An unusual annual championship has begun in the town of Plužine in northwestern Montenegro — a laziness competition. The winner will be the one who can lie in bed the longest. The main prize is 2000 euros.
This year, 20 participants from different countries are taking part in the 'lying marathon.' They have all comfortably settled into their beds, where they will spend the upcoming time. The organizers provide them with full comfort: food, drinks, and internet access are delivered straight to their beds. The only permitted movement is a 15-minute break every eight hours, reports Pravda Montenegro.
"We approached the selection seriously," the organizers note. "We even involved a psychologist to check who is really capable of spending several weeks facing the ceiling without going insane."
Among the participants is last year's winner, Lidija Marković, a cosmetologist from Nikšić. In 2023, she set a record by lying down for 50 days. Now, she claims she is ready to last until 2026.
The previous final was memorable for a touching moment. At the end of the competition, only Lidija and a guy named Filip remained. They agreed to get up simultaneously, declaring a 'victory of friendship,' but at the last moment, Filip conceded, and the official title went to Lidija. Interestingly, her parents offered her a thousand euros every day — half of the prize amount — just to make her stop participating. But she consistently refused, preferring to see it through to the end.
The laziness championship in Plužine has long become a tradition. This year, it is being held for the 14th time. In this original way, Montenegrins humorously play on the stereotype of their own laziness, turning it into a unique brand.
Behind this lies a special local philosophy of life. In Montenegro, there is a special term — 'fjaka.' It is not just idleness, but something in between wakefulness and sleep, a dreamy and contemplative laziness that is considered a true art of being here. It is not about the unwillingness to work, but about a conscious slowing down, the ability to enjoy the moment.
