MERT: It is unrealistic to expect that in a few months we will solve all the accumulated problems that we have inherited

It is unrealistic to expect that in a few months we will solve all the accumulated problems that we inherited by taking over the portfolio of tourism, ecology, sustainable development and the development of the north.

This is stated in the response of the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North (MERT) to the citizens gathered in the municipality of Rožaje who are requesting the relocation of the Mostin location.

The non-governmental organization "Euromost" announced earlier today that a group of Rožaje citizens blocked the Rožaje-Špiljani road today, demanding that the Mostina landfill be moved.

"Understanding today's gathering of Rožaje citizens who are asking for the relocation of the Mostina landfill, in order to adequately inform the public and solve a problem that dates back 11 years, we must note that local self-government units are responsible for municipal waste management on the territory of municipalities, as in the case of the municipality of Rožaje." , it is emphasized in the announcement of MERT, which is headed by Vladimir Martinović (Democratic Montenegro).

They added that, based on the fact that, according to the Law on Waste Management, the local self-government (LS) is responsible for municipal waste management, the Municipality of Rožaje passed a Decision in 2013 on the method of temporary storage of municipal waste and the conditions for protecting the environment and human health, which the Mostina location designated for the temporary storage of communal waste.

"Not wanting to believe in the ill-intention of allegations that we are not sufficiently committed to the development of the north, but with the respect that everyone has the right to criticize, we must point out that it is unrealistic to expect that in a few months we will solve all the accumulated problems that we inherited by taking over the portfolio of tourism, ecology, and sustainable development and development of the north. In support of our commitment and efforts to solve problems, both in the north and in other parts of Montenegro, the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North has recently been intensively working on the preparation of the Study on the selection of an adequate location for the regional waste management center for the northern region, which, based on the State Waste Management Plan, is foreseen in the Municipality of Bijelo Polje. The same Plan envisages the construction of a transfer station with a waste sorting plant in the Municipality of Rožaje. As a confirmation of the above, the fact that the Proposal for a new law on waste management is awaiting parliamentary voting, he points out in the announcement.

MERT stated that they are ready for a dialogue with all local self-governments, northern, central and southern, all with the aim of finally solving long-standing problems.

"Also, let's inform the public that the Environmental Protection Agency will already on Monday, in accordance with the Law on Liability for Environmental Damage, go to the field, determine the exact situation and, based on that, draw up a report and start the procedure for determining damage or immediate danger to the environment. We hereby invite the local self-government to a dialogue and approach to solving this problem in order to choose an adequate location," concludes the MERT announcement.