO WHY WON’T IT EMBRACE IMMIGRATION?

from The Economist

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INTERVIEW

WHATEVER WE DO AND CONSTRUCT MUST BE IN SYMBIOSIS WITH NATURE DRITAN ABAZOVIĆ

President of the Civic Movement United Reform Action and the Prime Minister

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CORPORATE INTERVIEW

AMCHAM WILL CONTINUE TO BE A STRONGHOLD OF THE ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING OF MONTENEGRO

SVETLANA VUKSANOVIĆ

President of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro

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MONTENEGRO AND CULTURE: ALLOWING FOR THE BEST AND NOT “THE USUAL OURS” TO WIN NIKOLA VUKČEVIĆ film director

Karen Maddocks, British Ambassador to Montenegro

Time To Say Goodbye

It is a pleasure to write for this first Montenegro edition of Diplomacy and Commerce magazine!

With just a few days remaining of my mandate as British Ambassador to Montenegro, I find myself reflecting on the unique experience of serving in this part of the world.

On the surface we see a country touted as one of Europe’s top tourist destinations. It’s a small country but Montenegro offers stunning coastal beauty, Venetian-era old towns, and snowtopped mountains that plunge into the bays. And indeed 2022 saw the highest ever number of British tourists to visit this country. But Montenegro is about so much more than its touristic appeal. It has a rich history, it is a proud nation with a distinct culture, with a heritage of the stories of national heroes.

In the three years I have served here, that proud sense of identity has come to the fore in the political sphere. I have witnessed a country that has gone through a transition process as it develops into a diverse democracy, with multiple groups clamouring for their voices to be heard. In my short tenure I have seen the rise and fall of three governments, and a period of political change and instability. But ultimately this has provided an outlet for the social tensions of the past to be expressed through the ballot box, as it should be in a maturing democracy.

Throughout all of the political changes, Montenegro has consistently expressed its commit-

ment to Euro-Atlantic values; its membership of NATO and its ambitions to become the next member of the EU. The British government is supporting this journey of political and democratic transition because we have so many shared interests – our values, and even our sense of humour. We have both benefited from a long and

warm bilateral relationship –this year celebrating 145 years of diplomatic relations. It is a friendship between our government that allows for frank discussion and mutual support, and we have thriving cooperation in areas including defence, tackling serious and organised crime, strengthening state and democratic institutions, inclu-

sion, and economic governance. Montenegro’s vibrant political life is the backdrop in a country with big ambitions. Podgorica itself has changed in my time here. Economic activity is visibly evident in the growth of new developments and infrastructure, the completion of new roads (including the controversial but super-convenient first highway), and new border crossings, and there are ambitious plans (which will be considered now by the newly-elected next government) to expand the production of renewable energy, to build further roads and railways, to revitalise the airports, as well as to open up new sectors like the IT and gaming industries.

As an embassy, alongside the international community, we have worked on projects to strengthen the business environment. There is some way to go – but this means of course there are investment opportunities for those looking for a challenge. There is already growing interest from British companies in moving in to Montenegro, and the rewards will be there for this country and its foreign investors if Montenegro’s economic, democratic and rule of law reforms can be quickly realised.

The last three years have been a time of change in this country, and it has been a privilege to be a witness to it. I will leave with warm impressions of a beautiful country whose people are passionate for their voices to be heard, who have resilience and courage, warmth and a large dose of humour, and always with the capacity to surprise us all.

I will leave with warm impressions of a beautiful country whose people are passionate for their voices to be heard, who have resilience and courage, warmth and a large dose of humour, and always with the capacity to surprise us all

The Ambassadors

Last October, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, at an exhibition dedicated to paintings from the era of Elizabeth I - my attention was drawn to a portrait by an unknown author depicting the Moroccan ambassador at the court of this English queen. Abd elOuahed ben Messaoud ben Mohammed Anoun (42 years old in the portrait) was part of a delegation of 17 men sent by the Moroccan Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in 1600. He spent six months negotiating joint operations against the Spaniards at the court of Elizabeth I. With his appearance, he attracted considerable attention from courtiers, and contemporaries say that Abd el-Ouahed inspired William Shakespeare for the character of Othello in the play of the same name.

At the beginning of May, in the National Gallery in London, I saw the painting “The Ambassadors” by the famous Hans Holbein the Younger, another masterpiece dedicated to diplomats. This time the artist immortalized two French diplomats in London - Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve, both living in the first half of the 16th century. Then I remembered a photo portraying the ambassador of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Pavle Beljanski, in Rome in 1937. The famous diplomat and collector poses in the parade uniform worn by ambassadors at the time.

Who are our ambassadors in the world today, how do they look and act, and how do foreign ambassadors in Serbia appear and behave? A friend once jokingly reproached me that our magazines are to blame for the fact that people in Serbia, in the absence of authentic domestic nobility, often view foreign ambassadors in Belgrade as equivalents to aristocrats and their residences as palaces, so to receive an invitation to a reception there is considered a special honour. I once joked that I knew summer was coming in Serbia because a lot of people started asking me for tickets to “Exit” (although my company is not the organizer of the mentioned festival) and an invitation to the reception at the US Ambassador’s Residence on the occasion of Independence Day on July 4 (which is seldom on that date but a few days earlier). Before Ambassador Kyle Scott, receptions for Independence Day were held at noon, in the hottest part of the day, with a “black tie” dress code. That, however, was not a problem for most of the guests because they were overjoyed to be among the “chosen” few hundred.

I have met most of the ambassadors who have been in Belgrade in the past 30 years. I remained friends with many of them, so we started the “Postcard” section so that the readers of this magazine could somehow stay in contact with foreign diplomats even after their service in our country. Many of these people were great intellectuals interested in local history and contemporary occurrences. The others were just officials who represented their country for a salary without the desire to delve into the essence of social processes in Serbia and realistically observe the political actors of the local scene.

In the “Diplomat” series on Netflix, we can see what it’s like to be the US ambassador in London. When the US ambassador in Ljubljana told me four years ago that she had five children, I was amazed at how she managed it with a diplomatic career. She smilingly answered: “Oh, no, this is my first diplomatic appointment. My husband is a good friend of Donald Trump and one of his campaign donors!”

In “Succession” season 4, episode 6, one of the Roy brothers, who was running for president, is offered to step down in exchange for an appointment as US ambassador to Mogadishu, Somalia. When he refused indignantly, they offered Oman, Slovakia, or Slovenia. When asked by his advisor if South Korea would be considered, he received a negative answer - “No! Too serious a country! In the top 10 by GDP!”

Local politicians and the general public often forget that ambassadors on duty in our country are mere peoplewith virtues and flaws. Whether any of them will inspire a local writer for the character of “21st-century Othello” remains to be seen.

Robert Čoban

Interview with the President of Montenegro for Diplomacy&Commerce

My goal is a democratic, wealthy and European Montenegro

The President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, inaugurated at the dawn of Independence Day, believes his presidential performance will be rewarded by a democratic, wealthy and European Montenegro. In his interview for Diplomacy&Commerce, the President, economist by vocation, emphasizes that in the forthcoming period we need to work more attentively towards creation of a sustainable economic model, with an emphasis on implementation of capital infrastructure projects and aim to ensure new and higher-paying jobs. Speaking of appointment of ambassadors, as the power conferred on him, Milatović points out that as they are meant to personify our country abroad, diplomatic agents of Montenegro must be the very best this country has to offer. He serves as an example of how knowledge and hard work always pay off, thus urging that these values need to find their way back to our system and act as core success factors.

At the dawn of Independence Day, at the solemn inauguration ceremony held at the Parliament of Montenegro you became the President of the State. Your narrative from that position echoes in cosmopolitanism. Your thoughtful rhetoric makes you stand out on the public stage. Will your actions speak the same?

On the inauguration day I conveyed a message to the public that already on the first day of assuming the position of president I would be thinking about the last day of my term of office and expressed a hope for ensuring a democratic, wealthy and European Montenegro. All my actions since that moment up

to date have proved these were not empty words but rather a genuine will for our country to change for the better. I made a promise to the citizens that I would be a “president of all”, never to divide them into those who voted for me and those of different opinions and regardless of their political, national, religious or any other affiliation. As a man of principle, I intend to remain steadfast in this commitment and I firmly believe that my actions already speak and will continue to speak of my good faith.

Where do you see Montenegro in 2028 with a view to the public opinion polls that showed a record-setting support to the accession to the European Union of 76%? Can this eager wish of

the Montenegrin citizens be considered as a guiding light and a path to be followed by every institution in the country with the Head of the State at the helm? In making promises to the citizens, public officials called for Monaco, Sen Trope and the likes as a benchmark. What about you?

a better standard of living, the rule of love and the place the young people want to feel part of. Over the past few days, at various meetings with the European and regional officials, I have been strongly advocating the idea that the European Union needs a success story of enlargement and that it is Montenegro that can and should become such a story.

Never before has your educational background and professional integrity been imminent to the officials, not only regionally but far beyond. Do you think the fact that yourself being an Oxford-educated student who has pursued career throughout Europe instills hope in your fellow countrymen that having roots in Podgorica, Rozaje, Kotor, Zabljak, Cetinje, Herceg Novi…cannot prevent them from making brilliant achievements anywhere across the globe?

Let me remind you that the destination of my first official visit as a newly elected president was Brussels, featuring meetings with the highest-ranked officials of the European Union, as an indicator that Montenegro’s EU membership and acceleration of reforms towards this goal represent our foreign policy priority. In 2028 I see Montenegro as a 28th member country of the European Union, a prosperous country offering

My professional biography and upskilling in the countries of Western Europe and America stemmed from a desire of a young economist from Montenegro to prove that knowledge and hard work always pay off and we need to claim back these values to our system to act as core success factors. Unfortunately, over the past decades, far too many with creditworthy biographies were not given a chance to prove themselves. Nevertheless, I believe those days are over and it is the recent political changes in Montenegro that have sent such practice into the past. As a president of Montenegro I shall endeavor to promote young, successful and educated persons from all over our country, thus encouraging the others as well to dare to take action and follow their dreams.

I MADE A PROMISE TO THE CITIZENS THAT I WOULD BE A “PRESIDENT OF ALL”

Do you consider yourself an exception or rather personification and spearhead of a whole generation of experts originating from Montenegro, contributing to the most diversified fields, yet currently fostering progress and accelerated development of some other countries, because of certain chain of events they could not flourish on their own soil? Do you have a plan how to not only stop but reverse the brain drain and lure back at least some of the expats?

I am this person who decided to leave Montenegro in the pursuit of knowledge and experience that I now want to apply so as to make my own country a better place for living. One of the questions I am often asked is how to motivate our youth to remain in or return to the home country. The answer is quite simple. We have to restore their trust in the system that is, as I have already mentioned, based on education and hard work, create employment opportunities and an environment that will offer proper compensation for their work. This very complex issue calls for engagement of all governmental institutions and us as a society in general and I believe the time has come to address this matter with due consideration.

The President has power by the Constitution to appoint and revoke ambassadors and heads of other diplomatic missions of Montenegro abroad, at the proposal of the Government and subject to the opinion of the Parliamentary Committee responsible for international relations. What is your opinion of the current diplomatic network of Montenegro and how long it will take until it becomes fully functional? How would you describe to the public your notion of an eligible figure for the position of a Montenegrin ambassador?

Once the new Parliament is established, followed by forming of the Government, the appointment of ambassadors instead of diplomatic agents of the chargé d’affaires rank currently representing the country in various important missions abroad and consequently the enhanced efficiency of the diplomatic network is considered as the mat-

ter of paramount importance for a proper representation of Montenegro worldwide. Moreover, in recent times our diplomacy has often served as a reference to the posts filled in by exhausted patronage appointments instead of professionals, thus holding us back from delivering the result needed to step forward. Meant to personify our country abroad, the ambassadors of Montenegro must be the very best this country has to offer and this will be my only guiding principle in appointing the ambassadors.

You are in the public spotlight, both nationally and internationally. Foreign diplomats in and their home countries scrutinize all your public appearances. From the view of an economist, what would be the way forward for the economy of Montenegro? What is the present outlook and what should be a tax policy strategy especially in relation to the foreign investments? Notwithstanding this topic is beyond direct authority of the President of Montenegro, it is reasonable to expect you will knowingly suggest public policies in this area to the future government as well.

From the view of an economist, I think in the forthcoming period we need to work more attentively towards creation of a sus-

tainable economic model, with emphasis on implementation of capital infrastructure projects and aim to ensure new and higher-paying jobs. When it comes to my international activities, I intend to direct particular attention to the economic promotion of Montenegro as an attractive and investment conducive environment. I am confident we can purposefully unlock the untapped potential of different kinds and attract investments in the areas of IT, tourism, agriculture, energy and many others. As regards tax policy, the scope of economic reforms, including the Europe Now programme, we have irreversibly reconfigured the overall social environment and in turn significantly elevated the standard of living. It is up to us to continue creating an attractive and competitive business environment that will attract foreign investments, thus facilitating the enhanced economic environment of our country.

In your public appearances you speak of your family with pride and affection and emphasize the need for full respect of differing opinions under one roof. Will you make yourself available to the holders of executive power in their mission to enable a full-capacity functioning of the institutions of the system,

while applying the same guiding principles that you adhere to in your personal and professional endeavors?

Well-functioning institutional structures of Montenegro, especially in the area of the rule of law, certainly counts among the most important reform challenges of our country. In this light, the tasks ahead of us are neither short-term nor easy.

Fixing internal divisions, building strong and independent institutions, affirmation of human rights, impartial administration of justice, equality of opportunity in society will all require a focused attention of both decision-makers and those responsible for implementation of the decisions. In this context, my role as the president is clear – to maintain active policy, launch dialogues with all social stakeholders, keep the focus affixed to the priorities of the country, support the efforts of the Parliament and the Government and act as a correction and cohesion factor in the reform processes.

To this end, I have already initiated discussions with the representatives of political parties that participated in the parliamentary elections concerning the judicial appointments which, in my opinion, is the first and the most important step if to give momentum to the EU negotiations and ensure for the country to obtain a clear roadmap for accession to the EU during my five-year term of office.

THE TASKS AHEAD OF US ARE NEITHER SHORT-TERM NOR EASY

German ambassador to Montenegro, Peter Felten explains that the EU integration process is not rocket-science

We are more willing than ever to welcome Montenegro to our club

The European Union and its member states are more willing than ever to welcome Montenegro to our club as soon as the country has completed its “homework”, i.e. undertaken the necessary reforms to live up to what we call the EU acquis. This is not rocket science – this being a crucial message of the German ambassador to Montenegro, Peter Felten. In an interview for Diplomacy & Commerce, ambassador explains that it requires strong political will to strategically address the issues still open, and hard and resolute qualified work on the technical questions to be solved. If this happens, as he says, EU accession can be a matter of just a couple of years.

Saratov, New York, Lisbon, Juba, Islamabad, Baghdad then Podgorica. When first read, this line may resemble a geographic trivia. Yet it is a simple dot distribution map of your diplomatic career. With a full bag of knowledge and professional experience you have arrived at Montenegro. Did you have a chance to get to know our country? Could you think of three lesser-known spots you would recommend to your friends as worth visiting?

Yes, I have been lucky to work and live in numerous fascinating places around the world during my 30 years so far in the German diplomatic service. But Montenegro is, without any doubt, one of the most beautiful and hospitable among them, and I consider it a real privilege to have been assigned the post of German Ambassador to your country. Since taking office I have seized every opportunity to explore the treasures of this great country and to meet its people.

As to your question – of course, the first that comes to one’s mind is Montenegro’s superb coastline and its spectacular mountain region in the north. But there is much more to be seen. Let me choose the following places:

First, Žabljak Crnojevica, founded in the 10th century, and the throne city of Ivan Crnojevič, the founder of Cetinje. It is just 30 minutes from central Podgorica, but still not easy to find: a hill with

the ruins of the medieval castle on top and a splendid view of the Lake Skadar wetlands and the various mountain ranges; with the houses of the village nestled against the castle hill. And all this surrounded by lushly green vegetation, rivers, canals, and lakes. Don’t expect sophisticated touristic infrastructure. Just enjoy the beauty of the place.

Another gem I found is the village of Medun, again just a 30 minute drive from the capital,

with its museum dedicated to Marko Miljanov, where you will learn a lot about the remarkable history of this Montenegrin tribal leader and writer, who participated in the wars of the mid 19th century to liberate Montenegro from Ottoman reign, and who, only after that, already in his 50s, learned to read and write and became an important author and chronist of his time, with his famous work “The Examples of Humanity and Bravery”, also available in English. And if you climb up to the castle hill right behind the museum you will find his grave on a plateau, with a beautiful view all the way to the “sacred mountain” of the Montenegrins, the Lovćen, with its mausoleum for Petar II Petrovič Njegoš.

Finally, let me recommend you to visit Ulcinj Solana. Some years after salt production there was discontinued in 2013, Solana become a nature park, and has since been internationally recognized as an environmentally valuable wetland under the Ramsar Convention. These days, the Government of Montenegro and the city of Ulcinj are working, with the support of the German Government, on a concept for the future sustainable management of Solana. Take a walk, or a bicycle ride, in this vast area and enjoy the beauty of the landscape and rich biodiversity and, in particular, the around 250 species of birds that breed, rest or winter there, including flamingos and pelicans. My favorite time for a walk through Solana are the early morning or evening hours when the birds are particularly active, especially in spring and autumn during bird migration. I really hope that Montenegro will manage to preserve this unique ecosystem.

The analyses show a growing interest of German nationals in Montenegro. Not only in terms of a leisure travel destination but also as a place to settle down. According to the statistics published by the Central Bank of Montenegro, in 2022 German citizens were the first largest source of the real estate investments, amounting to even 57 mil EUR. Moreover, in the last five years Germany invested over 230 mil EUR, while the commodity exchange has also shown signs of growth. What is your view of the dynamics of economic relations between the two countries in the first half of 2023? At the Business Forum Montenegro – Germany held in Podgorica earlier this year, you spoke of Montenegro as an attractive destination for German investors, with possibilities for economic cooperation not being exhausted to the full extent. On the same occasion, the largest potential was recognized in sustainable agriculture, green energy, sustainable and health tourism and ICT sector. Are there any specific plans at hand at this moment?

Government, but also by the German Business Club, which was founded just two years ago by small, medium-size and big companies from Montenegro and Germany that are engaged in economic exchange between our countries. The Business Club will give additional impetus to the expansion of our business relations.

In the light of economic relations, would you say Montenegro today is a more business friendly environment than it used to be some five years ago?

There is a collective opinion that Montenegrin administration still suffers from often redundant and time-consuming procedures, thus discouraging both local and foreign investors. Some of the enthusiastically awaited German investment projects are for example Lidl or Brajici Wind Farm. Would you say now is the right time to team up and develop a case study aimed to identifying the bureaucratic hurdles that need to be cleared? You one noticed that such hurdles hinder effi-

The figures you are quoting sound quite impressive, but, believe me, there is still a lot of untapped potential. Last year, only 6% of tourists in Montenegro were from Germany, while in other countries around the Mediterranean we reach a share of 20 to 30%. We see encouraging signs of increase though, in particular during the off-season, including longer-term stays, e.g. to escape the dark and cold winter months in central Europe. But there is potential for even more long-term residents from Germany, e.g. those with professions that do not confine them to a specific physical workplace, like in the IT sector.

Overall, I expect a significant increase in private business activities and exchange between our countries, provided key reform needs are courageously addressed. This will be supported not only by my

cient cooperation which otherwise may lead to mutual benefits. The laws and regulations thereof apply equally regardless of the sphere of business.

You are rightly mentioning two of the biggest German private investment projects that are currently in the pipeline. The sectors of green energy and retail are in general among those where German private business has a lot to offer to support Montenegro on its way into a sustainable and climate-friendly future, and to stimulate competition for the benefit of consumers.

Private investors must earn money, and they undertake very rational cost-benefit calculations before investing their money. These calculations also take into account the stability and reliability of the business environment. Montenegro is not a big market, due to the size of the country and its popula-

tion. All the more important is it that the business environment is conducive to doing business: supportive politics, a framework of legislation, and administrative regulations you can rely on, competent and non- discriminatory implementation of rules and regulations. Most of these issues are linked to the overall ambition to strengthen the rule of law, which is, at the same time, at the heart of Montenegro’s reform priorities in order to advance on its path into the EU.

Yes, I think there is room for improvement. The lack of continuity and stability in political life in the past years has made it more difficult for companies to make their calculations. And companies are desperately waiting for legislative projects like the reform of spatial planning to materialize.

We hope that the early elections in June will lead to a stable government, which can count on a stable majority in Parliament, so that necessary reforms can move forward in a focused and strategic manner. And let us not forget – EU accession will give the greatest boost to the development of our business re-

lations. So, resolutely going the last mile and fulfilling the EU accession “benchmarks” is also a key step to improve the business climate.

In recent years, Germany has recorded impressive achievements in the renewable energy generation, with the current renewable energy share of even 50% and the 80% target set for 2030. Back to Montenegro and its efforts to promote the brand of an ecologic state, our country has been a regional record-holder when it comes to energy generation from renewable sources, yet with evidently untapped potential. This above all refers to solar and wind energy. Based on the German experience, what signpost should we follow?

There can be no doubt. We need to stop greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible if we want to save our planet and preserve humane living conditions on earth. The German government has set ambitious targets for our country: we have committed to become climate-neutral by 2045. The despicable Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has

I EXPECT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PRIVATE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

caused a short-term set-back on this path. On the other hand, it has given additional impetus to our ambitions to end our dependency on carbon fuels as soon as possible. When it comes to Montenegro, I believe that the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans adopted at the Berlin Process Summit in Sofia in 2020 is a key signpost. We are pleased that the Regional Climate Partnership that Germany has offered to the Western Balkans countries at the last Berlin Process Summit in Berlin in November last year is now taking shape and will support the efforts of the countries in the region.

Montenegro has ideal conditions to produce energy in a climate-neutral manner. In addition to the existing huge hydroelectric power plants – by the way, I am pleased that a German company is actively involved in maximizing the technological efficiency of these plants –, there is huge potential for wind and solar energy. Montenegro should really create the conditions to make full use of its wind and solar potential – by reforming spatial planning legislation, strengthening its grid,

developing its energy market. In doing so, Montenegro could easily make carbon dioxide-intensive electricity production from coal superfluous and could become a major exporter of clean energy to the European energy market. By the way, energy export has the potential to reduce Montenegro’s foreign trade deficit considerably.

– of course from an economic, but equally from a human perspective. Labour migration has been, for a long time, an important aspect of the relations between our countries and peoples. It is not – and should not be – a one-way street.

Given the strength of our economy and the demographic devel-

Germany extended the privileged access to the labor market to period from 1 January 2021 to 2023 for citizens of Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Nort Macedonia and Serbia. What does this privileged access actually mean and does Berlin have the up-to-date overview of the number of visas issued to the nationals of the foregoing countries? Can we say there is a specific skill or qualification in-demand at this moment?

The Montenegrin diaspora in Germany is an invaluable bridge between our countries

opment in Germany, we need to rely on a labour force coming to our country from abroad, even without highly specified qualifications, and we have established privileged conditions in this regard for the Western Balkans countries. For Montenegro, for example, we have been granting 1,000 visa per year on this basis. This number will probably be doubled from next year. In the future, we will also widen the existing possibilities for higher-qualified professionals across the board to work in Germany. Draft legislation is under way.

All this is, of course, only a prelude for full labour mobility that will come with Montenegro’s accession to the EU.

German Embassy has continuously offered scholarships for students from Montenegro. What is your personal impression of the human potential of our country?

Personally, I am impressed with the level of education of many young Montenegrins that I have met on various occasions. In relation to the small size of the population, Montenegrin applicants are very successful in securing German scholarships. This testifies not only to their qualifications, but also to their determination, and dedication to international exchange. Applying for German scholarships, such as IPS, a programme allowing scholars to work in the office of a German Member of Parliament, or DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, is a highly competitive and challenging process. No wonder that many of the alumni later hold senior positions in

Government and public service. Among the alumni of these and other German scholarship programmes are the current Head of State, a former Prime- Minister, various Ministers, State Secretaries, a former Mayor of the capital city, and other high-ranking public servants, as well as opinion-makers in civil society, the media or political parties. I think the alumni are a valuable resource for our bilateral relations, since it is always people, individuals, that shape the relations between countries and societies through their concrete actions – in all fields of cooperation: political, economic, cultural, educational or, simply, people-to-people.

At the same time, Montenegro is on its way to elevate its entire education system, from basic schools to universities, to the European level. Germany supports Montenegro in this endeavor, for example through a Partner School Programme (“PASCH”) with intensified German language training, and through a lecturer from DAAD teaching at the State University, to name just two prominent examples.

Given that you are thoroughly familiar with the people, natural potential, Montenegrin administrative framework and the fact that Montenegro has reached the unwavering consensus on the accession to the European Union, what would be a realistic prospect?

The EU and its member states are more willing than ever to welcome Montenegro to our club as soon as the country has completed its “homework”, i.e. undertaken the necessary reforms to live up to what we call the EU “acquis”. This is not rocket-science. It requires strong political will to strategically address the issues still open, and hard and resolute qualified work on the technical questions to be solved. If this happens, EU accession can be a matter of just a couple of years. And I sincerely hope that this is really going to happen. Because, every day, I hear from Montenegrin citizens that they see the future of their country, and their own future, in the European Union.

MONTENEGRO HAS IDEAL CONDITIONS TO PRODUCE ENERGY IN A CLIMATE-NEUTRAL MANNER

Montenegro –a world in a nutshell?

The Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism has demonstrated that Montenegro, if only for a moment, can be a world in a nutshell. The International conference “Bridging Tourism Destinations” that took place on May 11-12 made Budva a single gathering spot of key tourism stakeholders of Montenegro, Maldives, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Albania, Hungary, Lithuania, Israel, Croatia, Great Britain, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria, Portugal… The conference was jointly organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism, the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives. What was the cornerstone for the start of this cooperation and what do Montenegro and Maldives have in common?

Our partner on this project was the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives and high-level delegation of the tourism industry of Maldives who shared their experiences and views of the current tourism-related topics.

The very presence of our partners from Maldives feels rewarding given that Maldives is globally recognized and labelled as one-of-a-kind tourism destination, says Goran Đurović, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism for Diplomacy&Commerce.

“All features of a small and unique travel destination is what Montenegro and Maldives have in common. This Conference has been a perfect opportunity to exchange experience with all the participants and representatives of Maldives in particular. Striving to put Montenegro on the map as an elite

destination, we have tried to absorb their knowledge and experience and taking Maldives as a role model to make our country as much attractive to the highend customers. When organizing this first international event of a kind, we also had in mind its potential contribution to the development of sustainable

„Tourism represents one of the key enablers of economic growth of the country, in first line because of the natural potential, cultural and historical sites and other resources pertinent to tourism development but even more for the multiplicative effect it has on almost all almost every economic activity”, he adds.

geographical position, which makes the country close to major European centers, along with the abundance of natural and cultural diversities concentrated in a small area and allowing for visiting most of the tourist attractions within a single day altogether form an attractive tourism product of Montenegro. Naturally, one of our goals is for Montenegro to become a high-end tourism destination. In the forthcoming period we need to conduct market segmentation to include the high-end tourism. The impressive growth of tourism as a leading branch of economy in terms of both volume and financial effects has launched Montenegro as a unique tourism destination. The future of Montenegrin tourism lies in the luxury hotels which is another encouragement for pursuing the vision of Montenegro as an elite tourism destination”, said Minister.

This Conference, he observes, has gathered a great number of tourism industry experts. This event offered an excellent platform for panel discussions, presentations and networking with the focus affixed to the most recent trends, challenges, and solutions in the tourism industry.

and modern tourism trends and practices. Moreover, the underlying idea is to turn this conference into a traditional event that would facilitate positioning of Montenegro on the map of important destinations in terms of tourism networking and collaboration“, said Đurovic.

“It takes only few indicators to demonstrate the importance of tourism to the economy of Montenegro – directly and indirectly – tourism contributes to the Gross Domestic Product and employment at the level of 20 – 30 percent. Characteristics of Montenegro reflected in its favorable

“Through a high-level professional interaction, we have exchanged experience with peers and representatives of the developed tourism destinations. Numerous sessions and panels were the opportunity to agree further steps towards interinstitutional cooperation and promotion of tourism destinations. We expect our cooperation will be continued and intensified at the forthcoming conferences”, said Đurović.

The topic of air connectivity attracted considerable atten-

The event that has marked first half of the yearBridging Tourism Destinations, Budva – May 2023

THE IDEA IS TO TURN THIS CONFERENCE INTO A TRADITIONAL EVENT THAT WOULD FACILITATE POSITIONING OF MONTENEGRO

tion at the BTD in Budva. In this context and bearing in mind that Montenegro as a tourism destination aspires to extend the summer season, one of the priority activities certainly includes improvement of air connectivity, above all with the countries of the Central, Western and Northern Europe and key markets during low season and off-season.

“Exactly. The Ministry in cooperation with Airports of Montenegro and international partners remains committed to undertaking activities that can facilitate improved air connectivity and accessibility of our country. These activities naturally include cooperation with the leading low-cost carriers with an aim to maintain continuity and increase frequency of operations on the routes between Montenegro and number of countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This year, three new routes have been added to the original list of 14 strategic routes, these being – Podgorica-Marseille, Podgorica-Dublin and Podgorica-Weeze (Germany, close to the Netherlands). Establishing strategic routes is an important step in terms of granting incentives to airlines operating to/from key outbound markets, so as to stimulate growth of tourist arrivals”, he explained. The dilemma faced by the ex-

ecutive branch of Montenegro is taking a final position on the strategic direction of development and promotion of Montenegro as a tourist destination. The Minister himself has no dilemma whatsoever. He believes that Montenegro as a relatively small tourism destination with modest transportation infrastructure must set its focus on the high-end customers.

“The peak season bottlenecks once typical of the south, have started extending to the north of the country. Against such background it is not possible to provide a high level of service or expect to have a satisfied visitor. Apart from the transportation infrastructure, another challenge we are facing is capacity restraints in terms of beaches, basic accommodation, car parks etc. At the Conference held in Budva the case of Maldives was used to demonstrate the importance of the high-end customers - though reporting lower number of annual visitors compared to Montenegro, Maldives record by far higher revenue from tourism by example of Maldives. I believe we should follow the same course”, he said.

“Naturally, we cannot but mention the middle-income consumers, who generally choose private accommodation, thus significantly impacting our tourism revenue. It is of a paramount importance to mitigate the pattern of seasonality and extend the tourism season if not to a year-round period than at least to nine to ten months and to establish a sustainable air connectivity with as many outbound markets as possible”, sad the Minister of Tourism and Economic Development.

Viewed against the available budget, it seems the results of the Ministry have exceeded the expectations. For example, the 2021 budget of the National Tourism Organization was 2 million EUR, to be then downsized to a humble 300 thousand in the following year. Any intensive promotion calls for a much deeper pocket.

“I agree with you on the point that NTO needs bigger budget for promotion and marketing purposes, as obviously without an effective promotion and visibility we stand no chance of attracting visitors from western and distant markets. Hav-

ing recognized the importance of the destination promotion and marketing, the Government has allocated a 3 million EUR budget to NTO in 2023. I have to say that notwithstanding the budget constraints, NTO has worked diligently to promote our tourism destination, to come up with innovations and changes in the marketing approach. A new website has been developed as a prerequisite for a high-quality online promotion and managed to won the Web Excellence Award in the category of the destination portal supporting the principles of sustainable development. Revenue from collection of tourist tax represents a significant source of funds for the NTO in terms of development of marketing plans and better promotion of Montenegro as a tourism destination. Considering that the Tourist Tax Act (Article 8) provides that 80% of the tourist tax revenue shall be used for financing of the local tourist organizations and 20% for financing of the NTO program, we will make sure that the NTO actually receives the share to which it is entitled under the Law”, he emphasized.

Discussing the tourism slogan of Montenegro – “Wild Beauty”, he said that the Montenegro Tourism Development Strategy by 2025 provides for rebranding of the tourism destination.

“Lessons learned from COVID 19 suggest that safety and security of destination and nature-based destinations attract considerable attention. Bearing this in mind we are trying to keep up with trends. It is worth mentioning that the promotional destination video entitled ‘Nature & Me’, released by the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro has won the silver award at the III International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA), in the thematic category of Tourism Destination –Countries. Building on this, it is reasonable to expect a new destination tagline in the coming times”, Đurović concluded.

And again, I may say to the weeping children of the Illuminator: when the world awakens from its present moral slumber, you will be not pitied but envied”.

MONTENEGRO MUST SET ITS FOCUS ON THE HIGH-END CUSTOMERS

Interview with the President of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro, a

name is another word for prestige in business community

Vuksanović: AmCham will continue to be a stronghold of the economic strengthening of Montenegro

What do you see as the most significant achievement in the previous decade and a half and what would be the priorities to focus on in future?

Diplomacy & Commerce brings an interview with a lady whose name is another word for prestige in business community and who has been widely labelled as an unparalleled professional. The fact that she has been re-elected as the President of the AmCham Board of Governors, with the votes of representatives of 49 international companies in her favor, speaks volumes of Svetlana Vuksanovic. She believes that AmCham will continue to

be a stronghold and loud promoter of a dialogue, economic strengthening of the country, enhanced competitiveness of Montenegro, catalyst of sustainable and green investment projects, promoter of the country to the renowned foreign investors and the main hub for exchange of the best business practices and experiences.

This year the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro marks its 15th anniversary.

The greatest achievement of the AmCham is reflected in the institutional improvement for dialogue between private and public sector and the unique contribution to the increased efficiency of economic and business processes in the country within the framework of platforms such as the Partnership for Better Business Environment and the Rule of Dialogue. In addition to this, we have managed to earn a position of a credible and trustworthy partner. To our delight, this has been recognized by all community partners. Moreover, we have been acknowledged for our support in identifying necessary reforms and capacity building for their effective implementation through the activities of our now more than 90 renowned members. It is worth recalling that AmCham undertakes to release a biannual Business Climate Report, which allows us to follow key reform trends, commend those reforms that have

while at all times accounting for the welfare of society accommodating the business activity and the best interest of all the parties concerned. Therefore, AmCham remains committed to further promotion of the culture of dialogue, the rule of law, equal application of law, the overall economic development and making Montenegro an attractive investment destination.

So far, the AmCham members have invested in Montenegro close to 2 billion EUR. This year’s report of the AmCham, which as mentioned includes 49 members and employs almost six thousand people offers a number of recommendations to the executive branch of Montenegro. What do the indicators in the first half of 2023 suggest and which areas have been observed as a currently impossible puzzle in terms of business climate? Is there an ace in a hole and a strong bait at hand? What would be our comparative advantage over the countries with similar potential?

In the latest Report, the AmCham members pointed to the prospects of the long-term

AMCHAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO FURTHER PROMOTION OF THE CULTURE OF DIALOGUE AND THE RULE OF LAW

been successfully implemented, but also point out the areas of stagnation. Our findings are instrumental to identification of the most important processes needed for further improvement of the business environment,

negative impact of the unpredictable political situation on the business climate, primarily seen through reduction of foreign investments, in particular those coming from credible investors who seek stable and

lady whose

predictable business environment. In this light, we expect decision-makers and all relevant stakeholders to attribute due importance to this cause, thus enabling conducive business climate for both local and foreign investors. As you have already observed, certain areas are still struggling with the chronical challenges.

Unfortunately, the rule of law, seen as a foundation of any developed society and economy that we strive to become, remains a major obstacle to the creation of a competitive and fair market, while frequent amendments to important systemic laws bring legal uncertainty. Other reasons for concern are the lack of an adequate workforce, the growth of informal market and insufficient incentives that would make Montenegro a more competitive investment destination compared to the region. Additionally, we maintain our suggestion that it is necessary for the state apparatus to prioritize its systemic response to the informal economy in order to stabilize public finances. Then again, as duly noted in your question, we still have some ace cards not shared to other countries, such as favorable geographical position, natural beauty, climate, culture and low cost of living. These features are always identified by the AmCham members as the most attractive elements of doing business in Montenegro. Other advantages of investing in Montenegro include the prioritization of European integration and the Euro as a currency, a favorable framework for foreign investments, especially in the field of innovation, a still stimulating tax policy, the size of the market – which offers great opportunities for digitalization and networking with decision-makers and simply launches Montenegro as a test market for numerous products and services that could be then placed globally.

In your public appearances you often draw attention to the gap in the labor market supply and demand. In doing so, you also offer a solution, especially with a view to the modernization of education program, as it seems that our educational system does not keep pace

with the spirit of the time. Do you think the state has an ear for the AmCham Business Climate Report which showed that as much as 70% of the surveyed members believe that attracting candidates with appropriate skills would be one of the biggest challenges?

Correct. In the last Report we indicated that attracting of adequate candidates would pose a big challenge. As I have already emphasized, although a dialogue with the institutions of the system is in place, it requires commitment to its permanent improvement and strengthening and the awareness that this is an unending process. All programs and initiatives of the AmCham are based on the principle of mutual understanding and common aspiration to overcome certain social challenges such as, among other, the mismatch between the labor market supply and demand that you mentioned.

cilitating this process. As a joint task, it requires a responsible and comprehensive approach and a great deal of time.

From you point of view, has there been any change in the mindset of the citizens of Montenegro who prefer having a government job as, to their belief, a guarantee of a regular income and stability in general? What the private sector relying on foreign capital has to offer?

We can say that certain mindset changes have been observed, mostly thanks to the good practices of the socially responsible companies, the members of the AmCham. We are proud of their work and we endeavor to impose their values as a standard for the society in which we operate. Although we understand a government job is more attractive for the more because of the recent increase in salaries, on the long-run this is an unsustainable concept if not coupled

many socially responsible companies as possible.

It is a little-known fact that, according to the ICT Cortex analysis, the total revenue of the ICT sector in 2022 amounted to more than 600 million EUR, which means an increase by one-fourth compared to 2021. In this context, the IT sector has generated 21% of the total export of Montenegro, this being a historic high. Do you see potential in our human resources in this area, especially in terms of the rise of artificial intelligence and in relation to the often-heard promises that Montenegro will become a heaven on earth for digital nomads?

One of the key findings in our Report is that education of children and young people is not focused on skills needed in the labor market. This calls for implementation of comprehensive reform of the education system through the modernization of curricula and learning methods in educational institutions.

I have to emphasize that within the survey, our members also rated employees in Montenegro as communicative, work-dedicated, responsible, loyal and easy to train for new jobs and tasks, yet observed for lacking the initiative for improvement, as well as the awareness of the necessity of personal and professional development. Young people on the labor market lack enthusiasm, and have unrealistic expectations in terms of earnings. All the aforesaid suggests the decision-makers are required to give more serious consideration to the education system and professionalization of human resources and respond properly to the market needs. Likewise, the business community is required to contribute fa-

with development of new competencies and increased productivity. We have pinpointed repeatedly that the state administration requires optimization and professionalization and in such context it is unreasonable to expect to have a stable public finance without generation of new values based on the entrepreneurship and innovations.

I believe the problem solution should start from education, meaning educational institutions that are required to instill entrepreneurship spirit in young people, including also the engagement of the members of society or business community that should offer their good practices as a benchmark for the society and the young people. I am confident that companies showing responsibility and ethics in their work, committed to the community and the environment, these companies indeed being the members of AmCham, will attract ever more interest. At the same time, all our efforts are focused on creating a conducive business environment that would attract to Montenegro as

The results of the ICT Cortex are encouraging and actually confirm what we at the Chamber have pointed out repeatedly that Montenegro has an incredible potential for becoming competitive in the global market of the IT sector. Adequate support measures of the Government can facilitate development of the innovative economy, while at the same time strengthening traditional economic activities. It is worth noting that as an incentive for attracting digital nomads, the Government amended the Personal Income Tax Act which provides that digital nomads shall not pay the income tax where such income is higher than three average gross wages in Montenegro in previous year. Montenegro eventually becoming a globally recognized destination for digital nomads would have great promotional potential for us and help shaping the investment image of the state.

It goes without saying that Montenegro is a small system, yet the system that can be digitalized in a relatively short time provided that there is a sound and comprehensive strategy available and a political will to that end. Notwithstanding the infrastructure has been developed in compliance with the standards, there is a need for an advanced promotion of the e-services, a single unified database, access from a single platform and also the need for training and raising the awareness of citizens,

MONTENEGRO HAS AN INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL IN THE GLOBAL MARKET OF THE IT THE SECTOR

and employees about the advantages of using digital services. The state should establish electronic payment systems, thus enabling the taxpayers to pay public revenues at any place without a tariff. In this way, on top of the indisputable advantages of the timesaving and data collection, this would allow for safeguarding of public finance through a minimized possibility of money ending up in grey flows.

However, we cannot neglect the fact that the acceleration of digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated the lack of digital skills, both in the general population and among public officials. The AmCham members agree that the digital literacy of the population needs significant improvement and I expect this to become one of the priorities of the decision-makers in the forthcoming period. This effort will certainly be supported by the business community.

Where and how do you see Montenegro and AmCham within in one decade time –the year is 2033?

Even if assuming that the formal process of the accession to the European Union would

be completed, it still would not mean that the social changes would not continue to follow their natural flow. I believe that as a society we should foster the culture of change, above all for our own sake. All members of the society should be required to engage and participate in the social life with an aim of preserving the principles of democracy, that is to say the rule of law, equal application of law and preserving living community. I am inclined to think that with every step closer to the standards of the other EU members, these values will gradually become our everyday life.

Already at this point I can say with full confidence that in the decade you referred to, the American Chamber of Commerce would still be a stronghold and loud promoter of a dialogue, economic strengthening of the country, enhanced competitiveness of Montenegro, catalyst of sustainable and green investment projects, promoter of the country to the renowned foreign investors and the main hub for exchange of the best business practices and experiences, something that can be offered only by this AmCham being a part of the European network of AmChams.

#believeinyourself erstebank.me

The first Padel courts in Podgorica

We present to you the first Padel courts in Podgorica. They are located in Donja Gorica, Podgorica. The Titograd padel courts consist of three modernly equipped padel courts, a cafe bar, a padel equipment shop, changing rooms, and a private parking lot. We aimed to familiarize the population with this sport by opening the padel court in Podgorica. We want to work together on implementing a strategy for the further development of Padel in Montenegro and to gather all enthusiasts, devotees, and those who have not had the opportunity to try this sport under one roof. What is Padel? Padel is a sport played only in pairs. The players on the field are in a fenced, 10 to 20 meters area with glass walls and metal mesh. A net separates the teams, and the field is marked with lines and service lines. Walls around the field bounce the ball in unexpected directions,

thus making the game more interesting. It contains elements of tennis, table tennis, badminton, and squash. Padel is popular due to its accessibility and fun. Players adapt quickly and can enjoy a fast and dynamic game, as it is played on a smaller with limited space to maneuver. This sport is suitable for players of all ages. Padel’s popularity significantly increased in recent years, making it the fastest-growing sport in the world. Many professional tennis players and athletes have recognized the advantages and attractiveness of this sport, so they are increasingly participating in Padel tournaments.

Padel and children

While playing Padel, children develop social skills and learn to behave, set boundaries and solve problems, develop the ability to communicate, work in a team and express themselves better. This way, children learn to take

risks, solve problems and search for ideas. In turn, it encourages the creativity of the little ones since they reach for new ideas for play and fun.

Why play Padel?

One trip to the field will provide recreational players and athletes with serious training and good fun. The perfect way to compete with friends, keep moving, and burn off those stubborn calories.

Padel is a fun and exciting sport with numerous health and fitness benefits. Whether you are an experienced tennis player looking for a new challenge or a beginner looking for an exciting way to stay active, it is easy to learn, fun and does not require

any technical preparation, which makes it a sport accessible to anyone who wants to try something new and different.

In the coming period, we plan to organize a padel tournament, a summer padel league for recreational players and the children’s padel school.

Instagram: padeltitograd

Contact number: +382 69 377 877

Address: Donja Gorica, Podgorica

Mail: padeltitograd23@gmail.com

A Unique World Attraction and an Excellent Investment Opportunity

Whilst Montenegro is a pearl, the Kotor-Lovcen Gondola Lift is a jewel of ever growing value

When told that the view from Lovcen over Boka Bay is a million dollar worth, do not believe it for a moment. Total value of the Kotor-Lovcen Gondola Lift project, being the largest capital investment in Montenegro in 2023, is almost 30 million Euro. This figure has exceeded by even 10 million EUR value of the con-

tract between the Government of Montenegro and concessionaire, the Leitner–Novi Volvox Consortium. A 30-year concession contract was signed in 2021.

This is undoubtedly a unique tourism attraction and likewise an investment opportunity.

A single thread is set to connect Boka, the historical and

cultural heartbeat of Montenegro, the old royal capital Cetinje, the Port of Kotor – the heart of the Mediterranean cruise, Tivat Airport and the most popular tourism destination in this part of Europe – Budva.

The appeal of investment opportunities for amenities and facilities is best confirmed by opening of exclusive restau-

rants, children’s playgrounds, and even a bobsleigh run.

The designed capacity of the gondola lift featuring 40 cabins is 1.200 passengers per hour with the expected number of 400.000 passengers in the first year of operation.

The ropeway is strung between Dub at 65 meters above

© Ivan Mandić

sea level (Kotor) and Kuk at 1.350 meters above sea level (Lovcen). Travel time between the stations Dub and Kuk will take barely 11 minutes.

Location of the Dub terminal belongs to Grbalj Plain that is situated 200 meters away from the main road Budva – Tivat and 500 meters from Tivat Airport. The Kuk terminal is

ment and innovations.

Evidently, the Kotor-Lovcen gondola lift is paving the way to fantastic investment opportunities. This particular project has placed Montenegro, today already, on the map of countries in Europe which presently includes only Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Norway and Spain.

the car cable complex. The cable car project, as previously explained, will provide for avoiding of the old road over Njegusi, contributing not only to its preservation but also to the air pollution mitigation by reducing emissions from vehicles. The investments is also expected to make a positive impact on the local food and beverage manufacturers not only from Kotor and Cetinje but from across Montenegro.

Once a cableway for transport of weapons, ammunition and food supplies, today a European attraction

It is less known to the general public that there was a cableway at this very place more than a century ago. The one not built by Montenegro but Austria-Hungary. After declaring a war on the great Austro-Hungarian Empire, Montenegro fell under occupation in 1916.

located on the Kuk plateau on mountain Lovcen, at 1.348 meters above sea level. Hence, the height difference between two end points is 1.316. The spanning distance is 3.900 meters.

All the stakeholders in tourism, hospitality, construction, transport, ecology and related activities expects the gondola lift will give a fresh impetus to develop-

Development of complementary facilities and eco-friendly environment

According to the investor, international and local visitors will have a chance to enjoy the unique panoramic view of the bay, a fast and green way of travelling from Kotor to Lovcen and various facilities and amenities enriching the offer of

Logo of the company is in a form of a gondola with the inner field containing contours of the Kotor serpentine road forming the shape of letter M, the mountain contours symbolizing Lovcen and the mountain top sunrise.

The legend says that the M-shaped section of serpentines cherishes the memory of Queen Milena by using the initial letter of her name in the design. And now, the local tale has been subtly incorporated in a new brand.

As history would have it, what is to become the lifeblood and driving force of the economy in this region of Montenegro was built in the early 20th century out of sheer necessity. The details of this cableway were recorded, among others, by Radojica Rašo Pavićević, in the publication “The Austro-Hungarian Cableway Kotor-Cetinje 1916 “.

Constructed in winter time and in the midst of war, this cable way served not passenger transport but transport of

TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN THE STATIONS DUB AND KUK WILL TAKE BARELY 11 MINUTES

© Volvox

© Austrougarska žičara Kotor-Cetinje 1916, Radojica Rašo Pavićević

goods. Fast advancement in the cableway construction was credited to the extensive experience of the cableway formation of the Austro-Hungarian army in construction of cableways in Austria and Switzerland. The Austro-Hungarian army managed to build this three-route, slightly more than 18 km long transport cableway (Kotor-Krstac-Njeguši-Cetinje) in just six months in 1916.

„It was an extremely important, significant and complex venture. I have come across the records of a lieutenant captain of the battleship who described the weather conditions for execution of works in January as extremely severe and demanding. It took one hour to transport 7.500 kilos of material to Njeguši. As this was deemed insufficient, they built another branch to Škaljari and the final branch leading to Cetinje, which enabled transportation of the fascinating 110 tons of material per day” , records Pavićević.

The cableway capacity per load unit was 100 kilos, however it was designed to enable transport of 7.500 kilos of load per hour.

At the time of its occupation, Montenegro was placed under military administration governed by General Weber von Webenau, Commander of the 47th Infantry Division, delegated by Vienna, a man of experience in establishment and organization of government. The battles fought by the 3rd Army required the state of security and peace in Montenegro to make advance while having logistic support provided by cableway from Kotor to the hinterlands and further towards the military front.

The war-torn Montenegro was racked by famine. The cableway helped slightly improve the circumstances.

In addition to the weapons and ammunition, the logistic support also included food supplies for the troops. Given that the occupier had assumed responsibility for the seized territories and local population, it was necessary to provide about 200 thousand meals daily. All food supplies would be delivered at Kotor to be then transported by the cableway all the way to Lovćen.

In March 1916, the Ministry of War of Austria-Hungary ap-

proved the supply of 200 thousand kilos of maize flour and 70 thousand kilos of bread to feed the troops and the population of Montenegro. Almost all food supplies were transported by this very cableway.

During the war, two middle stations were burned down,

aerial cableway Kotor-Cetinje. As two middle stations burned down and parts of the machinery missing, procurement of the replacement parts would take long. Aware that the missing parts have never left the country, we appeal to the patriotism of those in possession to return the parts to the nearest

followed by stealing of the cableway parts. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the use of the cableway ceased.

With the war ended and Montenegro liberated, the allies were willing to reconstruct the partially damaged cableway.

Herald „New Age“ 1919 called for reconstruction of the Kotor-Cetinje Cableway.

„Our dear allies, the noble Americans, wanting to expedite delivery of food supplies, which have been increasingly piling up in Kotor, have thrown themselves into rehabilitation of the

authorities…” reported the herald “New Age” at the time.

Nevertheless, the cableway has never seen its reconstruction. Never until now. The cableway is to become a European and world attraction.

Instead of weapons and food supplies, the cableway will serve the transport of tourists, connecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Kotor and National Park Lovćen with the Njegoš Mausoleum at its heart.

Source: “Austrougarska žičara Kotor-Cetinje 1916”, Radojica Rašo Pavićević, 2013. godina, AD Pobjeda

THE CABLEWAY IS TO BECOME A EUROPEAN AND WORLD ATTRACTION

© Photos: Volvox

Montenegro has a bright future in the economy

Put Gross directs its business path towards developing domestic brands and contributing to the Montenegrin economy

as the future of the Montenegrin economy looks promising with proper usage of natural resources, support to the development of key industries, and a creating favorable business environment", said Ramović.

With over 30 years of experience, Put Gross directs its business toward achieving success and contributing to community development. Throughout all these years, they have focused on developing local brands, production, and marketing domestic products. From many years of experience, Ramović believes that a successful business is based on facing challenges, persistence, and honesty.

Hasan Ramović, owner and founder of Put Gross, believes that Montenegro has a bright economic future. With rich resources, a favorable location, and stunning nature, the country has the potential to attract investors and develop its business sector significantly. "The coast of Montenegro should be specially highlighted, which has already attracted attention due to its clean and unpolluted sea, untouched nature, and beautiful beaches. This region is becoming attractive for tourism and attracts many visitors from around the world. In addition, Montenegro has beautiful mountains that are untouched and unpolluted, providing potential for the development of mountain tourism and ecological assets", said Ramović. As he stated, apart from tourism, there is potential for developing other industries, such as agriculture, energy, and information technologies.

"It is important that people who want to take advantage

of these opportunities have the right view and approach

"It is vital that I provide value not only to myself but also to my community, state, and suppliers with whom I work. I believe that moral responsibility is crucial in satisfying all parties involved. I am proud of my work and look forward to providing my distribution services as an exclusive on the Montenegrin market. I consider it a safe house and the best business venture for my country", said Ramović.

"IT IS VITAL THAT I PROVIDE VALUE NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT ALSO TO MY COMMUNITY, STATE, AND SUPPLIERS WITH WHOM I WORK. I BELIEVE THAT MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IS CRUCIAL IN SATISFYING ALL PARTIES INVOLVED”

The national airline is of invaluable importance for Montenegro

Developing tourism as a strategic economic branch is impossible without relying on a strong and stable national airliner

Numerous controversies followed the formation of the new Montenegrin national airline Air Montenegro. But putting it back on its feet, practically from scratch, also meant a break from the period of bad management and losses that the national flag carrier amassed. We spoke with Air Montenegro’s CEO, Mark Anžur, about what the new airline means to Montenegro and in which way it fights global challenges and deals with stiff competition.

Could you evaluate the airline’s operations two years after its establishment? Have the set goals been met?

Based on the previous analysis of the situation, and since I have been the head of the TO Montenegro Company, the company, and the national airliner Air Montenegro have had stable operations based on periodic financial reports and monitoring of cash flows, the technical condition of the aircraft, satisfactory current liquidity, booking status and capacity occupancy.

The company is financially viable, the capitalization is satisfactory, and the current operational and financial indicators for the period from January 1 to the end of June this year are better than the previous year.

Since its establishment, i.e., since the first commercial flight on the Podgorica-Belgrade

route on June 10, 2021, until late June this year, Air Montenegro has had almost 8,100 flights, transporting over 660,000 passengers with average passenger cabin occupancy of 65% in regular traffic. The company also generated 57 million euros in total revenue.

What challenges does a young airline face, and how do you respond to the post-pandemic problems?

After a six-month-long break and suspension of flights of the previous national airline at the end of 2020, Air Montenegro launched regular traffic on June 10, 2021.

In the previous period, establishing trust among passengers and partners was rather challenging and demanding but still possible thanks to the professionalism and maximum effort invested by our employees, with the support of the Government of Montenegro.

Also, during that period, there were numerous restrictions on travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which made business even more difficult, so we are one of the few airlines that were founded in Europe and the world in the year of the global crisis. During our first year of business, we had only one plane in the fleet, the E95, with 116 seats, and about 110,000 passengers were transported to 5 destinations during regular flights, i.e., to Belgrade from Podgorica and Tivat, Banja Luka, Ljubljana, Frankfurt, and Istanbul. A series of charter flights to Yerevan and numerous ad hoc charter flights have been carried out too.

The following year (2022), we had two E95 airplanes for the whole year, with an additional lease of an A320 aircraft with

180 seats for 6 months during the summer season when around 360,000 passengers in total were transported. We regularly flew to 11 destinations. In addition to the flights to the destinations from 2021, we introduced six new flights - Zurich, Paris, Nantes, Lyon, Copenhagen, and Prague, and a series of charter flights.

This year, i.e., two years after the airliner was launched, we are flying to 14 destinations plus all destinations from the previous year and have charter flights to eight destinations.

Namely, this year, the national air carrier Air Montenegro regularly flies to Belgrade, Ljubljana, Banja Luka, Frankfurt, Zurich, Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Copenhagen, Prague, and Istanbul, just

AIR MONTENEGRO LAUNCHED REGULAR FLIGHTS ON JUNE 10, 2021.

CORPORATE MARK ANŽUR, Air Montenegro, CEO

like previous year, and for the first time, we are also flying to Bratislava, Brno, and Sarajevo.

In addition to new charter flights to the Baltic countries (Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn), which operate from Tivat Airport, we have new charter flights from Podgorica to Rzeszów in Poland. Just like in previous years, we also have charter flights to Yerevan, Cairo, and Katowice from June to September, while charter flights from Tel Aviv were launched in March, and we will fly to this destination until October of the current year.

Dynamic growth and development are characteristics of the previous and certainly future periods of the company’s operations.

How important is it for Montenegro to have its own national airline?

In short, it is of invaluable importance, and let me explain why.

Our country’s size, a geographical position as a distinct aviation destination of dominant seasonality, and the influx of capital are only some of the reasons why Montenegro must have a national airline.

The existing infrastructure and rail and road traffic in Montenegro require that the state should, first and foremost, rely on the market/commercial business

itor or a partner? Is there room for a third carrier there?

policy of domestic airlines instead of foreign ones, which cannot provide stable support for the country’s economy, especially in the off-season.

TO Montenegro’s Board of Directors will propose a development strategy in accordance with the supervision of the company’s operations and its duties and responsibilities. An adequate investment plan will define the marketing and commercial strategy following market requirements.

Also, the state tourism policy is such that it focuses on making Montenegro a year-round, rather than a seasonal, tourist destination which, in turn, supports the strategy that my team and I will, after it has been given the green light, apply to Air Montenegro’s operations.

Bearing in mind that tourism’s share in Montenegro’s GDP is about 25%, we are confident that the action plan, which will be an integral part of the Strategy, and its implementation will bring multiple economic benefits to the state, economy, and citizens alike.

I am also sure that developing tourism as a strategic economic branch is impossible without relying on a strong and stable national airliner.

How important are flights to Serbia, and how do you view the duopoly? Is Air Serbia a compet-

Since the suspension of Montenegro Airlines’ flights in late 2020, Air Serbia has become the most dominant airline at Montenegrin airports, with the largest share in the number of aircraft rotations and the number of passengers transported in 2021 and 2022. During that period, Air Serbia transported a total of 388,329 passengers via Montenegrin airports, which is almost 45.5 percent more than in record-breaking 2019. In 2022, the national air carrier Air Montenegro came much closer to achieving the same results as Air Serbia. Namely, in 2022, at Podgorica and Tivat airports, we transported almost 360,000 passengers, which is an almost 19% share of the total passenger traffic at these two airports. To compare, Air Montenegro, operating from Montenegrin air -

During the current high season, we fulfilled the current market demand by renting 2 aircraft, thus overcoming the challenges and meeting the expectations of the Montenegrin government, our partners, tourism, complementary economy, and passengers. Currently, Air Montenegro, which is owned by the TO Montenegro Company, has two aircraft, Embraer 195 (registrations AOA and AOB) and leased Embraer 190 (registration UR–EMA) from Windrose, as well as Airbus 320 (registration LYFJI) rented from Heston Airlines.

The strategy, which I previously discussed with the Board of Directors, will include, among other things, so-called “self-standing” operations to occupy a significant market position, achieving good financial and operational indicators, financial profitability, and commercial viability in the aviation business.

ports, had an average load factor of 66.5% last year, while Air Serbia’s was 76%. From Montenegro, Air Serbia flies almost exclusively the very popular and sought-after route to Belgrade. In addition to the route to Belgrade, Air Montenegro also regularly flew to Western Europe last year and developed the now-established and successful route Tivat-Istanbul, which inevitably had to be reflected in a somewhat lower average load factor compared to Air Serbia.

Air Serbia is our partner, especially considering that a larger number of flights, especially to Tivat airport, are operated by their connected flights from other European destinations via Belgrade, which tourists use to come to Montenegro.

What vision do you have for developing flights and the fleet? Which markets will Air Montenegro expand to and why? What can we expect in the coming period in terms of fleet and new flights?

TO Montenegro’s strategic development and commercial policy implies dynamic development in the future, which, among other things, includes the acquisition of new aircraft and the expansion of both the flight network and the base of stable clients/passengers.

Air Montenegro must have a fleet that must and can service the Montenegrin market and should be a priority for any government.

We also need to have welltrained, experienced staff and educate and invest in new staff who can lead a commercially stable and operational company based on optimal principles.

However, as I said earlier, while appreciating the Government’s strategic determination to make Montenegro a year-round tourist destination based on economic profitability, we will also work on expanding the flight network and increasing the traveller base, i.e., the users of our services and Montenegro’s integral tourism product.

AIR MONTENEGRO IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW AIRLINES THAT WERE FOUNDED IN EUROPE AND THE WORLD IN THE YEAR OF THE GLOBAL CRISIS INDUCED BY COVID-19.

Klapa “Kaše” sang the anthems of Montenegro, Croatia, and the EU

On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Podgorica held a formal reception to mark Statehood Day and 10 years of membership of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union. During the reception, there was a performance by the Dubrovnik klapa Kaša. More than 500 guests attended the formal celebration, which took place at the Knjaz Estate, among which were high-ranking officials, the diplomatic community, military and security officials, many politicians, media representatives, members of the Croatian community in Montenegro, representatives of the business community, as well as and many Montenegrin institutions, religious communities and presidents of municipalities in Montenegro. Klapa Kaša performed the Croatian and Montenegrin national anthems and the Ode to Joy, after which Ambassador Grubišić addressed the crowd. During the reception, those gathered

enjoyed the performance of the Kaša band and Croatian wines from Slavonia and Istria. And this year, the reception was financially supported by the following companies: Hipotekarna banka, Erste banka, Kimtec, VOLI, Mercator, T-com, INA Montenegro, Podravka Montenegro, ATACO, CEMEX, Kutjevo doo, Ledo Montenegro, Damjanić vina, West Point, Marinetek, Feal and Infinum.

In his speech, Ambassador Grubišić thanked the “Kaše” choir, saying that many claim that no one knows how to sing the national anthem of Montenegro as beautifully as the “Kaše” choir: “Today is the 33rd anniversary of the re-establishment of the multi-party parliament in Croatia. framework, the Croatian Parliament has been the bearer of Croatian identity, only in these areas, since the

8th century and has lasted continuously since 1918. In two years, we will mark the 1100th anniversary of the coronation of King Tomislav. In a month, we will mark 10 years of membership in the European Union, and 14 years of membership in NATO have passed. We hoped that on the tenth anniversary of EU membership, we would welcome Montenegro as a full member of the European Union. By becoming a member of NATO, we joined the powerful alliance, which today, together with Finland, comprises 31 countries, of course including Montenegro. We hope that friendly Sweden will join us soon. The NATO alliance is a defense alliance for the entire Euro-Atlantic area that starts from the Tropic of Cancer and ends at the North Pole, so it also covers all the Mediterranean African countries. It is a great thing for Croatia that we can say that we are allies with the powerful USA. We have a lot of ties with them, about a million Americans are of Croatian origin. (...) Last year was very fruitful for Croatia. With the construction of the Pelješki bridge, which was mostly financed by the European

Union, the Croatian mainland was finally joined. This architectural beauty was designed by a Slovenian architect and was excellently built on time by the Chinese corporation CRBC, which means that in addition to Marco Polo, we now have a new link with China.

Croatia fully integrated into the European Union by joining the Schengen Area and the Eurozone and recently also in the European Stabilization Mechanism. We are proud to be integrated into the Union with 26 other excellent countries. We are happy that the Croatian language is one of the 23 official languages of the European Union. It is worth mentioning that the Croats were the only people under the auspices of the Catholic Church who had permission from the Vatican to celebrate the Holy Mass in the old church Croatian language, while all other Catholic nations were obliged to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Latin language. Allow me to express my deepest condolences to Ukraine for the tragedy and pain experienced by its people. In honor of them, I will say a few verses from the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko: “When I die, bury me in the middle of the vast steppes, around me may the beautiful Ukraine spread, so that from the grave I can look at the meadows and fields and listen to the noisy Dnieper as much as I like.” he said is, among other things, in his inspired speech, Ambassador Grubišić. Finally, he thanked his wife Marta, who is also the head of the Consular Department at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Tirana.

Bridge between two coasts of the Adriatic

Numerous Italians, Montenegrin and foreign friends participated in the celebration of the Statehood Day of Italy in Podgorica. As President Jakov Milatović rightly reminded, the honorary guest of the celebration, everywhere in the world, in each of us, there is a little bit of Italy. The unbridled rhythm of the taranto of the famous group CGS Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino acted as a bridge between two coasts of the Adriatic, bringing the sounds of Italy to this side of the sea. Maestro Lucano Sorbilo contributed with his real Neapolitan pizza to create an atmosphere of socializing that characterizes our peoples, delighting the palate of all present, in a festive and cheerful atmosphere.

GOD SAVE THE KING: Celebration at British Ambassador’s Residence

The British Embassy in Podgorica marked its holiday with a celebration on the occasion of the official birthday of King Charles III.

The event, held on June 22 at the residence of British Ambassador Karen Maddocks, brought together guests from the world of politics, the non-governmental sector, the media, diplomats, and numerous figures from cultural and public life. As announced by the British Embassy, this event emphasizes the permanent friendship between the United Kingdom and Montenegro and the common values and other ties between these two countries.

“The coronation of King Charles III was, above all, a celebration of an old tradition in the United Kingdom, while at the same time, it marked the be-

tinued to rise. Montenegro stood by us, like many other countries around the world, in support of Ukraine,” Ambassador Meddocks said in her speech. She pointed out that they have a close partnership with the Government of Montenegro, as well as with civil society and others, regarding a number of issues, which include defense and cyber security, police cooperation and border control, judicial training, gender equality and LGBT rights, education, creative industries, and improving the business environment.

“This will be my last time appearing on stage at this event – after three eventful years in Podgorica. It has been a great

ginning of a new era for our monarchy. More importantly, it was an event that brought together leaders of nations from around the world. Building bridges between communities, whether locally or globally, is how King Charles III sees his role. During the past year, and the political changes in both our countries, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Montenegro con-

privilege to serve as the British Ambassador here, helping to steer our relationship through a time of challenge and change in my country.”, as well as in Montenegro. This is a country where people passionately want their voices to be heard. You have dynamism, courage, resilience, humor, warmth, and, above all, the ability to surprise us all. I have learned a lot from you that I will take with me,” said Maddox at last and raised a glass of whiskey high in honor of the new King Charles III and the health of all present.

U.S. Embassy Celebrates INDEPENDENCE DAY

U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro Judy Rising Reinke hosted a reception at her residence in Podgorica, Mareza, the evening of June 27, 2023 to celebrate the 247th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Montenegrin officials, including President Jakov Milatovic who was the guest of honor, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of political parties, judicial, educational, cultural, and other institutions, in addition to media and civil society representatives attended the event. Ambassador Reinke and President Milatovic gave remarks at the reception.

China needs foreign workers. So why won’t it embrace immigration?

Opposition to multiculturalism is fuelled, in part, by claims of racial purity

For hundreds of years China could boast of having more people than any other country. The title became official in the 1950s, when the UN began compiling such data. Such a large population conferred on China certain bragging rights. A huge labour supply also helped to boost its annual GDP growth, which has averaged close to 9% over the past three decades.

Last month China’s reign came to an end. India has overtaken it as the world’s most populous country. The demographic trends behind the shift have troubling implications for the new number two. China’s working-age population has been shrinking for a decade (see chart). Its population as a whole declined last year—and it is ageing rapidly. This is likely to hinder economic growth and create an enormous burden of care.

Yet when officials in Beijing mull solutions, one seems largely absent from the discussion: immigration. China has astonishingly few foreign-born residents. Of its 1.4bn people, around 1m, or just 0.1%, are im-

shun immigration and China’s total still looks measly. Foreigners constitute 2% of Japan’s population and 3% of South Korea’s. Even North Korea has a higher proportion of immigrants than

CHINA HAS ASTONISHINGLY FEW FOREIGN-BORN RESIDENTS. OF ITS 1.4BN PEOPLE, AROUND 1M, OR JUST 0.1%, ARE IMMIGRANTS. THAT COMPARES WITH SHARES OF 15% IN AMERICA, 19% IN GERMANY AND 30% IN AUSTRALIA.

migrants. That compares with shares of 15% in America, 19% in Germany and 30% in Australia. Place it next to that of other Asian countries which also

China, according to the UN. China’s future economic and social needs resemble those that have made other societies recruit guest workers. In Janu-

ary the government released a list of 100 occupations, such as salesperson and cleaner, where there is a lack of staff. Over 80% of manufacturers faced labour shortages in 2022, according to one survey. Nearly half of China’s 400m blue-collar workers are aged over 40, reported a study in December. That is in line with an official estimate that China will have trouble filling nearly 30m manufacturing jobs by 2025.

An abundance of young and cheap workers once filled these openings. But as China ages and shrinks that supply of willing labour is drying up. Firms complain of a mismatch between

the jobs sought by young people, an increasing number of whom have university degrees, and those available. Many young Chinese do not want to work in factories, laments China Daily, a party mouthpiece. That helps explain why nearly 20% of 16- to 24-year-olds in cities are unemployed.

China could make better use of its existing population. The country is under-urbanised and its rural residents under-educated by advanced-economy standards. Higher pay and fewer curbs on internal migration would certainly help. But even young migrants from rural areas seem less inclined than in

Female laborers work in a cloth factory that exports to European Union in Huaibei, Anhui province, East China / Shutterstock

the past to travel to cities for blue-collar work. In many other countries immigrants do the jobs that pay too little to attract locals. Immigrants have also helped to ease the burden where populations are ageing. Japan, for example, has allowed foreign nurses to tend to its seniors. China faces an even greater challenge in this regard. Unlike Japan, it has not grown rich before growing old, and will have soaring bills for health and social care.

China admits that it needs more young people. The government has tried to coax citizens to have more babies—to little avail. Chinese women, on average, have less than 1.2 children, well below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable.

In contrast, the state has made little effort to attract people from abroad. In 2016 it set up a three-tiered, points-based system for employment-visa applicants. The lowest tier, class C, includes those with relatively little education and work experience. These permits are difficult to obtain. “Encourage the top, control the middle and limit the bottom,” went a state slogan at the time the system was introduced.

Even those at the top face big obstacles, though. The country’s green-card system, introduced in 2004, is limited and complex. It was meant to save affluent or highly skilled foreign workers from having to reapply for a visa each year. In practice, only 11,000 or so ten-year residence permits were issued from 2004 to 2016, the last year such data were released. During that same period, America, with a quarter of China’s population, issued nearly 12m green cards. Since then China has established a national immigration agency and tried to ease the application process for residency. But the threshold remains high: applicants must have invested at least $500,000 in a Chinese business for three consecutive years, be married to a Chinese citizen, have made or be mak-

ing a significant contribution to the country, or possess skills that are especially needed. None of this will help Chinese manufacturers fill jobs.

Long live the kin

The simple truth is that China

overwhelming share of China’s green cards go to foreigners of Chinese ancestry. Similarly, foreign-born children of Chinese nationals get special treatment when applying to Chinese universities. The Thousand Talents programme to attract ac-

LOOSER IMMIGRATION POLICIES WOULD NOT ONLY HELP EMPLOYERS WITH LABOUR SHORTAGES. THEY WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION. GOOGLE, LINKEDIN AND TESLA WERE ALL CO-FOUNDED BY IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA.

has no interest in becoming an immigrant melting pot. Part of this may be explained by foreign bullying of the country in the past. But opposition to multiculturalism is also fuelled by claims of Chinese racial purity long peddled by nationalists. Officials boast of a single Chinese bloodline dating back thousands of years. In 2017 Xi Jinping, China’s supreme leader, told Donald Trump, then America’s president: “We people are the original people, black hair, yellow skin, inherited onwards. We call ourselves the descendants of the dragon.” That informs immigration and nationalisation policy. An

ademics from abroad enrolled nearly 8,000 scientists and engineers from 2008 to 2018. All but 390 were Chinese-born returnees, according to the Brookings Institution, a think-tank in America.

Citizenship is all but closed to foreigners, unless they are the children of Chinese nationals. Chinese green cards, unlike American ones, do not offer a path. China had only 16,595 naturalised citizens in total in 2020. Japan, meanwhile, naturalises around 7,000 new citizens each year. In America the number is over 800,000.

Public attitudes make it hard to be more open. In 2020 a pro-

posal to ease the path to residency for rich or skilled foreigners faced a populist backlash, with men promising to protect Chinese women from immigrants. In general the state encourages a closed mindset. A national-security campaign warned Chinese women that their foreign boyfriends could be spies, while officials blame perceived social ills on “foreign influences”.

Then there is the onechild policy, which was ditched only in 2016. Couples may now have up to three children. Few want that many. But it may be difficult to convince a generation raised on—and scarred by—population control that high inflows of immigrants are desirable.

That is a shame. Looser immigration policies would not only help employers with labour shortages. They would also encourage innovation. Google, LinkedIn and Tesla were all co-founded by immigrants to America. But the bright young minds from abroad who study in China find it hard to get a visa upon graduation. Meanwhile, many Chinese students are studying in the West—and staying there.

Curiously, the main route to Chinese citizenship now seems to be sporting excellence. Around a dozen footballers, most with no ancestral ties to China, were naturalised in 2019 and 2020 in a failed attempt to help the country reach the World Cup. Another handful of athletes, most with a parent born in China, got citizenship before the Winter Olympics in 2022. Labour shortages in less glamorous trades may soon force officials to consider admitting newcomers who will never win a medal.

The Most Populated Countries in the World

FRecently, the statisticians warned us that after many years, China would not be the most populous country in the world, and it already happened – neighboring India surpassed it – the score is now 1.426 billion to 1.425 billion inhabitants, and the difference will just grow with time. The USA comes in third with just under 325 million residents. The BRIC countries (Brazil (7), Russia (9), India (1), and China (2)), generally regarded as the four major emerging economies expected to dominate in the 21st century, are all in the top ten most populous countries, indicating how important the sheer size of their populations is to their economic expan- sion. However, a number of countries considered by the International Monetary Fund to be developing countries (that is, having not achieved a high degree of industrialization relative to their populations and where the population typically has a medium to the low standard of living) also

have sizeable populations, including Nigeria (the 5th most populated, with over 190 million), Bangladesh (8th, almost 165 million) and Mexico (10th, around 129 million), demonstrating that the issues affecting developing nations span multiple continents. A surprising country on the list is Indonesia, with 277 million people, occupying the 4th place in the world on so many tropical islands! The future belongs to the Third World, and all of these countries tend to join BRICS++, thus changing the political and economic map of the world. It is notable that a number of the largest economies in the world have smaller populations, particularly in Europe. The United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy are all among the top ten largest economies, and all have populations of under 100 million. Their numbers range from 82 million (Germany) to just under 60 million (Italy). They will certainly suck up a lot of immigrants from poor and overpopulated countries, but the balance is definitely changing.

NATIONAL DAYS

JULY 2023

COLOMBIA 20

Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1810

BELGIUM 21

Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld takes the oath as the first King of the Belgians in 1831

EGYPT 23

Revolution Day, the revolution of 1952

LIBERIA 26

Proclamation of the Republic, independence form the United States in 1847

PERU 28

Declaration of independence from Spain in 1821

MOROCCO 30

AUGUST 2023 SWITZERLAND 01

SEPTEMBER 2023

Overcrowded street in Varanasi downtown © Cavan-Images / Shutterstock

Mont enegro

Whatever we do and construct must be in symbiosis with nature

Though we have long considered the nature of Montenegro as a mere wealth-grabbing tool, the approach has now taken a different turn, says Dritan Abazović, the President of the Civic Movement United Reform Action and the Prime Minister. A number of the forthcoming projects, such as the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway, the expressway from Ulcinj to Herceg Novi etc. must be designed and built exclusively in symbiosis with nature, emphasizes Abazović in his interview for Diplomacy & Commerce.

ecological state in the world. Has the nature of Montenegro outweighed its inhabitants or is there still time left to pay our dues?

The Civic Movement URA is established on the principles of green politics and promotes a green programme. If Montenegro were a plant, which plant would it be?

Beyond any doubt – an evergreen plant, the one that never tarnishes regardless of the season and the weather, equally defying a white cover and a blazing sun. This description conjures up an image of a green, ecological state – Montenegro.

Adopting the Declaration in Žabljak on 20 September 1991, Montenegro became the first

The nature of Montenegro has outweighed the people of the country for eternity and hardly anything can cope with this wealth of diversity. In recent decades in particular, the people here have failed to cherish the wild nature as a God given gift. The nature has been generally perceived as a mere wealth-grabbing tool serving the individual needs, while the long-term vision of the environmental preservation has given least consideration to harmonious coexistence between humankind and nature. The way we are, we seem unworthy of nature. Nevertheless, it does not mean that we still should not treat nature with respect and love and do our best to make sure the future generations will better appreciate the nature.

Being the only state in the world defined as ecological in the Constitution is a comparative advantage of Montenegro that we still have not managed to leverage to the full extent.

The decisions made in the couple of last years have demonstrated there are other ways to treat nature. Skadar Lake revived once we have effectively reduced poaching. We have preserved Salina with its manifold implications for humankind and nature from the ill intentions of the previous authorities. We have put an end to the illegal gravel extraction, prevented construction of numerous mini hydropower plants and thus preserved so many of our rivers and biodiversity of rivers and on river banks.

Would you say it is a prerogative for future developments such as hydropower plant Komarnica, military ground on Sinjajevina, the port of Virpazar, gas line, Adriatic-Ionian motorway, expressway Ulcinj – Herceg Novi and the likes to be designed, built and operated solely if in symbiosis with nature?

Whatever we do and construct must be in symbiosis with nature. Otherwise, there would be no sense and no benefit. As long as I am the Prime Min-

ister, neither the hydropower plant on Komarnica nor the military ground on Sinjajevina will be built.

Notwithstanding the need of Montenegro to strengthen and expand both road and power infrastructure, implementation of these projects must be governed by the principles of green policies, at all times safeguarding national parks and protected areas.

Is it real to expect Montenegro to reach the net-zero emissions by 2050, being the target pursued by a modern world? In our case, would it be a utopia or a window of opportunity brought by the energy transition allowing to create employment and attract some of the most powerful and renowned international investors and eventually help improving living standard?

I am committed to keeping these topics in everyday public view and I am prone to think we are getting there. URA has opened the door of Montene-

The nature of Montenegro has outweighed the people of the country for all eternity

THE

NATURE HAS BEEN GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS A MERE WEALTH-GRABBING TOOL

gro to green policies and in future these will attract more spotlight. Having said this, I would like to single out one project that in my opinion has the capacity to change fate of not only one town but the entire northern region - “Green Pljevlja”. The project provides for ecological modernization of the existing industry infrastructure, launch of new production facilities, development of ecological agriculture, series of interconnected businesses and all this exclusively on green principles. The project would facilitate economic revival of the town, allow the town to breath green and generate employment throughout the entire northern region of the country. I believe this project is the best answer to your question. It is not a utopia but reality. It only takes strong will and a vision.

What is the future of Salina, a nearly 15km2 large nesting and resting site for more than 250 bird species, in other words more than half of bird species recorded in Europe? Do we actually know how to appreciate flamingo, pelican, spoonbill and other residents of the Saline, when aware that more than 90% of citizens of Montenegro have never set their foot in this area?

Unfortunately, over the past decades the Salina had been an object of corrupt activity

that we have eliminated by returning the saltworks to public hands. Our ultimate goal is to restore the salt production at Salina that would in turn allow for development of this area using an ecological-approach. In this context, the state should seek an operator which would successfully run the business and at the same time preserve the species you have mentioned. Like I always say, the Salina is one of the largest airports for birds in Europe. The

Salina is one of a kind and we need to work harder if to make any and all visitors of our country aware of its uniqueness. You have observed correctly when saying our citizens lack awareness of this area. Therefore, it is important to educate younger generations

through inclusion of different eco-schools, eco-camps and eco-lessons in our educational system. In this way they will become aware of the significance of our resources in their earliest days.

Could you name five mustsee spots from the north to the south of the country you would recommend to your friends from abroad when visiting Montenegro?

You have saved the hardest question for last. Wherever you go, any place, town or village in Montenegro will tell you a different story that will remain embedded in your memory to the rest of your days. To have so much wild beauty, an amalgam of mountains, rivers, sea, forests, lakes and cultural heritage accommodated in such a small area is absolutely incredible. If I have to choose only five spots, then I will pick Ada Bojana, the Grebaja Valley, Black Lake, Our Lady of the Rocks and the Kotor-Lovćen cableway that is awaiting its opening in July this year.

YOUNGER GENERATIONS MUST BECOME AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR RESOURCES

Interview with Executive Director of NGO Green Home, Azra Vuković

Space is the most threatened resource in Montenegro

More than three decades ago Montenegro became an ecological state. Have we proved to be worthy of such an attribute and if so, to which extent?

It has been more than thirty years since Montenegro proclaimed itself as an ecological state. While the country’s abundant natural resources rightfully deserve the assigned epithet, it is not safe to say that Montenegro has upheld such a status, being its constitutional commitment.

Unlike the developed countries, not self-proclaimed as ecological, yet committed to restoration of areas damaged by industrial exploitation thanks to their environmental awareness, Montenegro has been observed for an unabated devastation of nature. The waste is thrown into rivers and on the roadsides, dumped in temporary landfills, we are still facing the unresolved black ecological spots, poaching of protected species and within the protected areas, illegal logging and general overexploitation of all natural resources of our country.

Which area is presently most affected by the persistent environmental problems and what are the most threatened resources?

In the broadest sense, space is the most threatened resource in Montenegro. Unplanned settlements, illegal construction, construction at the locations which represent valuable natural areas, such as protected areas, have made their way as practice threatening to destroy the space and therefore the nature and natural habitats beyond repair.

When environmental concerns

are viewed through the prism of EU and Chapter 27, the issue that, inter alia, has been included in key recommendations of the last Progress Report for Montenegro is waste management. Evidently, this subfield has been identified for grow-

The rivers in Montenegro are faced with different threats. The waste is thrown into the rivers of Montenegro, river banks host temporary landfills, sand and gravel are uncontrollably extracted from riverbeds,

best demonstrated by the Environmental Impact Assessment Study that though received many objections from the Project Evaluation Commission still provided for an indisputable conclusion that the „construction project would have significant effects“, in other words „the project will have adverse effects on the areas that are important for preservation of local and regional biodiversity, with the flooded areas being irrevocably degraded“

The concerns about the damage to water bodies and rivers caused by infrastructure developments were also raised in last year’s Resolution of the European Parliament.

What about the Ulcinj Salina, the national ecological treasure that has stood as a symbol of disregard and neglect for years?

Although addressing the issue of Ulcinj Solana is one of the benchmarks to be met if to close Chapter 27, this process still entails numerous problems. Salina was declared a protected area at both national and international level. However, establishment of a steady management structure with a clearly defined scope of competence is still pending.

ingly visible problems, however showing no signs of progress.

In recent years we have witnessed the vast devastation of numerous Montenegrin rivers. How do you comment on the intended construction of hydropower plants on certain sites, such as Komarnica? Would you say projects of this kind would bring more harm or benefit to Montenegro?

the rivers are thrashed by illegal fishing and dammed for various needs. Plans for development of large hydropower plants on our rivers date back several decades. Formerly considering Tara and Moraca, today such plans include Komarnica.

The adverse effects of the planned construction of Hydropower Plant Komarnica on the environment of Montenegro is

The biodiversity preservation activities that should have been implemented in this area in the previous period were delayed due to the irresponsible conduct of individuals in responsible positions in the environmental protection area. In the end, nature will suffer these consequences.

Although occasionally raised, there is a growing concern about devastation of Montenegro’s forest fund. Do you have

ESTABLISHMENT OF A STEADY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WITH A CLEARLY DEFINED SCOPE OF COMPETENCE IS STILL PENDING

data on the percent of forests threatened by illegal deforestation and what are possible consequences of this activity?

Forests account for 60% of the land area of Montenegro. The exploitation of forests has been observed for various irregularities with the illegal deforestation being the most frequent case. Although primarily associated with the forest concession arrangements as an incidental activity, the illegal logging has also been recorded beyond these areas.

Considering their influence on the water, air and soil quality, the forests are instrumental to the quality of life. Therefore, forest conservation is of great importance. The focus needs to be shifted from the economic to ecological role of the forests.

Would you say the improper space management that has enabled for illegal and megalomaniac construction, poor waste management and similar count amont major problems of the ecological state of Montenegro and is there a way to put an end to it?

As I have previously mentioned, the space in Montenegro is a threatened resource. Montenegro still lacks a Spatial Plan as a fundamental document that would provide a framework for spatial development in future periods and key guidelines for development. Postponement of passing these important documents and decision lag, coupled with the improper response to the illegal activities result in the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

The state has all mechanisms required to resolve environmental problems (as well as the problems arising from other areas) whenever there is a will to do so and such issues are assessed as important. So far, we have lacked determination to bring the environmental protection issues into the focus of interest of the previous Governments. Hence, the present condition is just a consequence of the aforesaid.

From where you stand, what are the greatest accomplish-

ments of the Green Home in terms of preservation of the natural wealth and eco fund of Montenegro?

I believe the biggest success of the NGO Green Home lies in the fact that we have been the most active organisation in the field of environmental protection of Montenegro for 23 years.

Both these projects were absolutely environmentally unacceptable and observed for questionable economic valorisation. Today, Tara River is protected and the process for protection of a section of the Moraca River has been initiated.

In addition to many other nowadays protected areas, we have

repair the damage and if so, to which extent?

We have worked permanently to accomplish the mission of the organisation – improving the environment, which will strengthen a sustainable future and lead to social and economic improvement of social communities in our country.

Among numerous activities, campaigns and projects realised by Green Home, the accomplishment that stands out distinctively is a campaign for protection of Tara River undertaken in 2004, with Green Home in the lead role. This campaign resulted in the Declaration Of protection of Tara River that was then adopted in the Parliament. Another one worth mentioning is a campaign against the construction of four hydropower plants on Moraca River, which yielded abandonment of this project.

monitored and supported the process of declaring the creation of Katič Nature Park as a Marine Protected Area, which presently also enjoys the status of a protected area.

Naturally, we have implemented various activities and projects addressing different concerns and problems, in particular those relating to the national parks Skadar lake and Pokletije. We have stressed the need for protection and preservation of Lake Shas, Zeta River and Cijevna River, raised concerns about the waste management and development of small hydropower plants and brought to light many other issues.

According to you, what should be the tasks for the new executive power? Is it possible to

The tasks for the new executive power in this area are clear. There is a need for a complete transposition of the acqui communautaire into the national legislation. More importantly, what is required is an effective enforcement of such legislation. To achieve this goal, wandering throughout the political patronage system in search for candidates to fill in responsible positions must end. Decision-makers need to understand and acknowledge that sound and preserved environment is a prerequisite for other areas, including not only economic development but also the health of citizens.

How do you see the development of Montenegro in the forthcoming years and are we really ready to join the EU from the aspect of already fulfilled (eco) obligations?

Montenegro has still not fulfilled its obligations within Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate. We have made slow progress towards this goal, recently achieving somewhere between 20 and 40% of the planned dynamics. This implies it will take a great deal of time and effort to meet all obligations and achieve the EU standards for this area.

MONTENEGRO HAS STILL NOT FULFILLED ITS OBLIGATIONS WITHIN CHAPTER 27 –ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE.

Cirkon lab: The Leading Destination For Hollywood Smile And Dental Tourism In Montenegro

One of the popular trends in the world of dentistry is the Hollywood smile, and it is an innovation that can be fully applied in Montenegro. In the dental office Cirkon lab in Podgorica, existing since 2005, with the support of supreme technology and precise design, patients can get a perfectly white smile, which reflects the aesthetic standards in the world.

Elvir Suntić, master of dental technique cad cam dental design, says they are fully committed to providing unparalleled dental service to the patient’s satisfaction.

“Based on my thirty years of experience and long work abroad, I can freely say that Montenegro has access to the world’s best dental material brands, which makes it competitive with oth-

of self-confidence. We see how their smile is transformed, and to us, that is the greatest satis-

OUR HIGHLY SKILLED TEAM AT THE CIRKON LAB PRACTICE HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT ENABLES THEM TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES OF MODERN DENTISTRY FULLY. THEIR EXPERTISE, DEDICATION, AND CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT ENSURE THAT OUR PATIENTS RECEIVE EXCEPTIONAL DENTAL SERVICE THAT MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF QUALITY AND PRECISION.”

er countries in Europe and the world. We use German and Swiss brands recognized for their exceptional quality”, said Suntić.

When Mr. Suntić talks about the patients who come to the office, he points out that they mostly attract patients from the foreign market, including the diaspora. “Their choice to come to us confirms our distinguished reputation and quality dental service. Our patients are more than satisfied with the Hollywood smile, as it provides an aesthetic transformation and a return

faction and confirmation of our dedicated work”, said Suntić.

Mr. Suntić is confident that Montenegro has a considerable potential for the development of dental tourism, and that is why more significant investments in marketing are needed to show the extraordinary level of dental services they have.

“We can pursue the Turkish example and follow their social networks to witness how they successfully advertise their practices and brands. Our practice is a good example of dental

tourism, and I want to pass on that knowledge to my colleagues and future generations who plan to dedicate themselves to this business”, said Suntić.

He is confident that, when it comes to dental tourism, the

Circon Lab office is the leader in the region, as it has a modern dental laboratory, operating since 1995, and cooperates with many offices in Montenegro and abroad.

“The final product is created in our office, and you can get it in three to seven days,” said Suntić.

He pointed out that the team working in the Circon lab office is highly professional and can fully respond to the challenges of modern dentistry.

“Our highly skilled team at the Circon lab practice has a wealth of knowledge and experience that enables them to respond to the challenges of modern dentistry fully. Their expertise, dedication, and continuous professional improvement ensures that our patients receive exceptional dental service that meets the highest quality and precision standards, “ concluded Suntić.

Eco Fund – a key institution for implementation of the environmental protection projects

Environmental Protection Fund of Montenegro (Eco Fund) is set to become a leading financial and institutional unit tasked with all projects relating to the environmental protection, climate change, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, as well as a key institution in decision-making, coordination and implementation of the projects pertinent to this field, says director of this institution Draško Boljević.

Mr. Boljevic, it has been three years since the Eco Fond was established in Montenegro. For those not familiar with the subject, how would you make an introduction with impact, in other words what is your mission?

The Eco Fund in Montenegro has recently marked its threeyear anniversary. During this time we have endeavoured to strike a balance between the financial inflows and enabling the citizens, companies and public sector with the opportunity to benefit the most from the various subsidies that we have been offering. Right at the beginning, I would like to clarify that we are an off-budget entity and we fund our activities through collection of the environmental tax that is levied on polluters responsible for air emissions and generation and disposal of hazardous waste. This source of revenue yielded financial resources that are needed for our activities and support to environmen-

tal protection. Our mission is to support achievement of the sustainable development and environmental protection goals and by virtue of different programmes and subsidies encourage the citizens, businesses and public sector to undertake environmental protection measures, starting with the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions. Our focus is on improvement of environmental quality, support to the environmentally sustainable projects and facilitation of low carbon transition and shift to sustainable development. As a closing note to this question, it is safe to say that Eco Fund grows into a key institution in Montenegro for provision of financial support to environmental projects and initiatives and that through our activities, at all times based on the principles of transparency and sound financial management, we strive to contribute to the sustainable development of the country and create better and healthier future for all the citizens.

OUR FOCUS IS ON IMPROVEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Would you say there is a proper legal and institutional framework in Montenegro allowing for financial management in the field of environmental protection?

As an institution we can rely on a strong legal framework which allows us to operate in compliance with the legislation and regulations. Nevertheless, we do raise concern about the improper implementation of such legislation as some cases have been observed for partial

implementation of regulations, yet certain cases showed otherwise. When speaking of the institutional framework for our activities, I cannot but mention certain challenges it also entails. Some studies that preceded setting up of the Eco Fund gave cause to a concoction of diverse solutions. On one hand, being a limited liability company allows us to be relatively flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances. On the other hand, however, the state is inclined to perceive us as a profitable enterprise. These two approaches are often opposed to the presently effective legal arrangements. Therefore, I have to reinstate that our institution is not a profit-based organisation but rather oriented to repayment of funds to three groups of beneficiaries through subsidies. For such a reason, we remain committed to huge efforts and engagement in implementation of laws and regulation in practice and will continue to promote the need for the improvement of the institutional framework so to fulfil our role in the society more efficiently and offer palpable benefits to the citizens, businesses and public sector of Montenegro.

The untapped potential of energy efficiency could be put to good use in Montenegro. How do you raise awareness about this potential and what are your specific projects in this area?

Something that makes us proud, and not only us but also the Government of Montenegro

The Eco Fund in Montenegro has recently marked its three-year anniversary

as our founder, is the first project of Eco Fund that was implemented in cooperation with UNDP. In 2021, we implemented the photovoltaic installations project, then a vague concept as the energy crisis still had not taken its full swing at the time.

Notwithstanding the modest number of received applications, this project has opened the way for many new initiatives, as we can witness today. Thereafter, in cooperation with EPCG we have launched Solari 3000+ and 500+ Project that become public knowledge as a project oriented to citizens and businesses, enabling them to use solar panels to generate electricity. But we did not stop there. Our annual work plan has provided for the project of energy efficiency measures at the local self-government buildings. The goal of this project is to make the local self-government buildings an example and showcase of implementation of different energy efficiency measures. It is worth noting that solar panels represent just one part of the solution to household energy efficiency and that our goal is to ensure energy-efficient buildings to the full extent. By means of these initiatives, acting as the implementation unit, we have the opportunity to contribute to environmental protection, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and encourage citizens and businesses to turn to renewable energy sources. Aware that this is just the beginning, we intend to continue developing new projects that will facilitate energy sustainability and improve the quality of living in our country.

“It is worth noting that solar panels represent just one part of the solution to household energy efficiency and that our goal is to ensure energy-efficient buildings to the full extent. By means of these initiatives, acting as the implementation unit, we have the opportunity to contribute to environmental protection, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and encourage citizens and businesses to turn to renewable energy sources.”

How many applications have you received so far and who is eligible to apply?

It is important to note that there are rulebooks which define the mode of operation and announcement of public calls, as well as the possibilities for receiving subsidies. No matter if it comes to one, one hundred or one thousand Euro, every single project that has been granted a subsidy needs to be justified by ecological parameters. On such a basis we are able to monitor the success of the project and determine whether the subsidy beneficiaries have actually taken any steps towards improvement of the environmental quality. When launching public calls for subsidies for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles, we aimed to reduce air pollution emissions. Montenegro has been facing the problem of excessive number of cars per capita, with almost 300 thousand vehicles per 620 thousand citizens. Traditionally, we record

high consumption of diesel fuel. This key parameter was indeed recognised as a leeway for us to try to mitigate environmental pollution through these public calls. We are very proud of the success of the public calls, given that the citizens and businessmen have best availed of each opportunity we have offered. Our wish for this year is to have the funds used above all by the governmental institutions as they often use vehicles for their daily activities. Additionally, we are committed to the training of citizens and raising environmental awareness. All our activities would be in vain if we were not highly aware that each and every one of us can pose a threat to the environment.

“No matter if it comes to one, one hundred or one thousand Euro, every single project that has been granted a subsidy needs to be justified by ecological parameters.”

In terms of low-carbon development, where is Montenegro today? What projects have you been pursuing in this area?

Any project concerning energy efficiency is oriented towards reducing carbon pollution in Montenegro. An interesting project we have been planning to launch is replacement of the energy consuming home appliances. This project provides for citizens to receive a voucher from Eco Fund when purchas-

ing a new energy-efficient appliance, while the old appliances will be properly disposed of in landfills. Taken together, these measures form a mix of initiatives that will contribute to the improved quality and reduced pollution of the environment. While engaged in a lot of initiated processes and faced with challenges, we try to awake awareness of as many citizens as possible. Our goal is to have us as a society start using the benefits of nature and ensure the citizens use the funds we offer to replace their old energy-hungry appliances. It is important to maintain continuity in the development of such projects and encourage cooperation with the citizens, businesses and public sector so as to jointly build a sustainable future and preserve our natural environment.

How does Montenegro deal with climate change as one of the most pressing global problems?

The importance of climate change has been increasingly acknowledged in Montenegro and the country has joined developed countries that are taking actions to mitigate negative effects of climate change. We are currently involved in drafting a new law solution and secondary legislation with a view to the global volatile intensity of climate change on a daily basis. What we find encouraging is a recently signed agreement with the Green Climate Fund that provides support to climate change projects, programmes and policies and which has recognised our institution as a capable potential implementer of their projects. Now we are at early days of our engagement, as we are building a legal and institutional framework which will enable us as a society not to resort to the ad hoc solutions but to establish a system and a strategic orientation of the country towards combating negative environmental effects.

Illegal dumping features as one of the biggest Montenegrin problems. Which projects have you implemented so far and what awaits you in the forthcoming period?

In cooperation with the local self-government of Bar, we have

WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE TRAINING OF CITIZENS AND RAISING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

converted a vast landfill site in the Roma settlement within this municipality into a children’s playground equipped with all necessary facilities. Moreover, striving to preserve nature and protect the environment, we have rehabilitated the tributary of Tara River, at the time a floating garbage dump that directly threatened to contaminate Tara River. The rehabilitation works were performed by the local self-government which fenced out the area to prevent further waste dumping and placed containers for proper waste disposal. However, we are still facing the challenges as there are as many as 400 unresolved sites of this kind. I would take this opportunity to urge local self-governments to make use of the subsidy we have provided. As we are financing up to 80% of costs, we believe their contribution of mere 20% will not wreak havoc on their budget. This is a chance for us to jointly bring an end to these problems and generally improve the environmental conditions.

As regards environmental protection, where do you see a development opportunity for Montenegro?

I would like to single out a very interesting project – Možura Landfill which provides for conversion of landfill gases generated by decomposition of waste into electricity. This project brings much benefit both to the operator – the Municipality of Bar and all of us committed to the achievement of our mission – environmental preservation. The reach of Možura project goes beyond the matter of landfill gases to address a broader scope of waste treatment, in particular plastic waste, used tires and packaging waste. Nevertheless, it is worth emphasizing that any successful implementation of such projects requires prior adoption of the waste management law that is presently in its final stage. Once this law is passed, Montenegro will become 99% compliant with the EU waste treatment standard, thus opening huge opportunities for developments in the field of environmental protection. The projects of this kind are a development opportunity, allowing us to demonstrate that

we can ensure efficient waste management and while doing so contribute to environmental protection. With a sound legal framework in place and dedication of all parties concerned, Montenegro has a chance to become a leader in this field.

In your previous interviews you would mention that the wider community was still vaguely aware of the Fund that you have managed since 2021.

Despite its instrumental role in the support to the environmental protection related projects, the Eco Fund has often remained anonymous to the wider community. Further on, notwithstanding the importance of the Eco Fund’s activities, its role still awaits to be duly acknowledged by the wider community. So many citizens and organisations are not even aware of the existence of the Fund or the opportunities it has to offer. What is needed to make a change to his end is better reporting on and promotion of the activities of Eco Fund and establishing a clear and transparent communication between Eco Fund and the wider community.

Debates, public presentations and information campaigns can be useful tools for raising awareness of the Eco Fund and the role it plays in the support of environmental protection, thus becoming a more identifiable institution. In Bosnia and

take into account all parameters and factors. It is important to maintain continuous monitoring of progress and challenges faced by the Fund and find the way to cope with them.

Herzegovina, the environmental protection funds feature as important contributors to the environmental cause. Moreover, Croatia and Slovenia also have well-developed funds that have been recognised for their support to environmental protection. The work of those environmental protection funds is governed by the laws which provide for the efficient management and allocation of funds with clearly specified sources of finance.

What would be your mid-year reflections on the achievements in 2023?

Well, it all depends on the parameter you consider to measure success. Our internal discussions suggest that the

“Our internal discussions suggest that the number of citizens, businesses and representatives of the public sector receiving subsidies grows with every new public call, thus indicating the positive trend and making the identity of the Fund more recognisable to the society. In addition to the foregoing, there has been an evident increase in the number of calls and messages from our social media followers. This is yet another confirmation that the community has started to recognise the importance of the Fund’s existence and actively engages in the support and following of the activities of the Fund.”

How do you see the Fund in future, with or without you at the helm?

number of citizens and businesses receiving subsidies grows with every new public call, thus indicating the positive trend and making the identity of the Fund more recognisable to the society.

In addition to the foregoing, there has been an evident increase in the number of calls and messages from our social media followers. This is yet another confirmation that the citizens have started to recognise the importance of the Fund’s existence and actively engage in the support and following of the activities of the Fund. However, the assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the achieved results must

Nothing pleases me more than awareness of the financial consolidation and stability of the Fund. I profoundly believe the Fund is set to become a leading financial and institutional unit tasked with implementation of all environmental protection related projects and also a key stakeholder in decision-making, coordination and implementation of the projects pertinent to this field. The Fund should have sufficient capacity to keep pace with the most recent trends and approaches in the field of environmental protection, climate change, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and to maintain active collaboration with other relevant institutions, experts and organisations. This will enable the Fund to spearhead initiatives that are fostering sustainable development and better protection of natural resources of Montenegro. Such a leading position of the Fund will allow for an efficient use of financial resources and proper project management in compliance with the priorities and goals of environmental protection. The Fund will have a key role in identification, evaluation and support to the projects recognised for the most positive environmental and social impact.

WE NEED TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ECO FUND AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY

Montenegrin feature film “The Tower of Strength”

by Nikola

Vukčević had two sneak previews in Cannes

Montenegro and Culture: Allowing for the best and not “the usual ours” to win

years before a feature film sees the light of day. And there is no place for that in the commonly perceived notion of the industry. Meanwhile, in-between the films, I engage in whatever the free market can offer to a director in Montenegro – TV commercials and campaigns, music videos and documentary films which not only allow room for my creative outlet but also give an opportunity to explore recent technologies of video cameras and film equipment.

Montenegrin latest feature film “The Tower of Strength” directed by Nikola Vukčević had two sneak previews at the Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes on May 22 and 23. In his interview for Diplomacy and Commerce, the director explains that this film has been a wonderful experience, with us leaving the boundaries of the local comfort zone and presenting the film to those who find cinematography more than just an incident. Vukčević, a formally educated film and theater director, a full time professor of the Film and Television Directing subjects and the Head of the Film and Media Study Programme at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts Cetinje - University of Montenegro, a national delegate at Federation of European Film Directors (FERA), holder of the PhD degree

in film studies and one of the founders of the Producers and Directors Guild of Montenegro, with around eighty projects to his name, says that today any public-interest reform takes courage. A strategic emphasis should be placed on those opportunities and potentials that favor better valorization of the culture in Montenegro. There is a need for a backdrop that would highlight a country newly aware of the full extent of its cultural treasures and diversity, a country which preserves, appreciates and fosters its culture, governed by professional standards. It is not an easy task at all, he emphasizes, as we need to allow for the best and not the usual ours to win.

“A View from Eiffel Tower”, “The Kids from the Marx and Engels Street”, and finally “The

Tower of Strength”. Aware of the circumstances in which the film industry in our country struggles to survive yet at the same time continues to develop, you as an author are noticeably present and critical, as any artist is preferably expected to be in a sound environment, while not suppressing the manifest of your creative abundance. What were all the things not holding you back from presenting yourself to the peers and audience through your feature films in, as a rule, recurrent period of nine years (2005, 2014, 2023)?

Inner depths of my personality would not allow me to name the cinematography in Montenegro an industry, as I am inclined to think of it as a work of great love that goes beyond the market profitability. For such a reason, it takes a considerable number of

For a while I was actively involved in the theatre work, and today I am emboldened by the existence and the results of Film Centre of Montenegro that has much facilitated making of our feature films by providing institutional support (co-financing up to 50%), opposed to our rather haphazard beginnings. The EIFFEL was born out of need of one generation to prove that it was possible to make an independent film in our country, and I am proud of every piece of legacy of that film. Having a modest budget, just shy of 30.000 EUR, did not prevent us to travel the world with this film and made iconic box office sales in then Serbia and Montenegro – where this film still holds the third place in box office sales of the Serbian minority co-production in the last two decades.

It gives me great pride to say that the references of the EIFFEL and PACKING THE MONKEYS, AGAIN!, a film directed by my colleague Marija Perovic, as the initial references of the study programme of the Film and Television Directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts Cetinje

– gave birth to something that today, rightfully and with love, we can refer to as The Montenegrin New Cinematography.

Your new feature film “The Strength of Tower” had two sneak previews at the Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes on May 22 and 23. According to the professional community, this is a big breakthrough for Montenegrin film. What are your impressions, and what emotions and novelties followed you back from France?

No doubt it has been a wonderful experience, with us leaving the boundaries of the local comfort zone and presenting the film to those who find cinematography more than just an incident. These two sneak previews in Cannes are a good steppingstone for further international life of our film and I believe that in days to come and in the market such as Cannes other Montenegrin authors should also present their films. It feels rejuvenating to compare oneself to the better ones, it raises personal standards and eases mystification. Naturally, it is not all effort, but a little courage to it as well.

When will Montenegro get a chance to see (its) Tower of Strength?

We came a long way to tell this story. We have started filming in 2006 and worked patiently since, with a great deal of shooting taking place amidst COVID pandemic. Set within a 36 hour-window during World War II, the story is about a hounded child who fleeing from a fascist paramilitary formation that killed his parents and burned down the village, finds refuge in the home of a stranger, Nur Doka, an Albanian. The master of the house is now faced with a moral dilemma: to give the child into the hands of those who seek his life (thus throwing away the centuries old code of his people and his personal beliefs) or to sacrifice his own family for the sake of that unknown child - which introduces an element of tragedy to this dilemma. Through the story of moral values, a promise, love and growing up, the film questions the value of individual human sacrifice, transcending

the issues of faith and nation, and wonders how Nur will meet the challenge. The film features international cast members: Edon Rizvanolli (lead actor, The Netherlands, who studied acting at one of the cult film academies in the world: Lee Strasberg Institute in New York), Nikola Ristanovski (as Judge, Macedonia), Igor Benčina (as Danilo, Serbia), Alban Ujkaj (as Sokolj, B&H), Selman Jusifi and Xhejlane Terbunja (Kosovo), and Montenegrin cast - Aco Radulović (Abid), Ana Vučković (Marija), Zef Bato Dedivanović (his swan song), Branimir Popovic (commander Demuš), and children: Elez Adžović (Meša), Vuk Bulajić (Vuk), Hana Pavlović (Meša’s younger sister), Merisa Adžović (Meša’s older sister) – who got the roles after months of casting and preparations. Director of photography is Djordje Stojiljković, scenographer - Stanislav Nikičević, costume designerLidija Jovanović, mask makerNatasa Sevcnikar, sound design

povic, lecturer at the Film and Dramatic Arts Academy Cetinje. Also, a number of students of the FDAA Cetinje were recruited for assistant and assistant director functions (my dear former student Nemanja Lakić was among them). The script, inspired by motifs from the anthological story of the same name written by academician Zuvdija Hožić, has been developed at the prestigious international workshops AlabSCRIPT and MIDPOINT. At its competition for regional co-production, the Film Centre

IT FEELS REJUVENATING TO COMPARE ONESELF TO THE BETTER ONES

cape the feeling that both local and wider public has a rather modest knowledge about the history of the Montenegrin cinematography. The generations have grown up and got their degrees without ever getting a chance to learn that the first permanent cinema in Montenegro was opened in 1911 or that we have an Academy Award winner, a man who managed to outmatch no other but Walt Disney. Is it that cinematography can grow only through persistent and patient work in the alleys inhabited by specialized professionals only or do we need a fresh start - early education of all citizens to this end?

- Igor Vujović and music - Dušan Maksimovski; The main theme is performed by sisters Maša and Milica Vujadinović; editorOlga Toni (previous successful collaboration on the film A View from Eiffel Tower), visual effects are credited to Djuro Mihaljević and Djordje Stojiljković, film director - Milorad Radenović (Galileo production Montenegro), co-producers - Nevena Savić and Ivica Vidanović (Cinnamon films, Belgrade), and among executive producers - Jelena Fili-

Serbia awarded this film in the competition back in autumn 2020. To preserve the authenticity, a significant part of the feature was filmed in Albanian language - this was a challenging task in terms of filming but also when it came to editing and postproduction. I am confident this film in all its universal character and never-fading contemporariness will get through to all people regardless of their nation, ethnicity or walk of life, thus giving the film an added value, something that we altogether witnessed at the screenings in Cannes. I believe the film will be available to the audience in Montenegro in 2024.

Živko Nikolić, Veljko Bulajić, Vlatko Gilić and Dušan Vukotić are considered the greatest Montenegrin directors of all times. Whilst local filmmakers fight bitterly to win over the international audience as their primary target, one cannot es-

Correct. Yet, that is just one side of our medal. On the other side, it is worth recalling, there is a high percent of the most acclaimed Montenegrin artists of the 20th century who lived and worked away from Montenegro. For such reason, our cultural institutions have remained impoverished compared to their counterpart organizations in Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Pristina, which have been developed by the people who were born or raised in Montenegro, yet only sporadically and rarely had a chance to work in Montenegro. Therefore, we have entered the 21st century with certain setback compared to these regional centers, in various aspects, including the one that many important cultural institutions in Montenegro are now still in their early days (let me remind you that we were the last in Balkans to welcome the national Film Centre, Musical Centre, Cinematheque etc.). These are all elements that

determine but also stunt the development of cultural base in Montenegro in present times (including the aspect of education that you have mentioned in your question). Such cultural base endeavors to catch up on lost time, to keep pace with the regional challenges and in recent years has experienced a generational shift, something that should be embraced. It is a tough road ahead of us and significant joint efforts needed in the days to come.

Film tourism as a new development opportunity for Montenegro has become increasingly popular topic. For example, filming location of “Mission Impossible” boosted popularity of the Czech Republic, Tunisia benefited in the same way after screening of “Star Wars”, and the most recent example comes from the close neighborhood – Dubrovnik, the filming location featuring in “Game of Thrones”. The film tourism allows for engagement of various film crew members – from highly skilled professionals to unskilled workers, it helps raising the quality of local production, facilitates establishment of small and medium-size enterprises, accounts for income from licensing and diverse benefits to not only film community but far beyond. What would be comparative advantage of Montenegro compared to Croatia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and other destinations which have achieved success in this segment? In line with that – how would you best describe the status of the Monte-

negrin film directors when we are aware that nowdays the audience is convinced the film “lives” on Netflix and other online platforms?

It is exactly the locations that give us an advantage over the region. However, what still needs improvement is the legal framework, infrastructure and advanced development and professionalization of qualified personnel. On the other side, looking at the achievements of the former students of the FDAA and based on what I have observed at other art schools in the country, I can say that Montenegro offers quite decent educational opportunities to our young students (surprising as it might sound, we have a noticeable inflow of students from the region as well). Many among them pursue their postgraduate studies in the region and worldwide - a step higher that could not have been made if it had not been for a modern approach to basic studies that is fostered in Montenegro. When it comes to further work to be done, we immediately encounter a cluster of problems to be dealt with – a small market and the small numbers fallacy call for a thoughtfully planned support of the State, a more elaborated strategy that would acknowledge the culture as a resource but also as an important part of our lives. What has

become palpable in my guild but still awaits a strategic response of the State is the reactivation of the mechanism of migration from Montenegro – a lot of young artists have decided to leave for good and settle across the region where they will be offered with greater chances to manifest their creativity, as recently there has been an expansion of screening of TV projects in the region of the large numbers markets (Serbia, Croatia). Hence, with a number of our educated youth fleeing the state, we are coming back to the same problem that Montenegro was facing from the 1950s – and failed to cope with back then. If we are to succeed this time, the problem first needs to be identified and then addressed with a strategy and by an institution that would actually care to find a solution.

From the viewpoint of a person with an extensive filming experience, then university teaching experience and, albeit short-lived, experience in the executive branch (in the 42nd Government you held a management position in the department of culture in Cetinje), how would you rate the cultural policy of Montenegro in general?

As regards the previous culture investments – it is my general perception that long years now the spend management of

investments fell short of transparency rather than being (only) financially insufficient, with a minimum share of public calls in culture in general. Hence, our main task, serving the highest public interest would be to make the procedure more transparent. Considering my engagement in the departure of culture – I do not regret for a single moment having accepted that offer and likewise I hold no regrets for having terminated the contract as soon as I realized that the whole thing was inoperative beyond repair. To the detriment of the entire destiny of the culture under that Government, the time has not proved my arguments wrong. Your question already reflects the trend of Montenegro to position its cultural policy and foster its engaged creators depending on the status of love relation with the politicians: an old vicious joke from the theater circles says the best author is a dead author. There is a grain of truth in that one, especially when it comes to Balkan and Montenegro in particular. In principle, any single institution of culture and art that has emerged should make us proud, these represent our true development potential. Naturally, when saying institution, I am not referring to a building, staff, or budget but to the matter of procedures, competencies and integrity. And where we are on that – obviously, there is a crying need for more. Moreover, our shortfalls come from something the economists call a small numbers fallacy, which requires a strategic-level approach, in line with a necessary reviewing of our pre-

A LOT OF YOUNG ARTISTS HAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE FOR GOOD

vious public policies in culture that undoubtedly include simple appointments to management and executive positions within the department and at institutions. These processes, as far as following the model of a developed world must become public and transparent and exceed partisan interests, if we are really committed to the safeguarding of public interest. I’ve said it so many times but it gives me pleasure to repeat it here as well - in my opinion the culture could be one of the most potent enablers of our society and I am confident that it could be turned into a backbone of prosperity and by analogy we could make our cultural workers and artists our best representatives, those who would savor their status and relish the given opportunities,

if only the parties would allow us so. Or it would be purposeful getting the guild associations to finally decide on taking an active approach to the cultural policy. The history of a selective management of these valuable resources has resulted in a number of deficits and issues that we face even today – while numerous institutions rely on totally indifferent employees, the uninventive laborers just waiting to clock out for the day, the whole bunch of educated young professionals are languishing in the unemployment line. All the previously mentioned should

have been remedied long ago through an overall system reform, because – future mismanagement of any kind can set us back irreversibly. Truth be told, we have lost irretrievably one too many resources while at all times wrapped in the flag with a mouth full of patriotism and of an external enemy. Today, any public-interest reform takes courage. A strategic emphasis

should be placed on those opportunities and potentials that favor better valorization of the culture in Montenegro. There is a need for a backdrop that would highlight a country new-

ly aware of the full extent of its cultural treasures and diversity, a country which preserves, appreciates and fosters its culture, governed by professional standards. Viewed altogether these are particularly important development tasks that unfortunately largely depend on political parties, which is not a good sign when knowing that regrettably they have failed to achieve a quintessential public interest up to date. The only method to mitigate this problem, applying the models established by the developed democracies and cultures can be found in the transparent public calls for projects, resource management, public companies, and processes in general. It is not an easy task at all, as we need to ensure the best and not the usual ours to win.

In the early 20th century, my great-grandfather Nikola travelled to America twice. Having worked there as a miner he earned enough money to afford a Stallion vineyard that is still owned by our family and has remained in the same place in Lješanska nahija ever since, just a stone’s throw away from the famous monument that commemorates brave men of this region who lost their lives during the two wars. It is with the same passion and respect that I cherish this grapevine, the wealth and tradition as my

grandfather Radoje and my father Ivo had before me. At certain point, my father refined the vineyard by introducing different international varieties that were quite a rarity in these soils – Siraz, San Giovese, Grenache and somewhat conventional Cabernet and Merlot.

A special place in the vineyard belongs to the two weathered trunks of Stallion which survived phylloxera in the 1950s and still happen to produce clusters here and there. These are the objects of my admiration that have always stirred in

me an insatiable need to safeguard them, not only because they alone succeeded to survive the epidemic that wiped out European vineyards back in time, but for having bravely withstood the ravages of time (just like the monument in Barutana), embodying a rare authenticity of the old Montenegrin Stallion – recognizable by its pungent, discrete and powerful flavor. The vineyard has gradually become my daily routine, though already being a part of me, lurking in my genes. Then again, coronavirus pushed us closer to the values of the nature and the countryside. I am so grateful for having this piece of land in our lives, for the more when knowing it was earned by the sweat of my great-grandfather’s brow away in the American mine. His life story simply wouldn’t allow us to give up on this vineyard, notwithstanding the fast-paced life of the 21st century and our alleged obligations.

The potential of the vineyard in Lješanska nahija is reflected in its fascinating red soil that offers minerals and uniqueness which, regardless of our different grape varieties, unifies the richness of every harvest and the vine itself, which in turn comes as a fusion of the soil, origin, climate and man. This combination, as much as it may resemble mathematics, coupled with the reverence for nature and diligent soil cultiva-

tion and plant growing enables me and my family to truly relish the results of the process. And this is indeed what makes our wine special. Given that a certain amount of the wine has aged well, it is reasonable to expect that some time near New Year we will release a limited trial batch of our red vine (2018). Having combined the wine and my profession in a single name we have labelled the wine CineWine. A New Year is just made for the new beginnings. In between the past of our vineyard and the future of our small vinery CineWine – my family and I have found a beautiful balance between the tradition and modernization – everything related to the grapes and wine involves manual work only, yet in communication with the technology, experts, science, the best selected yeast strains, and natural preparations. For a small batch collection of our wines, we take to the outer limits our varieties, the terroir of Lješanska nahija, defying profitability by the quality. Indeed, a decent wine should be such to defy reality in the same way the film uses its magic to express defiance, just like any work born out of a passion and imagination. That is why every single bottle of this wine will be special, as an award, as a handcrafted piece. Let us keep it that way. My wife Dragana and I, we would not change a thing.

THE CULTURE COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST POTENT ENABLERS OF OUR SOCIETY

Together

with his wife Dragana, Nikola takes care of the family vineyard

Discover authentic Montenegrin specialties at the Diplomat restaurant - a perfect blend of tradition and international cuisine

Restaurant Diplomat, which opened two months ago, focuses on international cuisine that stands out among other restaurants in Podgorica, said one of the owners, Zoran Bukilić.

“My colleague Bojan and I, with many years of experience in catering, invested a lot of energy to create a unique and authentic offer of dishes. One of our main priorities is to promote authenticity and local delicacies. We offer various specialties characteristic to Montenegro and its culinary tradition, and our menu includes some of the most famous Montenegrin specialties”, said Bukilić.

Diplomat is a place where different cultures meet, and one enjoys unique gastronomic experiences

“Through our creativity and expertise, we try to ensure each dish has its authentic note. We use the freshest local ingredients and traditional recipes to revive the rich culinary heritage of Montenegro. We aim to provide our guests with an authentic experience of Montenegrin cuisine and delight their tastes.”

“We are incredibly proud of the feedback we receive from foreign guests. They are always delighted with our traditional dishes and often ask for recommendations for trying authentic Montenegrin specialties. We actively promote local delicacies through

Villa Del Mar - Oasis of Luxury and Natural Beauty in Tivat

Tivat, a seaside town located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, is attracting more and more attention from tourists from different parts of the world. At the heart of this growing tourist destination is Villa Del Mar, which offers its guests an unforgettable experience of luxury, comfort, and natural beauty.

We talked to Duška Meštrović, the owner of Villa Del Mar, who, with love and passion, created an oasis where guests can enjoy incredible views, impeccable service, and the timeless charm of Tivat. Duška, your Villa is synonymous with comfort and enjoyment for both domestic and foreign guests. What is the essential prerequisite for creating such a pleasant atmosphere?

Key elements to creating a welcoming atmosphere in a hospitality establishment include comfort, attention to detail, excellent customer service, and personalized experiences. The facilities should have quality furniture and clean spaces for guests to feel comfortable. Attention to detail, such as fresh linens and well-stocked amenities, enhances the experience. Exceptional customer service, which includes anticipating needs and providing personalized assistance,

contributes significantly to the overall guest experience. Furthermore, customizing services and providing local recommendations further improves guest satisfaction. These fundamental elements create a pleasant and unforgettable atmosphere that guests will remember fondly.

How much effort does Montenegro invest in tourism and catering?

Montenegro is known for its natural beauty, historical sights, and coastal attractions, which have contributed to the growth of the tourism industry in recent years. The country has invested significant efforts in developing tourism and attracting visitors through various strategies.

It is important to emphasize that the success of tourism development depends on several factors. In addition to infrastructure and marketing strategies, it is vital to continuously invest in preserving and improving tourist attractions and efficient destination management. Constant efforts and focus on improving the quality of services are crucial to maximizing the potential of tourism and hospitality in any country, including Montenegro.

When traveling to the Adriatic coast, can we say that

the menu, and our friendly servers are always ready to recommend the best that Montenegrin cuisine offers. We invite all local and foreign guests to visit our restaurant and explore the authentic Montenegrin specialties we offer. I guarantee you will enjoy the rich flavors and recognize the love we put into each dish”, said Bukilić.

Tivat is an inevitable address?

Tivat has attracted attention in recent years as a popular tourist destination on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Its unique charm and diverse attractions offer a diverse experience for travelers. One of the main attractions of Tivat is Porto Montenegro, a luxury marina and coastal development complex. This prestigious complex offers the ultimate shopping, dining, entertainment, and an impressive collection of super-yachts. For those who enjoy an upscale and cosmopolitan atmosphere, visiting Porto Montenegro can highlight their stay. Beautiful natural landscapes surround Tivat, and the Bay of Boka Kotor, under the protection of UNESCO, should be highlighted. The advantage of Tivat is its proximity to other attractions. Overall, Tivat is a destination that can satisfy the tastes of travelers looking for a combination of luxury, natural beauty, and easy access to other regional attractions.

Interview with Duška Meštrović, Owner of Villa Del Mar

The main challenge facing tourism is seasonality

Jason Goh, Maestral Hotels and

CEO

Mr. Jason Goh, a Singaporean, came to Montenegro in front of this summer season to head Meastral Hotels and Casinos. We spoke with him about his first impressions of Montenegrin tourism and its challenges. What do you think are the biggest advantages of this market, and where do you see the most serious challenges?

Tourism in Montenegro offers several significant advantages, which contribute to its appeal among travelers. Montenegro is blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes that attract visitors from around the world. Despite its small size, Montenegro offers a variety of attractions within close proximity, making it easy for travelers to explore different regions and experiences, providing opportunities for tourists to engage with local culture and traditions fostering an immersive and authentic travel experience.

I believe the main challenge facing tourism is seasonality. Montenegro experiences a significant seasonality factor in its tourism industry. This can result in overcrowding during peak periods while leaving the tourism

sector with reduced business and employment opportunities during the off-season. Although Montenegro has made significant efforts to develop its tourism infrastructure, there are still challenges in terms of transportation. Improvement of road networks and airports is necessary to enhance accessibility and visitor experiences. Montenegro heavily relies on a limited number of source markets, primarily from neighboring countries. Diversifying the source markets and attracting visitors from new regions can help reduce dependency and increase resilience in the tourism industry. Raising awareness, targeting spe-

cific segments, and showcasing the country’s unique offerings are important to attract a wider range of tourists and increase competitiveness.

It’s important to note that the tourism industry is dynamic and subject to changes influenced by various factors, such as global events, economic conditions, and policy decisions Hotels in the vicinity of “Maestral” have been opened and closed for the past 30 years, but “Maestral” has always somehow kept its standards and many guests who have been coming for generations. In your opinion, what is the “secret” of this hotel? It definitely helps to have a

consistent, strong core of team members supporting the ideals of the company, which is to provide an amazing guest experience to whoever walks through Maestral’s doors. We have employees who have worked for many years with Maestral, and I believe this also speaks to the fairness with which we have treated our staff. I believe that if you treat your staff well, they will in turn, repay this by treating our guests the same way. Our guests love coming back for this authentic Montenegrin hospitality, and everybody is happy!

It was recently announced that some airlines, such as WizzAir and Ryan Air, will suspend flights to Tivat due to the increase in taxi fares at Montenegrin airports. Do you see that as a potential challenge?

Yes, of course. Montenegro will have to depend very heavily on inbound flights in order to expand the Tourism market – relying solely on regional tourism accessible by land or sea alone is very dangerous. Thus, any reduction in air connections is a potential challenge not only to us but all Montenegrin businesses. Now that the world has emerged from the global pandemic crisis, we hope there will be more flights for people to discover the wild beauty of Montenegro. You belong to the new generation of Casino business, which in your opinion, attracts a large clientele.

I believe that people nowadays travel for a new adventure, to escape from their everyday lives. Be it a sight they have not seen, cuisine they have not tasted, or even service they have not experienced – there is a bigger allure if a destination can provide a multitude of these. If a given clientele acknowledges that a modern casino and resort can provide this, on top of a foundation of a fair and safe gaming environment, they will definitely visit.

Montenegro is blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes that attract visitors from around the world

Casinos

The Man Who Had Everything

Never in modern history has one man owned so much

Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian born in Constantinople, a British citizen and a citizen of Paris, a buyer of Russian art treasures, the ambassador of Iran in Vichy and finally a resident of a luxurious Lisbon hotel and at that time, one of the richest people in the world, makes for a great life story that marked the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.

I was on a TAP’s night flight from Belgrade to Lisbon in 2014 before Air Serbia relaunched the direct flight. It was my third trip to Portugal and it was the first time that my attention was drawn to the Armenian surname written on the screen in front of my seat - the Calouste Gulbenikian Museum.

How come there is a museum dedicated to an Armenian in Lisbon? Who was Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian? He was born in 1869 in a rich Armenian family in Constantinople, today’s Istanbul. His father Sarkis was close to the Turkish sultans and in 1860 he already owned several oil fields in Baku, in today’s Azerbaijan.

After attending Armenian and French schools in Constantinople, Calouste’s father sent him to Marseille at the age of 15 to perfect his French. Of course, it did not come as a surprise that after Marseille he went to King’s College in London to study petroleum engineering.

The entire Gulbenkian family left Turkey in 1896 after the Hamidian massacre of 1895, one of the numerous pogroms that the Armenians suffered in the Ottoman Empire. From there he went to Cairo where he met many influential people who, in the next few years, would make him the most successful oil magnate of the Old World and one of the richest people of

his time whose assets before his death in 1955 were estimated to be worth 840 million dollars,

which is equivalent to ten times the amount today.

He was known by the nickname “Mr Five Percent” because of his stake in a large number of oil companies around the world. And he was remembered for his famous quote: “Better a small slice of a big pie than a big slice of a small one!”

In the 1920s, Gulbenkian started spending his vast fortune on purchasing numerous works of art. Famous is his acquisition of paintings from the Hermitage treasures when the Soviets decided to sell part of the national treasure in order to get “hard currency” and oil, much needed for the accelerated industrialization they proclaimed in their first “Five Year Plan”.

His three-story Parisian home on Avenue d’Iéna was crammed with artwork from the basement to the roof. As a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom, Gulbenkian donated part of his collection to the London National Gallery and several Egyptian statues to the British Museum.

“Never in modern history has one man owned so much,” wrote an art expert in 1950 in Life mag-

“BETTER A SMALL SLICE OF A BIG PIE THAN A BIG SLICE OF A SMALL ONE!”

azine describing Gulbenkian’s art collection.

During his lifetime, Gulbenkian collected over 6,400 works of art.

After the Germans entered Paris in the summer of 1940, Gulbenkian retreated with the French government to Vichy where, as the Iranian ambassador, he would cooperate with Pétain’s collaborationist regime, which was enough for London to declare him an “enemy of the Allies” and confiscate all his assets in Great Britain.

At a diplomatic reception in Vichy in the summer of 1942, the ambassador of Salazar’s Portugal approached him and asked: “Why don’t you come to us? We are neutral. Your wealth will be safe with us!”

Gulbenkian heeded his advice. They say that the scene of several dozen Rolls-Royces and other luxury cars loaded with works of art crossing the Pyrenees and travelling from Vichy through Spain to Lisbon was completely cinematic.

There, in Lisbon, in an apartment of the luxurious Aviz Hotel, he spent his last 13 years, until he died in 1955. After his death, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum formed a foundation. Gulbenkian’s fabulous works of art from his collection - from antiquity, through great pieces of Islamic art, to Dutch masters and Renoir, Monet and Degas – are now exhibited at the eponymous Museum.

An Armenian born in Constantinople, a British citizen and a citizen of Paris, a buyer of Russian art treasures, the ambassador of Iran in Vichy and finally a resident of a luxurious Lisbon hotel and at that time, one of the rich-

gal nor Hollywood made a feature film about his exciting life.

The life of Calouste’s son Nubar, who started his career as an unpaid worker in his father’s company, was no less colourful. After a bizarre incident when the company refused to lend him $4.50 for lunch, he sued his father for $10 million. The incident led to Calouste’s decision to leave his property, artwork and money to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

However, Nubar inherited $2.5 million from his stepfather, which allowed him to live an extravagant life, characteristic of the “second generation”. Nubar’s long grey beard, pipe, monocle and orchid tucked into his jacket lapel were his trademarks. “Nubar is so persistent that he easily tires out three stock brokers, three horses and three women a day!” - this is how one friend described him. Nubar owned a collection of luxury cars and was also a famous gourmet: “The ideal number of people at dinner is two. Me and one damn good waiter!” He married three times but had no children. He died in the English Hospital in Cannes in 1972.

est people in the world, makes for a great life story that marked the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. It is simply incredible to think that neither Armenia nor Portu-

When I once told Princess Jelisaveta Karadjordjević about my encounter with the biography of the Gulbenkian family, she laughed: “Oh yes, I met Nubar. It was in Estoril. I remember him because of his big white beard that floated to the surface of the water while he was bathing!”

A stamp printed in Portugal issued for the 10th death anniversary of Calouste Gulbenkian shows oil industry pioneer and philanthropist Calouste Gulbenkian circa 1965.

Lefteris Papaulakis / Shutterstock

DURING HIS LIFETIME, GULBENKIAN COLLECTED OVER 6,400 WORKS OF ART.

Business Card In Service

HUMCI, CETINJE: Champions of sustainable growth

Company doo “Humci” Cetinje was founded in 2006 as a small family business. This company’s work began in transporting petroleum products with one vehicle. The company developed year after year. Until today, a fleet of over 20 specialized vehicles for transporting all petroleum products (euro diesel, heating oil, gasoline, gas, fuel oil, bitumen) was formed. The activity expanded with the increase in technical resources. In addition to service transport, the company started with the wholesale of natural derivatives, mainly by participating in state tender calls. “Humci” DOO - Cetinje has been operating successfully since 2006, and despite significant damage to the company’s warehouse at that time due to a fire, our company achieved excellent results in 2010. On that occasion, two vehicles, valuable equipment, and spare parts were destroyed in addition to the

building, and the damage was estimated at almost two hundred thousand euros. However, the company managed to survive; A new, larger facility was built at the exact location, the vehicle fleet was renewed, and the transport logistics increased. Today “Humci” DOO is recognized on the domestic market as a partner of many renowned companies and organizations, such as: “Jugopetrol AD Podgorica,” “Lukoil Montenegro,” “Montenegro Bonus,” “Petrol Bonus,” “Eurotruck Center,” Radio-distribution Center, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense...

With the expansion of the family business, the need for retail sales of these goods naturally arose, and in 2018 the company “NK FUEL” DOO Nikšić, renamed to “HUMCI BS” DOO Cetinje, was purchased and included a gas station in Nikšić, Vuka Karadžića street bb.

Continuing its growth, the company bought a building and a hall with the offices of the OBOD factory in Cetinje and moved its full technical logistics there. Upon purchasing this factory hall, investments were made in its repair and rehabilitation, and technical units intended for the company’s needs and for providing services to third parties on a commercial

basis were formed. The tire shop was established after that part’s full and dedicated reconstruction. A line for technical inspection of vehicles was formed, as was the workshop unit for servicing, Auto Humci Cetinje. All three companies were designed to operate as family companies, and further development plans follow that direction.

Tavern “Kula” combines tradition and modernity in a unique food experience

gastronomic experience that will satisfy all the guests senses

Each service and plate must be like an artistic painting that first delights the eyes and touches the soul before the guests enjoy the flavors, said Miloš Jovanović, the kitchen chef at Kula Tavern.

Kula Tavern opened its doors on May 12 this year and has already attracted positive reviews. The restaurant meets high standards of food quality and service, and the positive reactions of guests affirm that they are on the right track.

Mr. Jovanović, what is the concept of the restaurant? Do you focus more on traditional or modern cuisine?

Our kitchen is a mix of traditional and modern. We appreciate the rich autochthonous cuisine of the region but interpret it in a modern way. All our menus are based on local ingredients familiar to us and characteristic of Bar. It is important to emphasize that everything that comes out of our kitchen is handmade. There are no ready-made products - everything is prepared from scratch with care and pas-

sion. As a chef, I invested time in market research and discovered that despite being close to the sea, our guests also enjoy dishes such as veal, lamb, steak, and kebabs.

Do you have a permanent menu or change it regularly according to seasonal foods?

Our menu offers interesting hot and cold appetizers that will delight all your tastes. Considering the seasonal ingredients, we regularly change the menu. We primarily focus on vegetables in the summer, which we carefully select from the surrounding villages. We treat every food we use with care, and

freshness and quality are the key factors that make a difference in our business. Since the opening of the Kula Tavern, we have set high standards in business and service, and we are delighted with the results.

How would you describe the atmosphere and style of the restaurant?

The atmosphere in Kula Tavern is incredibly pleasant. You feel at home here - where family and friends meet, the energy is positive, and every moment is filled with exciting experiences. Even though we have only been open for two months, we have already created a unique story, like a movie unfolding before our eyes. Regarding reservations, we will always do our best to please our guests, regardless of the reservation. But I recommend making a reservation on weekends when its more crowded. I invite you to come and enjoy everything Kula Tower has to offer.

Our mission is to create a