Exposed to noise and air mixed with particles of asphalt and sand and various other harmful substances - live the locals of Donja Cijevna and Mahala, some of whom have houses only fifty meters from as many as three asphalt production plants.
All of this is on the banks of the Cijevna, a river that is mostly legally protected, has the status of a natural monument and which, together with the Morača, supplies the endangered Bolje sestre water source, which is on the UNESCO map of the 150 most important karst springs in the world.
Opposite the asphalt bases, on the other side of the river, there are vast plantations of Plantaž, as well as medicinal plants, immortelle, which are also threatened by harmful particles.
Along the river bank, several companies have bases with complete machinery, crushers and rolling stock - Putevi, Bemax and Genex, as well as the Tehnoput company. The latter recently received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Elaborate Environmental Impact Assessment and work permit. That study, the research showed Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG), is based on data as old as seven years, many of which do not exactly relate to that location.
The EPA for CIN-CG points out that their consent to the Elaborate is only one in a series of documents that the company Tehnoput needs to perform its work and that, if they had not approved it, they could risk a lawsuit and payment of compensation to that company.
"We could not find any legal basis not to give them consent to the Elaborate", the Agency states.
Company Technoput Saša Acimić its activity of concrete production and gravel exploitation was carried out on state land. Since 2012, they have tried to get a building permit for their facilities and failed. In January 2023, the construction inspection and the police sealed the asphalt base of the Tehnoput on Cijevna. However, the seal was soon removed and illegal activities continued. The prosecution reacted and Aćimić was arrested, but he was soon released to defend himself.
When the plant of another company, Montenegro Petrol, was demolished in February 2023, the locals and the public hoped that the end of gravel theft was in sight and that order would be brought to this area.
However, the recent issuance of an environmental permit to Tehnoput is a confirmation that it is not exactly going in that direction.
"We hoped that the matter was resolved. But it was all a farce. The bases never stopped working - from six in the morning to four in the afternoon. The 'Roads' base was a primitive base, and then they installed a new one, a year and a half ago, and it started working, without a water permit or anything else. The theft of gravel has not been stopped, and now that work is done by those with political support or good family connections...", a resident of Donje Cijevna tells CIN-CG Sasa Boskovic.
How destructive the illegal exploitation of gravel is is best shown by the fact that in 2010, when they were chosen as the source from which the Montenegrin coast will be fed, the yield of Bolji sestera was 2.600 liters per second, and in 2020 it was almost eight times less - 334 liters per second. In 2021 and 2022, the yield was 265. Nevertheless, after certain activities of the state, in 2023 the yield was increased by two and a half times and was 677 liters per second.
The Regional Waterworks - Montenegrin Coast (Vodovod) explained to CIN-CG that the activities to stop the illegal exploitation of gravel and sand until the beginning of 2023 did not produce the expected results and that the yield was continuously falling. The bottom of the Morača River bed in the II zone of sanitary protection was, they say, below the permitted 10 meters above sea level, and in some places it was even below three meters.
They hope that the additional quantities that have already been contracted with the captured water from the Bolje sestre spring will be sufficient for this summer tourist season.
"The construction of the sand foundation is expected to increase the yield of the water source by an additional 50 to 70 liters per second. Activities for the construction of a filter plant for water purification, which should provide an additional 100 liters per second, are in progress", the Waterworks Company states.
None of the companies have water permits
All the locals with whom CIN-CG spoke claim that none of the companies that manage asphalt bases have water permits issued by the Water Administration.
CIN-CG confirmed these allegations from the Water Administration.
"We have not issued any water permits for plants - asphalt bases on Cijevna. For the implementation of prescribed measures and obligations from the point of view of water management, the Law on Water does not recognize the investor's obligation to obtain a water permit before obtaining approval for the Elaboration on Environmental Impact Assessment. However, that law is explicit - for the use of buildings and facilities, a use permit cannot be issued without a previously obtained water permit", the Administration states.
The Agency points out that this problem has been exaggerated from the beginning, because without a water permit, this company cannot legally work. However, all these companies are still working smoothly, even though they do not have a water permit.
According to the Law on Water, an asphalt base is a facility that could have a significant impact on water pollution, and therefore strict criteria apply to obtaining a water permit for these facilities. Some of them refer to the method of exploitation, remediation measures, assessment of the impact on aquatic life and surrounding springs, records of extracted quantities of materials, as well as numerous other conditions.
The question arises as to how it is possible for these companies to continue to work smoothly and receive the green light from state institutions when in February 2023 the Government of Montenegro adopted the "Information on the need for urgent implementation of measures to rehabilitate the terrain in the catchment of the Bolje Sestre water source, the belt along the Morača and Cijevna with the elements of ecological disaster" and tasked the then Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism and the EPA to urgently remove and demolish the buildings located in this area.
CIN-CG addressed the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property (MPPUDI) with questions about how many facilities for gravel extraction are currently in Morača and Cijevna, whether they are working and why they have not been removed as a facility of the company Montenegro Petrol. Despite the long wait, we did not receive any answers until the publication of this research.
It is the biggest problem, the director of NGO Ozone points out for CIN-CG Aleksandar Perovic, rendering the system meaningless.
"If, for example, the water permit and the environmental consent are cut, that is, one is there and the other is not, this indicates the absence of intersectoral cooperation and opens up space for questioning corrupt moments, as well as the lack of expertise. It is impossible for institutions dealing with environmental protection, specifically water, to disagree", he believes.
The EPA says it will try to end the non-cooperation. CIN-CG learns that, by the end of the month, at the initiative of the Agency, a meeting will be held with the representatives of the Water Administration, the Regional Water Supply - Montenegrin Littoral and the Municipality of Zeta, which has yet to be demarcated from the Capital City, in order for the representatives of all these institutions to come to an agreement about the solution to the problem of asphalt bases.
Spatial plans that are in force treat the place where all these bases are located as an industrial zone. It is practically legally possible to build a nuclear power plant there, if someone came up with that idea. That is why, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the only sustainable solution is a moratorium on construction. Until new spatial plans are adopted that will change the purpose of this space.
"Everything that is wrong is located in the Zeta area, we have serious environmental problems - KAP, red mud, gravel exploitation, asphalt bases, collector... Spatial solutions foresee the possibility for investors to open smelters, ironworks, refineries, to store flammable waste. I'm afraid that a complex story awaits us. The spatial plan should be changed according to the needs of the citizens," he told CIN-CG Tatjana Torbica who lives near asphalt bases.
The Technoput report is based on irrelevant data
In the Tehnoput Elaboration, which was approved by the EPA at the end of last month, we come across interesting data.
In the segment dealing with the current state of air quality, it is acknowledged that measurements were not made at the project location:
"Air quality measurements at the project location were not done considering that the project location is located near KAP". Instead, the earlier results of these measurements, as far back as 2017, at the measuring point at the KAP Outpatient Clinic, are listed.
Data on the quality of the land were not prepared at the project location either. They are, as it is claimed, in the nearby one, and they date from March 2019.
Somewhat more recent data are those on the quality of the Morača River for the measuring profile below the mouth of the Cijevna and were taken from the Ecological Yearbook III-21 of the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro for the year 2021.
It is eye-catching that the EPA gives its consent to the report in which, in the "Population" section, it is written in one part: "Near the site, that is, in the southwestern and southern parts, there are the settlements of Cijevna (61 inhabitants), Srpska (868 inhabitants), Balijače-Mahala (1.354 inhabitants) and Mitrovići (299 inhabitants)", and somehow conclude that there will be no impact on the population:
"There are no residential buildings in the immediate vicinity, so its exploitation will not have an impact on the local population... During the normal operation of the asphalt base, there are no negative impacts on people's health".
This statement, the residents of Donje Cijevna and Mahala state in their complaint against the Tehnoput Elaborate, which was recently submitted to the EPA, and which CIN-CG had access to, "is so inaccurate that it alone is enough to make the maker wonder if he even knows where the construction is planned base".,
"The report contains a list of measures that can be taken to protect land, water, air..., however,...nowhere is it precisely stated which of those measures the investor will actually undertake in his work and in what way", the residents also state in the complaint .
Environmental compliance, Ozon explains, implies a series of monitoring measures for air, land and water quality, which should be regularly submitted to the competent institutions.
"Practice shows that this is not done," states Perović.
No one was concerned with the impact on human health
The residents of Donje Cijevna and Mahala are particularly concerned by the fact that no one has actually analyzed the impact on human health of so many asphalt bases in such a small area.
It is interesting that in 2022, the protector of property and legal interests of Montenegro (protector) addressed a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency with a request that the agency carry out an assessment of the cumulative impact of all three asphalt bases on nature, which the locals have been asking for years, but to no avail.
From the Agency, which he heads Milan Gazdić, the protector was answered stating that companies that manage asphalt bases that have polluted the environment are not recognized by the Law on Liability for Environmental Damage. Instead of carrying out new analyses, the EPA referred to the findings of the Environmental Inspection and the Center for Ecotoxicological Testing (CETI), as well as the fact that these companies had already received approval for environmental impact assessment studies.
Locals have been turning to the institutions for years and providing data indicating that the asphalt bases are not operating according to environmental standards.
"The consequences are constant pollution of air and water, unbearable noise, endangering health due to the unlimited working hours of the plant," warns Torbica.
She warns that the devastation of the coastal land and the discharge of waste water into the Cijevna river are taking place.
"There is also the problem of huge mounds of deposited material that, under the influence of the wind, end up in our homes," states Torbica. She requested the suspension of plant operation until the production technology is harmonized with European standards.
Residents of Donja Cijevna and Mahala have repeatedly pointed to inaccurate data in the Elaborate on Environmental Impact Assessment of Roads.
"It is not true that agricultural lands are not present near the asphalt bases, because on the eastern side there are Plantaž vineyards, and no one has yet investigated the harmful effect on the plantations. Also, along the railway line on the other side of the coast, also at a short distance, there is a private property of wheat plantations, as well as large areas of aromatic plant plantations", it is written in one of the letters of the locals to the capital, which CIN-CG had an insight into.
CIN-CG confirmed all these statements of the locals by going to the field. We also addressed the Plantations.
"Even though so far no negative impact has been determined on the micro-localities that are closest to the locations of the aforementioned asphalt bases, within the framework of regular activities and daily tours, the company continuously monitors the situation on the ground," the company states.
Locals expected all bases to be removed.
"Two are already working and now the third one will, which has been there for 10 years without any permits, approvals or studies. We explained to the previous government what it was all about, and now to everyone in the new government, and no one answered us," Bošković added.
Locals do not trust the Agency
Torbica points out that so far they have not received any response from the institutions about the damage. She is particularly disappointed in the work of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"We approached them, we even had a verbal promise Milan Gazdić. He said that he would provide us with an assessment of the damage from the operation of the asphalt bases a couple of years ago, and we never received an answer," she says.
After obtaining approval for the construction of another base at Cijevna, the EPA, the Regional Waterworks - Montenegrin Coast, and the Water Authority fought over who was to blame for the permit being issued in the first place.
In September of last year, the Regional Waterworks decisively announced that it was not possible to issue a consent to the Technopath Elaboration due to the protection of the Bolje Sestre water source. The EPA states that the Water Administration stated in its statement that the plot of the asphalt base is not located in the sanitary protection zone of the water source and that the base is about six kilometers away from it as the crow flies. The Water Administration states that the plot where the base is located is not covered by the second sanitary protection zone, nor by the proposed third protection zone of this source.
It is interesting, however, that since 2008, this Administration has not determined the boundaries of the wider protection zone of this area.
Torbica believes that the Regional Waterworks had to hire an accredited institution that would make a realistic assessment of the wider zones of sanitary protection.
"Someone, by accident, left this area out of the wider zone of sanitary protection, from the third zone," she says.
The Regional Water Supply previously explained why asphalt bases cannot be in sanitary protection zones.
"Considering that the operation of the base causes the release of chemicals into the air during production, including many toxic air pollutants such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, cadmium, phenol and hexane, it is unacceptable and unfair to pollute the Morača River and the team in this way the Bolje sestre water source is endangered".
Gazdić has stated on several occasions that investors are obliged to observe measures to prevent or eliminate harmful effects.
"We cannot rely on the fact that the protection measures proposed in the studies will be taken, because this has not been the case until now either. Bemax, for example, discharges waste water that is the product of washing their machines directly into Cijevno. If we know that the worst chemicals are used for this, and that it all goes into our rivers, and then into Lake Skadar - then what are we talking about", asks Bošković.
It is no wonder that citizens do not have confidence that they will work according to the law, because AZŽS itself announced in November 2023 that the companies Montenegro petrol, Bemax, Cijevna komerc and Beton Montenegro did not comply with the legal obligation and did not submit to that agency for approval a proposal for remedial measures due to damage done in the bed of the Morača river.
The Law on Liability for Environmental Damage, by the way, foresees a misdemeanor fine of two to 40 thousand euros for a legal entity that does not prepare and submit a proposal for remedial measures within the time limit set by the decision.
CIN-CG previously wrote about the fact that out of 25 criminal proceedings initiated due to the illegal exploitation of gravel in the last five years, only five were completed. Two were rejected, and in three the perpetrators received symbolic punishments - two fines of 1.700 and 800 euros and one suspended sentence.
Montenegro petrol, on the other hand, who has been stealing gravel on state land for decades before the Commercial Court, he initiated proceedings against the state from which he is seeking compensation of four million euros!
Bošković points out that their struggle and ignoring the institutions has been going on for 10 years and announces that if they still do not receive an answer, they will go on protests.
In the region of the asphalt base, far from populated areas
In the immediate surroundings of Montenegro, many asphalt bases are not near densely populated places. Examples are Teko Mining Vinča in Grocka, SremPut in Ruma, HidroKop in Banja Luka, Bjelovar Roads, Zagreb Roads, Novi Pazar Road and others.
In some countries there are even ecological asphalt societies, and their priority is the green use of recycled old asphalt, i.e. the green asphalt industry - the production of low-temperature asphalt, with less harmful emissions.
The European Commission (EC) has been warning for years that the asphalt industry is one of the largest consumers of energy and raw materials and contributes enormously to the emission of greenhouse gases. They see the solution in developing new technologies to integrate waste and recycled materials into the asphalt mix production cycle, as this would improve sustainability, reduce the carbon footprint and the detrimental impact on the environment. In one of the projects in Spain, which was supported by the EC back in 2014, the concept of eco-asphalt was even presented, which combines green binders, recycling aggregates created from construction waste and regenerated asphalt.
All these green ideas, although they have been implemented in Europe for years, are still far from Montenegro.
Although asphalt bases are supposed to be temporary in nature, in practice they function in one location for decades. Locals of Donje Cijevna and Mahala point out that they have no other home, and no lives.
"Asphalt bases are mobile and can be moved to another, more adequate location considering their disastrous impact on the environment. We are not," they say.
They bitterly explain that when they once turned to an inspection on the operation of one of the bases, they were told that there was one in the center of Berlin.
Most of the companies work illegally, and the police do not react
CIN-CG had insight into the "Information on the status of inspection procedures of engineering facilities - plants: asphalt bases, concrete bases and crushing plants" prepared by the Directorate for Inspection Supervision of the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism at the end of January 2023.
That document shows all controls, decisions to eliminate irregularities, demolition or prohibition of buildings, as well as all requests to initiate misdemeanor proceedings against companies that devastate Cijevna and Morača.
When it comes to the facilities on Cijevna, in the case of the company Tehnoput, in 2023 the Ministry issued a decision prohibiting the construction of their facility and the facility was sealed. The ecological inspection carried out 14 inspections, four decisions were made to eliminate irregularities, and two requests were submitted for the initiation of misdemeanor proceedings. A few days ago, the Urban and Construction Inspection of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property issued a Decision prohibiting the construction of the asphalt base of this company. It remains to be seen what kind of results this will have, because even the previous solutions like this did not prevent Tehnoput from continuing its work.
For the asphalt base of Bemaks, three decisions were made regarding the demolition of parts of the building that were built contrary to the revised main project and building permit. A decision was also made to stop the legalization procedure. The ecological inspection carried out 13 inspections, four decisions were made to eliminate irregularities, and one request was submitted to start a misdemeanor procedure. The market inspection even established that concrete was placed on the market for which usability was not proven by a declaration of properties, which is contrary to the Law on Construction Products. But Bemax still operates at this location.
Civjevni komerc was given a decision to demolish, because two concrete bases and other buildings were built contrary to valid planning documents and without proper approval. In this case, the Environmental Inspection carried out 11 inspections, four decisions to eliminate irregularities and two requests to initiate misdemeanor proceedings. The market inspection found that records on the purchase and sale of goods in bulk were not available to it during the inspection, which is a violation of the Law on Internal Trade. Also, as in the case of Bemax, it was established that concrete was put on the market for which usability has not been proven. This company is also active today in Cijevna.
For Firmi Putevi, one asphalt base was removed and a temporary facility was installed. In her case, the environmental inspection carried out the most inspections - 20 of them, and also made five decisions to eliminate irregularities and four requests to initiate misdemeanor proceedings. Even the Roads did not stop their activities at this location.
In Morača, the company Čelebić was issued a decision prohibiting the use of the building, because it was not registered in the real estate cadastre in accordance with the Law on State Survey and Real Estate Cadastre. The ecological inspection carried out five inspections and issued three solutions for the elimination of irregularities. The market inspection also found a violation of the Law on Internal Trade, because even in this case, the record of the purchase and sale of goods in bulk is not available at the time of the inspection. It was also established that the company was putting concrete on the market for which usability was not proven by a statement of properties. Celebić na Morača still has great activities.
Only Montenegro Petrol has demolished facilities built contrary to the valid planning document and without approval. The ecological inspection carried out 19 inspections, passed six decisions to eliminate irregularities and submitted four requests to initiate misdemeanor proceedings. The market inspection determined that the Law on Internal Trade and the Law on Construction Products were violated - for the same reasons as in the case of Čelebić.
That all these companies are working smoothly is confirmed by CIN-CG's knowledge that representatives of competent institutions dealing with environmental and water protection in Montenegro recently visited this area together with representatives of foreign embassies to whom they showed how gravel is exploited illegally. One of the officials from the embassy asked - why don't we call the police?
Bonus video:
