Locals of Donji Kokota claim that the Čelebić company illegally exploited gravel on the bank of the Morača river yesterday in that settlement, while this company categorically denies this.
Yesterday, "Vijesti" found the water management inspection on the field, which came at the invitation of the locals. The inspectors unofficially said that they can comment on this issue when they draw up the minutes and take statements from the responsible persons, after which the case would eventually be forwarded to the prosecution. "Vijesti" is waiting for official answers regarding this case from the Directorate for Inspection Affairs.
One of the residents of that settlement in Podgorica Dragisa Asanović Yesterday, he told "Vijesta" that gravel mining has been done continuously for the last 10 years, and that yesterday morning they again noticed excavators and trucks that were digging and transporting gravel from Morača.
The locals gave "Vijesti" photos of the excavator and the truck, which they claim were taken yesterday.
"A disaster has been created... There are 2.000 square meters of our land here, as determined by the expert, which is why we are suing them. There used to be earth in this place, but then 'Čelebić' dug a 10-meter hole and loaded thousands of cubic meters of gravel in that place, which he is now extracting. The Morača River will break all the way to our houses, which are in the immediate vicinity. The depth of Morača has been reduced by seven meters and the wells have gone down, so now we have a problem with irrigation," claims Asanović.
He also said that they have been filing criminal charges against the company for years, but that the prosecution has never initiated proceedings.
"Čelebić" company told "Vijesta" that there is no exploitation of gravel, nor that it is possible.
"The material that was deposited on the plots that are owned by us was extracted several years ago in accordance with the permits we had and for which we paid the concession fee, so it is a case of continued malice of an individual. "Inspections went to the site several times and did not find any irregularities for any gravel exploitation," the company announced.
By the way, part of the plot on which the gravel pit is located and the road leading to it, as well as the plot on which the illegal exploitation of gravel is allegedly carried out, is according to the data of the Administration for Cadastre and State Property, owned by Plantaž 13. July, to which they were sent on this occasion questions.
The Government has repeatedly emphasized that they are determined to stop the illegal exploitation of gravel from riverbeds, especially Morača, which has been one of the main topics in the public eye for a long time. In August, the Information on this issue was also adopted, and then it was announced that it would ban the exploitation of all watercourses in Montenegro and the involvement of all state authorities in this problem.
Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Jokovic recently said in an interview with "Vijesta" that there will be no more illegal exploitation of gravel, as well as that some contracts with individual companies on the exploitation of gravel have been terminated.
Due to the fact that the gravel has been extracted from the river beds for years, the abundance of the key water source that supplies the Montenegrin coast - Bolje sestre - is threatened.
President of the Board of Directors of the company "Regional Vodovod Crnogorsko promorje" Zoran Lakušić a few days ago he warned that the illegal exploitation of gravel in the bed of the Morača river is still being carried out.
"The state has all the mechanisms to demolish illegal separations, to confiscate machines used to commit criminal acts and prosecute those responsible and collect damages," Lakušić wrote on Facebook.
Minister of Interior Affairs Filip Adzic announced recently, after the arrest of the owner of "Technoput" Saša Acimić, that they will protect riverbanks and water sources, and that for this reason they are also thinking about engaging the Army.
Bonus video:
