People with disabilities in Montenegro do not have adequate access to means of transport, facilities such as stations and airports, information about lines and transport, and public spaces that are appropriately adapted to them, said Nikola Zekić, a candidate for councilor on the list "Urokret - Ovako no longer can - Srđan Perić".
According to him, although the legislative framework is increasingly aligned with international standards, the application of those regulations, especially when it comes to accessibility in traffic, is still far from satisfactory.
He said that Preokret advocates that the laws do not remain "a dead letter on paper", but that their implementation brings real changes for citizens with disabilities, including in Podgorica.
As an example, he cites the fact that the city company "Roads" owns buses with lowered ramps and voice machines, but that their functionality is "often rendered meaningless by inadequate use". Also, there is no public address system at bus and train stations that would inform citizens with and without visual impairment about the departures and arrivals of public transport, Zekić points out.
"Despite the technological possibilities that today offers, there are no websites, applications, or other communication tools that would allow visually impaired people access to basic information about transportation. Telephone lines, call centers or Braille boards at stations are also not available. Thus, "people with disabilities are too often left to makeshift solutions and rely on the help of other people," the announcement states.
Zekić says, Urek will advocate for the introduction of order in city buses so that citizens with disabilities are not discriminated against, as well as for the provision of accessible information about transportation in formats that are suitable for everyone, regardless of their information literacy or physical abilities. the problem, he emphasizes, concerns the accessibility of parking lots and sidewalks. In the capital, he said, there are not enough parking spaces for people with disabilities, and where there are, they are often improperly placed or occupied by vehicles without the necessary markings.
Also, pedestrians, including people with impaired vision, are often forced to move through the streets, exposing themselves to danger, because the sidewalks are blocked by parked cars, adds Zekić.
"In addition, infrastructure elements intended for visually impaired people, such as tactile paths, are often poorly installed or of poor quality, which calls into question their safety and functionality. Urevok advocates that such infrastructure projects be carried out in accordance with the needs of end users and in consultations with persons with disabilities and relevant experts," he said.
Zekić said that Peorokret will fight for the dignity and safety of all citizens in traffic in the next mandate of the Capital City Assembly, because only through inclusive policies can a society be created in which all its members are equal.
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