Any obstacle that makes it difficult for guests to come to Žabljak directly threatens the existence of citizens and the economy of all Durmitor municipalities, said the President of the Žabljak Municipal Assembly, Ivan Popović.
He announced that he met today with representatives of the citizens of Šavnik, regarding the blockade of the Nikšić-Šavnik-Žabljak main road.
"I understand their concerns and desire to have their voices heard regarding the current situation. During an open and constructive conversation, I listened to their arguments and conveyed to them the importance of establishing unhindered traffic, especially considering the upcoming tourist season, but as things currently stand, they will not give up on the protest, because as they say, it is the only thing left for them to bring this whole situation to light, it is their democratic right to continue with the blockades until the state institutions resolve the problem. Unfortunately, the situation is further aggravated by the fact that the Mojkovac-Žabljak road is currently closed, due to works being carried out in the town of Sokolovina, and in addition, works are being carried out on the bridge on the Tara River, which further complicates access to our municipality. This accumulation of negative circumstances poses a serious threat to the upcoming tourist season, on which Žabljak is entirely dependent. Any obstacle that makes it difficult for guests to arrive directly threatens the existence of our citizens and the economy of all Durmitor municipalities," Popović announced.
He said that roadblocks, closures of alternative routes and works on a key road are causing immeasurable damage to hoteliers, caterers, transporters and all other entities that make a living from tourism. They send, he added, "an extremely negative image of our destination" and could lead to mass cancellations and a permanent loss of tourist trust.
"I appealed to the citizens of Šavnik to once again, with full awareness of the seriousness of the situation, together with state institutions, find a way to exercise their rights and demands, which I otherwise consider justified, that will not have such a negative impact on the lives of the citizens of our municipality. We are open to dialogue and seeking joint solutions, but we must be aware that such blockades, combined with other traffic problems, lead directly to the ruin of the tourist season," said Popović.
He appealed to the relevant ministries and the Government to actively engage in resolving the situation surrounding the elections in Šavnik.
"The prolongation of the election process and the escalation of tensions are creating an atmosphere of insecurity and instability, which is further worsening an already difficult situation. It is urgently necessary to find a legally and politically sustainable solution to enable the citizens of Šavnik to exercise their democratic rights and to establish stability in our neighboring municipality. We hope that we will quickly find compromise solutions that will respect the interests of all parties and urgently establish normal traffic towards Žabljak, as well as resolve the political crisis in Šavnik, in order to prevent the unforeseeable consequences for our community and enable our tourists to arrive without obstacles and enjoy the beauties of Durmitor," the statement reads.
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