In the coming years, Montenegro should become a green destination, to be visited by high-paying guests who value a clean and healthy environment, the Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism told "Vijesti" Pavle Radulović.
Such guests, he said, will have to be welcomed by environmentally conscious hosts. The minister also said that no one can be proud of the state of environmental awareness of Montenegrin citizens, so he announced education projects. He believes that care for nature is equal to care for family, country, flag, coat of arms. He also promised to change his personal habits, so in the future he will go to the grocery store with a bag instead of a plastic bag.
Montenegro recently opened Chapter 27 - Environment and climate change. What are the first steps the state will take and how long do you expect the chapter to be closed?
The opening of Chapter 27 is an opportunity to solve decades-long pollution problems, improve the quality of life of citizens and preserve the beautiful nature we have. This will be directly achieved through the continuation of work on the construction of infrastructure in the area of waste management, through the remediation of industrially polluted areas, the construction of water supply and sewerage networks in all Montenegrin municipalities. About 30 percent of the territory of Montenegro is not covered by an adequate sewage infrastructure, so it is clear that this, one of the basic hygiene achievements of the 21st century, is our priority.
But, above all, by educating citizens and changing awareness of the importance of caring for nature.
According to current projections, around 2035 billion euros should be invested in the environment by 1,5. The main sources of financing will be the Eco Fund, EU funds, donations, funds from municipal and state budgets... The functioning of the Eco Fund will be based on the "polluter pays" principle, so companies that damage the environment with their work will also "invest" in programs and projects. that she recovers or is better protected. So, for example, companies dealing with industrial production and energy will finance air quality preservation programs. Montenegro was an industrial country, which had consequences for its environment. That is why we pay special attention to the rehabilitation and remediation of the so-called four black ecological points. Work has begun on the location of the Shipyard in Bijela, and at the beginning of this year, the rehabilitation of the Gradac and Maljevac landfills will begin. Work is also underway on the development of a concept for the location of the Aluminum Plant in Podgorica. However, it is necessary to invest in the staff that will carry out this process and invest in educational projects that will teach the majority of the population how not to pollute the environment.
It has been mentioned several times that one of the biggest problems in the field of environment is waste management. Prevention and reduction of waste is at the top of the waste management pyramid. How do you comment on the fact that, even if an individual makes an effort to dispose of waste selectively, the trucks take away all the garbage together?
If you want to be tidy and preserve your environment, nothing can stop you from doing so. The issue of waste selection has not yet been fully worked out, but we will deal with it intensively in the coming period. It is true that it happens that the selected waste eventually "spills" into the same truck, but we are on the way to solving this problem together with the local self-governments. In order to inculcate this habit in citizens and provide the right infrastructure to solve the problem of waste selection, MORT has issued consent for ten municipalities for local decisions on separate collection of municipal waste. We made that model in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities, and so far consent has been issued for Andrijevica, Bijelo Polje, Danilovgrad, Žabljak, Mojkovac, Petnjica, Podgorica, Tivat, Ulcinj and Šavnik.
In what way do you as an individual contribute to solving that issue? What are your habits when it comes to waste disposal, do you sort your household waste?
It is true that I myself use plastic bags in markets, but it will not be a problem for me to change that habit and go to the store with a bag. We are ecologically aware to the point that we use energy-saving light bulbs, that we do not throw waste anywhere, except in designated locations, that water is consumed rationally both in the house and in the yard. I admit that there are still tasks ahead of me with which I can improve my behavior in this matter. I believe that we can all do much more, I really think that based on the experience that in Montenegro we accept changes quickly. Until about 15 years ago in Montenegro, it was a shame for most men to carry a trash can or bag in front of their neighbors. Fortunately, we seem to have left that "macho" style behind.
According to current projections, 1,5 billion euros should be invested in the environment by 2035. The main sources of financing will be the Eco Fund, EU funds, donations, funds from municipal and state budgets..., Radulović said.
Regardless of gender, today we are just as uncultured and proud when we throw trash on the street, while driving, when bags of "decoration" litter the trees in riverbeds or we find them as evidence that someone has camped in some beautiful clearing.
Do you think that Montenegrin citizens and markets can give up plastic bags, and in what way do you think it will be easiest to eradicate this habit and reduce the amount of this type of waste?
I believe that, above all, those who throw plastic bags outside the container should give up this ugly habit. Abolishing or limiting the use of plastic bags is only one way to suppress their presence in space, but with mandatory education of citizens and adequate infrastructure for waste disposal. First of all, it should be kept in mind that the total waste generated by the production and use of plastic bags represents a small share of the total waste generated in the world, including in our country. According to some reports, the share of plastic bags in household waste in Austria is 0,02%. In the United States of America it is less than 1%, in the Balkans the average is up to 0,4%. Therefore, due to its quantity, this type of waste does not deserve so much attention and should not be in the focus of interest, but the situation here is different because of ourselves - we do not take care of handling waste in general.
Throwing garbage bags anywhere except in the container is a matter of personal lack of culture and an indication of how much you do not appreciate the space in which you live.
How do you teach your children to protect the environment and what are your recommendations for other parents in this regard?
Of all the segments of education, hygiene habits are the only "indigenous" ones and are learned at home. From the first days, my wife and I insisted on neatness and articulateness to begin with. Care for nature is emphasized, because it is equal to care and love for family, country, flag, coat of arms... I believe that few people, who are at all patriotic, are proud of the state of consciousness of citizens in this area.
I would not give myself the right to teach other parents how to raise their offspring, but I would like to succeed in the idea of teaching children not to pollute the environment while they are still small. I want us to invest in the education of citizens, especially children, in 2019.
In what way are the environment and tourism connected, what do you see as their most valuable points of contact? What should be "fixed" in the area of the environment, with the aim of a better tourist offer?
Tourists, especially the category we aim for, are generally very environmentally conscious, so a healthy environment is increasingly their choice for vacation. In this sense, Montenegro really has something to offer. Through the development of rural tourism, to which we will be especially dedicated in the coming period, we will have the opportunity to help the development of rural households even more. The data show that tourists who care about ecology want to, in addition to enjoying nature, contribute to the development of the local community with their consumption.
A healthy environment also means clean fertile land on which we should plant the products that we will market to our tourism economy. On a global level, since 2004, it has been growing three times more than the tourism industry as a whole. We should make good use of that fact, by offering an authentic product, preserving nature and involving other subjects in order to become the so-called a green destination. Businessmen should take part in the certification of facilities. A positive example of the synergy of tourism and environmental protection are all our big festivals, which are "green", and which provide us with over 100.000 tourists a year.
We aim to reduce the amount of waste, achieve a high recycling rate, develop awareness of climate change, environmental protection and promote sustainable modes of transport.
Can tourism, if it implies the construction of new hotels and other accommodation capacities in the most attractive natural locations, and the preserved environment go hand in hand?
The construction of a high-class hotel also implies large investments in its surroundings. I believe that limited and aesthetically controlled construction in certain natural zones can contribute to the development of that area, without damaging its uniqueness.
This year, more than one billion euros poured into the state budget from income from tourism, which is the best result ever in Montenegrin tourism. We also achieved over four million overnight stays in hotels. Now we must not allow such an impressive result to show the other side of the coin - and that is that the space suffers due to an excessive number of guests. With a smart policy of redirecting tourist investments to the north, adequate disposal of waste and an adequate response to all the challenges brought by mass tourism, I am sure that we can make even more profit from this economic branch and preserve the environment.
Therefore, the focus will be on the fact that tourists with high paying power and ecological awareness come to Montenegro, who will know how to appreciate and protect the nature we have. On the other hand, we must be good hosts and show by our own example that we care about living and working in a clean and healthy environment.
Full or partial ban on plastic bags soon
Radulović told "Vijesta" that banning the use of plastic bags is one of the realistic options for Montenegro and announced that he will quickly disclose whether their use will be completely or partially banned.
He also added that banning the use of bags is not one of the binding measures of EU legislation
"It does not envisage concrete banning measures, but restrictions on use or financial measures such as charging bags. It should be important for us as a society to adopt the behavior of a European citizen before 'rushing' towards some European regulation. In France, you are certainly not a patriot if you waste water unwillingly, in markets they look at you with suspicion if, like here, you pack every kind of fruit in special plastic bags", he told "Vijesta". As he said, the Minister of Sustainable Development would like everyone - citizens and businessmen - to "think about environmental patriotism, that is, about preserving nature and our country by not polluting it out of sheer laziness."
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