The energy lobby surrounding the Electric Power Company of Montenegro (EPCG) is strong, and among those responsible for the failure of the project and the imminent closure of the Thermal Power Plant are influential officials of the ruling parties, economic analyst Dejan Mijović announced.
In a statement submitted to "Vijesti", he said that the closure of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant is not just an energy problem for them, "but a political, and for some, personal responsibility."
"The statement by the Ministry of Energy on the occasion of the Energy Community Ministerial Council meeting on December 18th contains important and positive news. The Energy Community has decided to additionally include key European Union regulations on the protection of nature, biodiversity and water in its legal framework, thereby strengthening environmental guarantees and increasing legal certainty for sustainable investments," said Mijović.
This, he adds, is a serious step forward that deserves praise and confirms that the energy transition in the region is increasingly clearly linked to European standards.
"At the same time, the Minister of Energy informed the public about 'successful talks' with the leaders of the European Union and the Energy Community. However, it is not clear from that address what Montenegro has specifically achieved through these talks, nor whether there has been any progress in resolving the open and politically most difficult issues. The most important among them is the ECS-15/21 case, which refers to Montenegro's long-standing violation of obligations due to the illegal operation of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant. The Energy Community has determined that Montenegro has enabled the operation of the power plant even after the expiry of the temporary deadlines for harmonization with European standards for existing plants. After the expiry of these deadlines, the power plant could continue its operation only if it meets the significantly stricter standards applicable to new power plants - which the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant does not meet," said Mijović.
He also said that this fact, albeit indirectly, was also acknowledged by the Government of Montenegro in the Energy and Climate Plan, which shows that even after ecological reconstruction, nitrogen oxide emissions will remain significantly above the permitted European limits, which is why a permit for regular operation cannot be obtained.
"Although this item was on the agenda of the Ministerial Council session, the decision on it was not published among the official outcomes of the meeting. This raises serious questions, especially considering that the representative of the European Union, which has 50 percent of the voting power in the Energy Community, had a clear and binding mandate from the European Council and the European Commission to vote for a decision establishing a violation of the Energy Community rules and EU law by Montenegro. It is reasonable to assume that the Montenegrin side tried to delay the adoption of such a decision, because its consequences would be severe: the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant would have to be closed or reduced to strictly limited operation, with serious consequences for EPCG, the budget and citizens. At the same time, such a decision would inevitably raise the issue of the responsibility of those who made key decisions on the environmental reconstruction of the project that did not lead to harmonization with European rules."
Mijović also stated that when consensus is not reached at the session itself, the procedure in the Energy Community continues through decision-making by correspondence.
"Such a delay cannot last long - as a rule, only a few months. At the end of that process, the proposed decision becomes final, while its prolonged blocking would mean a conscious distancing from the European Union. A prolonged and deliberate violation of an international agreement would seriously damage Montenegro's credibility, because the EU does not accept countries that systematically ignore their obligations into membership. The problem, however, is not in the attempt to temporarily keep the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant in operation, but in the silence about the scale of the problem. The minister has an obligation to explain the real situation to the public and to ask for its support for a difficult but inevitable solution. Especially since the energy lobby around EPCG is strong, and among those responsible for the failure of the project and the certain closure of the power plant are influential officials of the ruling parties. For them, the closure of the Thermal Power Plant is not only an energy problem, but also a political, and for some, personal responsibility. In this context, the minister's silence does not seem like a coincidence, but like a conscious political decision," said Mijović.
If such silence continues, he pointed out, the public will rightly conclude that the goal is not just short-term procedural delay, but also the protection of individuals from liability - at the cost of the interests of the entire society and with the real risk that the goal of Montenegro's membership in the European Union in 2028 will be replaced by a much more distant and uncertain date, in a package with other countries in the region.
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