UP: 151 illegally built buildings in Žabljak, reports filed against 60 people

The Police Directorate (PD) has identified 60 people from several cities in Montenegro who are illegally building 151 buildings in the territory of Žabljak, which is suspected to have caused the state 350.000 euros in damage.

Criminal charges will be filed against them at the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Pljevlja, the Police Directorate announced.

They state that their officers from the Regional Security Center "West", within the framework of the national priorities of the Police Directorate aimed at combating all forms of environmental crime, illegal construction, environmental destruction and spatial devastation, after months of activities, have identified 60 persons against whom criminal charges will be filed with the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Pljevlja, on suspicion that they illegally built more than 150 buildings and caused damage to the Montenegrin budget in the amount of around 350.000 euros.

"Officers of this regional center, in cooperation with the construction inspection of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, the Municipal Police and the Municipal Inspection of the Municipality of Žabljak, and in coordination with the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Pljevlja, conducted several months of inspections of 151 construction facilities under construction in the territory of the municipality of Žabljak. After conducting a survey and a series of operational and tactical measures and actions taken, collecting information, as well as obtaining the necessary documentation from the competent municipal and state authorities, it was determined that there were grounds for suspicion that the criminal offense of building a facility without a report and construction documentation was committed in the territory of the municipality of Žabljak," the UP announced.

The security institution, headed by Lazar Šćepanović, explained that police officers from RCB "Zapad" will file criminal charges against 60 people from several Montenegrin cities with the Pljevlja prosecutor's office:

"Due to suspicion that during 2024 and 2025 they began construction or built a total of 151 residential and commercial buildings without the prescribed documentation, thereby, as is suspected, committing the aforementioned criminal offense and causing damage to the budget of Montenegro in the amount of approximately 350.000 euros."

According to "Vijesti" information, most of the illegal builders are from Boka Bay, and among those who built buildings in this way in the Žabljak area are also people from Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Nikšić, Pljevlja...

They announce that they are continuing their intensive activities and determined fight against all forms of environmental crime, with the aim of protecting the environment, natural resources and areas of special importance, and preserving Montenegro as an ecological state.

"Given that illegal construction and other forms of degradation and devastation of space have long-term negative consequences for the environment, lead to the destruction of protected areas, the disruption of landscape and ambient values, and the threat to planned and sustainable development of space, the Police Directorate will, at the state level, in cooperation with competent institutions at the local and state levels, continue to implement activities aimed at detecting, prosecuting and suppressing this form of crime, thus protecting the interests of the state and its citizens," the UP announced.