Montenegro

Greetings

Men greeting Men – A handshake for initial introductions, thereafter anything between a handshake, a hug or a hug and kiss (once or twice on the cheek).

Women greeting Women - A handshake for initial introductions, thereafter anything between a handshake, or a kiss (once or twice on the cheek).

Greetings between Men & Women – A handshake for initial introductions, thereafter anything between a handshake, a hug or a kiss (once or twice on the cheek amongst the liberally minded).

Communication Style

• People tend to be very direct in their communication style.
• Foreign visitors may be surprised by the influence of religion on sex. Birth control is considered interference with God's work and therefore sinful (so is castration of pet animals, by the way).

Personal Space & Touch

• Usually, personal space isn’t highly regarded. People often hug and tap each other on the shoulder or touch lightly while conversing.
• There is more than occasional touching between members of the same sex, but any touching members of the opposite sex is usually frowned upon.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is acceptable in most situations.

Views of Time

• One saying goes that Montenegrin clocks have only one hand and for the most part punctuality is not highly valued. However, in the case of Court hearings, things are very punctual.

Gender Roles

• Females are the predominant gender in most professions and hold many senior positions in utilities and large corporations; males are the predominant gender in the trades.
• What many consider 'civil behavior' towards women is not that common in Montenegro; e. g. men do not usually rise when a woman enters the room or hold the door whilst a women passes through, etc.

Law & Order

• Nobody tends to care whether youngsters drink or smoke, because it is not forbidden, there is no incentive to getting drunk and it is rare to see a drunk juvenile.
• The age of legal sexual consent is 14.
• Except for the strict enforcement of road safety rules, tend to be fairly laissez faire when it comes to law enforcement.

Meetings

• It is a good idea to arrive on time for meetings although the locals will most likely not return the compliment.
• Meetings usually start with small talk.
• Never conduct business without your lawyer (a member of the Bar Association) in tow and it is best to let them handle the transition to more serious subjects.

Negotiations

• Bargaining is expected and it’s best to not show emotion.
• People will try to maneuver you into a snap decision but is unwise to do so.
• It is unwise to negotiate deals without a local member of the Bar Association. Let them also handle the gifts. There is a subtle dividing line (which is difficult to grasp for a foreigner) between being considerate and attempting a bribe, particularly when dealing with an official.

Gift Giving

• When you are invited to somebody's house (e. g. for a meal) it is customary to bring a bottle of wine and a box of coffee (the variety suitable for making Turkish coffee) as a present. However, I disregarded this custom on one occasion and brought ½ dozen of potted roses instead and they were received with great joy.
• It is unwise to negotiate deals without a local member of the Bar Association. Let them also handle the gifts. There is a subtle dividing line (which is difficult to grasp for a foreigner) between being considerate and attempting a bribe, particularly when dealing with an official.
• It is also customary for a buyer to give the vendor of real estate a 'good luck' bank note (say 20 Euros), but this matter should again be handled by the lawyer.

Other Observations

• Montenegrins' identities are – to a large extent – based on religion. Apart from a handful of Catholics, the religious communities are Serbian Orthodox and Moslem. These communities are geographically separated roughly by a line from Petroval to Bijelo Polje, where the Moslems inhabit the Southeastern portion.