On the occasion of the upcoming small countries of games Montenegrin Olympic Committee held a press conference and which was attended by a representative of our organization in 20. December 2018.
Montenegro will be host of 18th Festival from 20. May to 1. June 2019, which will bring together athletes from European countries, which have less than one million inhabitants.
Games of the Small States of Europe (IMZ) are a great opportunity for Montenegro, not only from a sporting point of view but for the promotion of its tourist potential, was announced to promote this event. Games of the Small States of Europe are multi-sport event that is organized in the framework of the European Olympic movement since 1985. It is announced the arrival of athletes from Cyprus, Iceland, Monaco, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Malta and San Marino. They will compete in ten sports, and winners will be determined in 122 discipline. The athletes will compete in athletics, bowling, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, swimming, judo, shooting, tennis and table tennis.
Games will be held in Podgorica, Budva, Bar, Tivat and Cetinje.
Bar will host the track and field competitions, table tennis will be played in Tivat, judo in Cetinje, a swimming competition at the pool in Podgorica.
Host other competitions will Budva, and the city will be held the opening ceremony.
President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, Dušan Simonović reiterated that the Games would be held with the highest environmental standards and under the slogan of the Green Games.
It is alleged to be organized on the basis of the Study on the socio – economic justification organizations IMZE 2019 in accordance with the strategy and a clear commitment to the Olympic Movement through sport, especially organization of sports events, promote sustainability and environmental protection.
It was announced that this is especially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Simonović announced that the swimming tournament, in some disciplines, will be qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“We organize the first big competition, the smallest we could get. We cannot organize it in one city, because infrastructure we are not ready. We want to present the state of Montenegro, show part of it. IMZE is not competition of COK, but the state of Montenegro” said Simonović.
He stressed that infrastructure is a problem.
“We did all the preparation, and now we start with the implementation. I am sure that we will be ready for the start of the Games,” said Simonović.
Sports Minister Nikola Janović reiterated that IMZE have not only sports, but also a tourist character. “It is expected that a large number of athletes and a number of delegations.
The Government has provided significant support and committed a total of 606.000 EUR.
This is a clear message to the Government that it will help every event which aims to promote their country,” said Janović.
He announced that he would initiate a meeting with the ministers of sport participating states of the Games and discussions on the modalities of cooperation and promotion of the sport. President of the Municipality of Budva, Dragan Krapović stressed that IMZE for the city have multiple significance.
“Sports is in the first place, but also it has a tourist reflection . It is expected that between fifteen hundred and two guests, which means roughly 20,000 overnight stays. With all my capacity support Games, and for this purpose we separated about 100 thousand euros. I express great satisfaction with the commitment of the MOC, organization of this competition at this level and this scale, “said Krapović.
He stressed that he was honored to be the majority of the events will be held in Budva.
“We remain committed to a common goal that all goes well. Work on the reconstruction of buildings and sports fields will begin immediately after the holidays. All we can help we will comply,” said Krapović.
Mayor of Cetinje, Aleksandar Kašćelan thanked the MOC as the Royal Capital Association recognized as a venue for competitions in judo. “We will do everything to improve everything that is necessary in relation to the competition.
The games are an opportunity for promotion of Montenegro and Cetinje.
I’m glad we have the opportunity to show a different way our beautiful country,” he said Kašćelan. The promotion was prisiustvovali and representatives of the municipalities of Bar and the Capital, in the name of the mayor announced that they will do anything to these cities ready for the start of the competition. Event director, Igor Vušurović said fda the first Games were held in 1985, as the tendency of small countries to spread the Olympic spirit.
He reminded that Montenegro joined the association in 2011. According to him from 25. May to 2. June, in Montenegro will pay about one thousand participants at the Games.
“Montenegro will be the first time to meet with the organization of such a multi-sports event, which presents all the Olympic values. All will be located in Slovenska Beach, the complex conceived as the Olympic village,” said Vušurović.