Montenegro - a land of warmth and challenges

For me, Montenegro has been a place of special warmth since childhood. I remember trips with my grandfather and relatives to the sea - the sound of the waves, the mountains in the background and the hospitality of the people. These experiences shaped me, and to this day I feel a deep connection to Montenegro.

When I show my friends in Germany photos of the Montenegrin coast, they immediately lose their breath. They see what I feel too - a land of beauty, almost a sacred place. Yet, behind that beauty lies the everyday life of the people, and that's where I notice the differences.

Sometimes I feel like traveling to Montenegro is also a return to earlier times - with all its charm, but also challenges. One small example: you buy a bus ticket online and expect to just show the QR code on your phone. Instead, you have to send additional messages, and in the end pay and print the ticket at the counter. Or at the airport in Tivat: tired passengers drag their suitcases along a busy road, without sidewalks, because the bus does not stop in front of the terminal itself. Such details seem small, yet they say a lot about the organization of everyday life.

Montenegro invests a lot in tourism - and with great success. But I wonder: what about the people who live here all year round? For them, I would like more investment - in health, ecology and awareness of the modern way of life. I am particularly struck by smoking in restaurants - while you are still eating, a cigarette is already lit. As a non-smoker and allergy sufferer, this is difficult for me, but I understand: many reach for a cigarette because they are stressed and have no other way to relieve pressure.

This is how I experience Montenegro in two ways: on the one hand, the beautiful country, nature and the warmth of the people; on the other, the everyday difficulties that sometimes hinder its full potential.

However, I believe that Montenegro, with the right steps - perhaps with support through EU membership - can become not only a paradise for tourists, but also a place where the people who live here have a life of safety, health and prosperity.

For me, Montenegro is more than a destination. It is part of my past - and my future.

With respect,

Mirjam Zelewski-Hardtke