I cannot help but notice that the numerous controversies related to the complex problem of the Podgorica (if-God-wills) wastewater treatment collector - controversies that are mainly related to the disputed location of the collector - but far from being the only thing about it - have remained in the shadow of the outrageous controversies related to the dubious Milojkov "desire" to deepen mutual relations with the Government of the United Arab Emirates in the field of economic and technical cooperation - on a permanent and long-term basis, please - on our behalf - on behalf of all citizens of this unfortunate little country of ours, regardless of our national, religious, party or any other affiliation - by, for a start, specifically cooperating with the aforementioned Government in the field of "integrated development of tourism and mixed-use real estate" - or, in translation - very profitable housing construction in the most exclusive locations - for a high-paying clientele...
Does the chronic inability of the administration of the Capital City of Podgorica - the current administration and all previous administrations, for the past fifteen years or so - to deal with the problem of the city collector - indicate a so-called systemic failure - and consequently the absolute inability of the system to respond to real challenges in the areas of cooperation with the UAE Government - or, in other words, is the current state administration - in cooperation with local governments - able to prepare the ground - which would relate, first of all, to the expropriation and infrastructural equipment of the land (electricity, water, sewage) - for the appearance of Milojko's Arab friend - an investor who is ordered to develop mixed-use real estate with Milojko, side by side?
I mean, I wouldn't bet a cent - considering the state of affairs - not on the collector - at least not in the foreseeable future - and not on Milojko's combinations from the hat...
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Drug Mujović, the mayor of the capital, said back in September last year - in the midst of the election campaign before the Podgorica elections - that, on the one hand, Podgorica desperately needs a modern collector for wastewater treatment - that funds and donations have been provided for that project - and that the most suitable location for the construction of the collector - in the meantime it turned out to be the only one that had ever been considered - is precisely in the area of the village of Botun - on the left bank of the Morača River, about a kilometer and a half downstream from the "Luča" Bridge, northwest of the former Aluminum Combine - approximately halfway between the red mud basin - a toxic waste dump created at the time when aluminum was produced - otherwise the blackest ecological spot in the country, and probably wider - and the aforementioned "Luča" Bridge - while on the other hand, the residents of Botun - who are most strongly opposed to the intention to build the collector at the planned location - for understandable reasons.
"I will not promise anything," Mujović said in September last year, "until I hear what the dilemmas of the residents of Botuni are, consider all options and possible solutions, as well as alternatives."
Milojko, unlike Mujović, promised his friends from the UAE this and that - without first hearing "what the dilemmas" of the people of Ulcinj are, nor considering all the options and possible solutions - there is no word yet on alternatives - but he did count on support in the Raj Assembly...
The Podgorica elections were held on September 29, and on December 28, the Capital City Assembly elected Mujović as mayor - almost four months have passed since then - Mujović must have considered all options and all possible solutions, as well as all alternatives - and as for the people of Botunja, they, for their part, remained firm and unwavering in their stance that the construction of the collector at the planned location will not take place...
"Changes in the location of the collector are not possible," Mujović said about ten days ago, "without initiating a new tender procedure, which would jeopardize the implementation of the project. KfW Bank has explicitly stated that changes in the location are neither acceptable nor permitted, and the funds provided for implementation are valid until the end of June 2025. In addition, most of the equipment for the collector has already been delivered to Montenegro, which would lead to legal consequences if it were to be relocated, including the possibility of a lawsuit."
Mujović also says that the Environmental Protection Agency has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment - and that "the comments received from the public hearing are being processed. The deadline for amendments is 90 days from receipt (that deadline has expired - ed.) and the Capital City, in cooperation with the assessor of the assessment, will submit responses to all comments and provide additional clarifications regarding the impact on human health and environmental protection."
So, don't be lazy, I went in search of the aforementioned Study - and dug up a document on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency of Montenegro (EPA Montenegro - epa.org.me) that was posted on November 11th of last year - at a time when the spears were being broken over the formation of the government in Podgorica - which states that EPA Montenegro "Informs the interested public that the project holder GGPG has submitted a request for approval of the Study on the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project to build a wastewater treatment system in Podgorica, which will be located in the industrial zone of "KAP", on urban (...) or cadastral plots" and so on - and invites interested parties to inspect the submitted documentation at the premises of the Environmental Protection Agency, or to download the documentation from the Agency's website - and to submit comments and opinions in writing to the Agency's address by December 13th, 2024 - and (even) two dates for public hearings on the "subject Study" were given - November 26th and December 2nd - in the Multimedia Hall of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property.
I didn't tell you that on June 11, 2022, comrades Ivan Vukovic, Mayor of Podgorica, and Philip Makrid, executive director of the Water Supply and Sewerage Company, on the one hand - and, on the other hand, comrades Mehmet Emre Bastopka i Bauram Albauark, on behalf of the contractor - signed a contract for the construction of the main wastewater treatment plant in Botun - and promised that work would begin in 2023 and be completed in 36 months.
In the Podgorica elections held on October 23, 2022 - comrade Vuković lost - which is not that important, of course - but we would still have to ask ourselves how it is that in June 2022 the contract for the construction of the collector was signed - and at the end of 2024 citizens are invited to express their opinion on the Environmental Impact Assessment Study of the collector...
There are more questions than answers, as always...
"We haven't seen the final text of the Elaboration," he shouted a few days ago. Mihailo Asanović, the mayor of the Municipality of Zeta, "nor did anyone inform us that it was finished. Although we are not interested, because such a document should have been prepared when the location was chosen (some fifteen years ago - ed.), and not when the equipment allegedly arrived. They did not respond to our comments, but instead announced to the secretary of the Municipality that it would be after the holidays. We will not allow the works to begin and I believe that Podgorica, while the Spatial and Urban Plan is still being drafted, should look for a new location where they would build the collector and where they would install the infrastructure" - and reiterates that "there will be no construction of the collector in Zeta!".
And what can we hope for now - I ask you - when it comes to Milojko's grandiose plans for cooperation with the UAE Government in the field of integrated development of tourism and mixed-use real estate...
Nothing - if you ask me - I'd bet all my money that nothing will come of it...
Bonus video:
