European Union: We will file criminal charges if it is determined that the operation of the Pljevlja TPP and its leaks contributed to pollution

The European Union announced today that it will file criminal charges against the responsible individuals and institutions if it is confirmed that the operation of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant (TPP) and the shortcomings in protective measures directly contributed to the extremely dangerous level of pollution.

The political alliance, which consists of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Social Democrats (SD) and the Liberal Party (LP), said that they are monitoring with concern the extreme air pollution values ​​in Pljevlja, which have been recorded in recent days and which represent one of the most severe waves of pollution in the history of that city.

"According to the latest measurements, the concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) has exceeded the permitted limits many times over, reaching alarming values ​​that seriously endanger the health of citizens, especially the most vulnerable categories of the population. The European Union demands an urgent and public clarification from the competent institutions as to whether it is true that the extreme concentrations of pollution are the result of the human factor, or whether it is true that the Electric Power Company of Montenegro put the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant into operation without a fully installed and functional desulfurization system, which directly led to such catastrophic consequences," the statement states.

They added that, if it is determined that the Pljevlja TPP began operating without adequate protective facilities, this represents a gross violation of applicable environmental standards and environmental protection rules, and thus a clear irresponsibility towards the health of citizens.

"Therefore, the European Union announces that it will file criminal charges against the responsible persons and institutions if it is confirmed that the operation of the Pljevlja power plant and the shortcomings in protective measures directly contributed to this extremely dangerous level of pollution," the statement reads.

They said that protecting the health of citizens must be an absolute priority.

"It is unacceptable that the citizens of Pljevlja live in conditions in which concentrations of harmful gases exceed the prescribed limits many times over, without a clear explanation and without the responsibility of the authorities," the European Union statement concluded.

.