A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) sent the Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, Slaven Radunović, an initiative to suspend the public debate on the innovative draft of amendments to the Spatial-Urban Plan of the Capital City of Podgorica and the Report on Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment.
The group of NGOs that initiated this initiative consists of: Center for the Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP), Kana/who if not an architect?, Biciklo.me, CEGAS, Montenegrin Society of Ecologists, Green Home, Program for the Environment, Dinarida Parks.
In the initiative of these NGOs, which was published on the CZIP website, it is stated that in addition to submitting the initiative, they call on Radunović to act urgently in order to ensure that such an important document is adopted in an extremely inappropriate manner.
The central public debate on the Draft Amendments to the Spatial-Urban Plan (PUP) of Podgorica was postponed today to Friday after the citizens requested it, because the event was organized in an inadequate hall.
DON'T MISS IT
In the initiative of the NGO group, it is stated that first of all, the currently valid PUP of Podgorica was adopted for the period until 2025, so the question arises as to why the Ministry is dealing with amendments in December 2024, instead of drafting and adopting a new plan.
"Also, this process of point-by-point changes to the PUP of Podgorica towards the very end of its validity takes place directly after the adoption of the Spatial Plan of Montenegro until 2040, which as a basic strategic document should define the key goals and guidelines for spatial development and with which The PUP of Podgorica had to be harmonized. One gets the impression that amendments to this plan are being adopted 'by force' in a short period of time, absolutely unjustifiably before the higher order plan and before the adoption of the new Spatial Planning Act. and the construction of facilities, which could radically change the way local governments decide on the planning of their territory," reads the initiative addressed to Radunović.
It is added that "by reading the available documents, it is clear that these changes and additions to the PUP give space to the visionary ideas of the Government of Montenegro, but in such a way that in an extremely short period of time, in a non-transparent procedure and in complete contradiction to the statements of the Strategic Assessment of Impact on Life environment, adopt changes that prioritize private over public interest and are disastrous for the most valuable areas of the Capital City".
"Here we are specifically referring to the areas within the Zeta Nature Park (Velje brdo, Mareza) and Ćemovsko polje, the importance of which is beautifully described in the Strategic Impact Assessment. In addition, a number of smaller, point-by-point changes in the area of the entire Capital City, the purpose of which is not neither clear nor explained in this document, which can have an extremely bad impact on the quality of life in Podgorica," the initiative reads.
It is also stated that "the text of the draft amendments to the PUP of Podgorica itself contains serious spelling and grammatical errors that make the document difficult to read, which supports our overall impression that the process of developing this important plan was approached in an extremely frivolous and unprofessional manner".
"The graphic part is presented through 53 pdf documents for which the interested public is expected to submit comments within only 18 days. At the same time, a large number of documents cannot be opened at all. On behalf of the above-mentioned group of NGOs, we invite you to stop the current process of making and adopting changes and amendment of the PUP and to harmonize this process with the dynamics of the adoption of the new Spatial Plan of Montenegro and the new Law on Spatial Planning and Construction of Buildings PUP as our city needs, but it also showed your will to make the area better, and not to open the door to corruption and processes that can threaten the environment and the quality of life of citizens, which is the current impression," concludes the initiative to Radunović.
Bonus video:
