CGO: Terminate harmful concession contracts in Kraljski Bari

The Center for Civic Education (CGO) called on the parties of the ruling majority and the Government to "finally fulfill the promises" made by the residents of Kraljske Bar and terminate the "harmful and null" concession contracts with the companies "Dekar" and "Dekar Energy", which plan to build the mini-hydroelectric power plant "Crnja ", "Crni potok" and "Ljubaštica", which is why the residents of that area have been protesting for more than 15 months.

Snežana Kaluđerović, senior legal adviser at the CGO, reminds that the representatives of the ruling majority, before the formation of the Government, "toured the area and promised" that the problem would be solved as soon as the Government was formed, which has not happened to date. "Locals and their problems were forgotten, or there was another interest of some new decision-makers that led them to maintain status quo which only benefits the privileged privileged investor," she states.

"Today, the locals, for the 41st Sunday in a row, but already in poor health, will protest on the banks of cold rivers against the illegal construction of these mini-hydroelectric plants. They are persistent in preserving the rivers and a healthy environment, which will additionally be due to the inevitable construction of the highway right through Kraljske Bare. damaged. These locals are fighting for the right thing and deserve wider support. On the other hand, the investor seems to have calculated the route of the highway when, after a decade of obtaining construction permits, he starts construction. That is his calculated intention to seek compensation from the state in this village is clear, but it is not clear why the new authorities do not terminate such invalid contracts and why he, and not the locals, has the support of the new authorities," said Kaluđerović.

She recalled the statement of Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, during his visit to Kraljski Bari on September 20 last year.

"This is a big disaster and it's a shame to do it either according to the law or against the law. The future government should cancel all concessions for MHP and permanently ban the construction of MHP. If it doesn't happen, there wouldn't be a government either," he said then. he, as stated by Kaluđerović.

"Unfortunately, neither he, even though the party he leads - URA - belongs to the Greens, nor the Government in which he has one of the most responsible functions, have not done anything to change the situation in Kraljski Bari," she added.

He also states that the previous government, more than a decade ago, "did not even consult" the local population, nor did it look at the development plans of Montenegro when, in addition to the highway, which is an important project for the country, it also planned the construction of an MHP through that village. "The previous Government supported the interests of the arrogant investor, not the locals, as the CGO has pointed out many times, but the same investor is now in conjunction with the new authorities, who also put his interest above the interests of the locals and the public," adds Kaluđerović.

She said that the past period brought enormous damage to the locals due to the "unwillingness of the Government to terminate the illegal and controversial" business of the concessionaire.

"The government is aware of the damage and potential criminal acts that this concessionaire has caused by its actions in the field, both towards the local population and the state. It is also known to the public that a number of criminal charges have been filed against the concessionaire against ODT Kolašin. questions - who is delaying these procedures and why they are trying to carry out certain actions in order to protect the concessionaire", said Kaluđerović.

He points out that in the case of Kraljske Bar, it is an unequal struggle in which the locals "go with their heart and desire" to protect their environment, which is "important for the well-being of the region and the country", while opposite them is a powerful concessionaire, "focused on private million interest, and with the protection of both former and current authorities."

"At the same time, there is no more life for these residents in that area if this kind of project by the concessionaire is implemented, which will put their existence in question, which the authorities turn a blind eye to," the announcement concludes.