Residents of Bijedići and Srđevac have announced that they will not stop their protests until the Government terminates the contract with the concessionaires, the companies "Elas" owned by Šućar Omerović and "Imperijal" owned by Vojislav Smolović, brother of the President of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, Petar Smolović.
They said this today in the town of Ribarevine, where they blocked the roundabout and main roads towards Bijelo Polje, Berane and Podgorica for an hour.
The representative of the citizens of the town of Bijedići, where the quarry is being built by "Elas", Krsto Tvrdišić, pointed out that the locals "from both ends of Bijelo Polje" were united by the fight for the right to a normal life and a healthy environment, which is guaranteed to them by the Constitution of Montenegro.
"The interests of individuals and certain groups are probably stronger than the laws of Montenegro. We are interested in when the Prosecutor's Office will wake up and examine the process of granting concessions to concessionaires who owe hundreds of thousands of euros through other companies to the state of Montenegro. We are interested in when and whether the Prosecutor's Office will examine the decisions of individuals from municipal services, the actions of individuals from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, inspection services, ministries responsible for granting concessions and other institutions that have led to this situation with certain decisions," Tvrdišić pointed out.
The company "Elas", said Tvrdišić, submitted an initiative to the Institute for Geological Research on December 23rd to obtain a concession.
"After two days, the Institute formed a commission to evaluate the initiative. They say they formed a commission that toured the field and on January 11, 2021, made a decision to accept the initiative. Everything happened before the holidays, during the holidays they toured the field and completed everything with an expedited procedure. We wonder if they were even in Bijedići, because everything happened during the coronavirus when the ban on movement and gatherings was in effect, which is why we are asking the Prosecutor's Office to investigate these allegations," he said, adding that the Institute for Geological Research and the Ministry of Mining and Energy prolonged the agony of the locals last year by signing a new annex to the contract with the concessionaire, even though the latter violated the work permit, i.e. the UT and traffic conditions, destroyed the archaeological site by illegally building roads, and usurped the land by cutting down forests.
Tvrdišić wondered whether the amount of 30.000 euros, the cost of the concession in Bijedići, was crucial for the development of Bijelo Polje and announced the struggle of the locals and the pursuit of justice, if necessary, even to the court in Strasbourg.
Similar problems were pointed out by the residents of Srđevac, the town where the quarry is being built by "Imperijal".
Srđevac resident Sabaheta Hasanagić pointed out that the locals are demanding accountability, not only from the company "Imperijal" as the concessionaire, but also from everyone who had an influence in "the falsified Environmental Impact Assessment Report receiving approval."
"As we learn, the concessionaire's goal, if the contract is terminated, is to receive compensation from the state, but it is not at all clear to us citizens how they could have received the concession when they provided data in the Study that did not correspond to the factual situation and how the Secretariat for Rural Development of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje could have given its consent to such a Study. That is precisely why everyone who contributed to that illegal act should be held accountable," said Hasanagić.
She referred to earlier statements by the President of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, Petar Smolović, that certain political groups are fighting to close the quarries and drive investors out of Bijelo Polje, thereby casting a shadow over their efforts and attempting to politicize the problem.
"From his address, we can conclude that investors are more important to him than the lives of citizens and a healthy environment. Therefore, we tell them once again that there will definitely be no quarries," said Hasanagić.
Srđan Šćekić, a representative of Srđevac and five other villages, said that this is a great pain and embarrassment for the citizens of the area, pointing out that the Imperial quarry was built one hundred and fifty meters from the houses and that there are large water sources nearby.
"It's a shame that in the 21st century we have to defend our homes from air pollution, explosions and everything, and it's a shame for the state, which values one businessman, who increases his capital by five or six times every day, more than 2000 citizens. No one even asked us why we came and what we were struggling for," said Šćekić, recalling that this was the eighth protest and that in the meantime they had visited three ministers, but without any real support.
Environmental activist Almer Mekić said that the state treats citizens of the north as if they are not an integral part of the state.
"It is interesting that the Prime Minister spoke out and apologized for one person a few days ago, but when it comes to the citizens of northern Montenegro and their problems, he has not yet spoken out," said Almer Mekić, president of the NGO "Euromost", adding that if someone from the Government and the competent authorities does not contact them for answers, the locals will come to Podgorica and radicalize the protests.
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