Water above the knees and the garbage that that water carries are images that arrived from Rožaj, a city in the north of Montenegro, at the end of November last year.
Residents of Rožaj say that the elderly remember autumn and the days of continuous rainfall, but not so many floods. Regarding the garbage that the water carried in those days, they say that this picture is "a good reminder of what they do with the Ibar River".
Apart from the local media, the general public could be informed about the floods and the waste that the water brought to the surface in those days through the Facebook page of the informal activist group "Očistimo Rožaje".
The movement was created with the aim of making the city clean. In fact, he says to "Vijesti" Đulija Kardović, to be the cleanest in Montenegro.
During the last year, they organized numerous cleaning actions, and the interlocutor of "Vijesti" believes that this one will be even better.
"I believe that 2024 will be fruitful, because we are in one rapture from last year. Some new energy has appeared, young people who are joining us and who have believed that something can be done about their environment, despite the pessimistic mood so far that this work is futile," she said.
Đulija Kardović is one of the winners of the Eco Ambassador award for 2023, awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"The recognition of the Eco Ambassador means a lot to me, primarily to me, because someone recognized my work and effort, for my family and all those who believed in what I do," said Đulija.
Awards for contribution to nature conservation, except for Kadrović, were awarded To Vuk Saičić, Predrag Tomović ("Eyes of Podgorica"), director Mladen Ivanovic and RTCG journalist Danijelo Garić from Podgorica, Patricia Pobrić from Tivat, Zenepi Liki from Ulcinj, "Vijesti" correspondents from Kolašin Dragana Šćepanović, Ivan Čogurić ("Ecopatriotism") from Nikšić and Dino Mulamekić from Gusinje.
At the awards, several of them were heard to be lonely in their battles. However, Giulija says that she has never felt that way, because she knows that her path is the right one.
"I never felt alone, because I knew that I was on the right and correct path and that the moment would come when people would start joining in what we are striving for, which is to make Rožaje the cleanest city. My goal has been clear from the beginning, so this recognition only gave me a boost to keep going. And proof to people that they know that we are moving hard towards preserving our nature," she says.
When he talks about where this need to dedicate himself to the environment comes from, he says that "it probably comes from home".
"Watching a healthy family that behaves normally towards nature, that remains instilled in you. And I have always loved nature and had great respect for it. Normally I hike, and I always carried a bag and bought used packaging. Over a period of time, I started doing it regularly, in places where I liked to spend time, which were usually viewpoints," she said.
In the continuation of that story, there is also the need to take it seriously, and that's how the "Očistimo Rožaje" movement was born.
Speaking about the biggest environmental problems of the Rožaj region, Kardović said that it is the city's landfill, but she says that there are many others.
"The city landfill is currently the most critical environmental problem, as it has major consequences for people's health. Daily improper disposal of waste through the creation of illegal landfills. In recent years, there is an alarming situation when it comes to the drying of forests, which are attacked by bark beetles, the devastation of the environment can be felt at every step. We already feel the results of our relationship with nature with the first heavy rains, when nature begins to return to us through floods and return to our yards what we gave it," she said.
In the fight for a cleaner Rožaje, as she said, the most difficult thing is to change the consciousness of individuals and convince them to behave more responsibly towards their environment.
"As well as the system that will rather choose to adapt to that situation, instead of finally starting to take responsible steps to change that situation," said Kardović.
How much Đulija is in love with the Rožaj area is also shown by her posts on social networks, which she uses to show exactly the best.
"Every foot of Rožaj nature is a jewel in itself. A diverse landscape from Hajla, Ahmica, Štedim, Banžov, Vlahov, many mountain peaks and authentic villages that you will pass through while moving through this area, the energy you feel there will make you come back again. I believe that Rožaje is an undiscovered pearl and that this will change in the near future," she says, adding that the nature of Rožaje provides opportunities for numerous outdoor activities - mountain biking, trekking, horse riding, hiking... and that the Rožaje area is in in that sense, more and more attractive.
"We are eagerly awaiting the ski resort on Štedim with the exit cable car at 2.119 meters. So in the near future we hope that Rožaje will become a serious tourist destination", said Kardović.
Foreigners are more considerate of nature
Đulija says that the relationship to nature is an individual matter and that it depends on the individual's conscience.
"Wherever it is, the conscience of it should not change in whatever country or place you are," she says.
When asked who protects the environment better - locals or foreigners, he gives a slight advantage to others.
"My opinion is that foreigners have more consideration and respect for nature, whether because of culture or personal conscience, but I say again, it's an individual matter," said Kardović.
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