The realization of the financial plan of the Environmental Protection Fund (Eco Fund) for 2022 depended on the start date of the issuance of pollution solutions (eco fees), and the activities related to the auction of CO2 credits, announced the company, which was founded by the Government of Montenegro. Above.
"The relationship between the planned and implemented Financial Plan is a consequence of the fact that the process of issuing a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started at the end of November 2022, that the activities related to the implementation of the CO2 credit auction are ongoing (managed by the Government), and that there is a time mismatch between the generation of income (the moment of issuing the decision) and the realization of the inflow from those decisions", said the Eco Fund, whose executive director Drasko Boljević.
Boljević said something similar a few days ago, when "Vijesti" published the text "Two governments ate the plan for 7,5 million".
"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues decisions to taxpayers based on fees for creating and depositing hazardous waste, as well as fees for releasing pollutants into the air. The issuance of decisions only started at the end of November, and the inflow that the Eco Fund achieved on that basis amounts to 136.272,95 euros, while based on the decisions issued in previous business years, an amount of 9.885,65 euros was collected (as of 15 December 12 ). We note that the issued decisions give the debtors the opportunity to pay off the obligation in 2022 monthly installments, and for this reason, the greater part of the inflow will be realized in the next business year (taking into account the date of issuance of the decision)", he said then.
Referring to data from the website (www.eko-fond.me) and financial reports that are publicly available on the website of the Revenue and Customs Administration, "Vijesti" announced that in 2020 there were five employees in that company, and that in this year 15
Boljević said that the Eco Fund started hiring in June 2020, and nine people were employed at that time.
"Which influenced the average number of employees for the whole year to be five. Currently, 14 people are employed, of which four are temporary, which indicates that the number of permanent employees has increased by one person. The new employment is partly conditioned by the use of sick leave by two employees, and also by the necessary engagement of certain persons for the implementation of project activities", announced the Eco Fund.
"Vijesti" indicated in the text of December 16 that the company did not realize the planned 15 million euros based on the auction for the sale of emission credits by December 7,5, because the Government did not announce a public call for that auction. Boljević clarified that the auction did not take place because the 42nd Government formed a commission, meanwhile the 43rd Government was formed and delegated representatives for the work of the new commission.
In the press release delivered yesterday, the Eco Fund stated that during the first year of operation (2020), the company dealt with the establishment of the institution's work and personnel formation, that during 2021, funds in the amount of 203.401 euros were used to finance beneficiaries through public tenders for allocation funds for projects in the field of "green energy" and environmental protection. They also said that, according to the competition from a year ago, funds in the amount of 2022 euros were paid to beneficiaries in 142.790, and that based on public tenders in 2022, ending on December 15, another 168.603 euros were paid to beneficiaries.
"Which shows the distinct activity of the Eco Fund in the area for which it was founded, during 2022. Salary expenses in 2022, on the other hand, although projected at the amount of 263.000 euros, do not represent the only expense item of the Eco Fund, but are oriented towards financing or partial the financing of projects to encourage the production of electricity from renewable sources and environmental protection is the primary focus of the work of the Eco Fund", said the company. They added that the peculiarity of the activity itself and the specific normative position of that society "do not yet allow the capacity of the Eco Fund to develop to its ultimate consequences."
"Although we can say that we are getting closer to that goal year after year," they said and added that a set of activities at the international level had also been launched, and that the realization of those activities is still expected.
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