The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has refused to submit guidelines for the Temporary Facilities Program for the Skadar Lake National Park (NP) to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property.
They did this, they point out in their responses to "Vijesti", because the authorities have not developed a Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the "Skadar Lake" National Park for years, and the binding one is more than two decades old.
The authorities are shifting responsibility from one to another, and the fact is that the special purpose spatial plan was drafted back in 2001, with a validity period of ten years.
Previously, the department Slaven Radunović requested from the Agency conditions and guidelines for a plan of temporary facilities for the aforementioned national park, which would be valid until 2029. The Ministry made the program of temporary facilities for the Skadar Lake NP area available to the public in September 2024, and interested parties could submit requests until October 24 last year.
The Agency suggested to the Ministry that it draft a new plan for the area, from which other lower-level documents would emerge.
However, the department says that the installation, or rather the construction, of temporary facilities "is not defined by the planning document."
"The program of temporary facilities for the national park area, according to the new legislation, is adopted by the legal entity that manages the national park, with the consent of the Ministry and other bodies and institutions, except in the case of initiated procedures," the Ministry said.
The Agency claims that they have repeatedly informed the National Park "Skadar Lake" that it is subordinating its jurisdiction, activities and actions to the previously adopted, "but legally valid spatial plan for special purposes."
"Namely, the special purpose spatial plan was developed back in 2001 with a validity period of ten years. According to the Nature Protection Act, it is valid until a new special purpose plan is developed."
They recalled that the National Parks of Montenegro (NPCG) have not developed a special purpose spatial plan for the Skadar Lake NP for 15 years, and added that the competent Ministry "received a request to submit conditions and guidelines for a plan of temporary facilities for the aforementioned national park, which would be valid until 2029."
They also said that they have approached the NPCG twice in the past six months, asking them to draft a new special purpose spatial plan for Lake Skadar.
"The agency refused to provide guidelines and the relevant Ministry was suggested that the aforementioned entity continuously carry out actions and activities within its jurisdiction, based on the previously established special purpose spatial plan, although many things have changed significantly in the meantime, both in terms of biodiversity and in terms of the exploitation of space and waters in the NP itself, and that it is more logical and rational to create an innovative spatial plan for this NP, from which all other lower-level documents will emerge, such as the plan for temporary facilities," the Environmental Protection Agency said.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property said that "according to the Decision on the adoption of a special purpose spatial plan for the 'Skadar Lake' National Park, this plan was adopted for the period until 2015."
"Since, therefore, it was a valid planning document in July 2013, it was published and recorded as a valid plan in the register of planning documents maintained by the relevant Ministry. In accordance with the new Law on Spatial Planning, which entered into force on March 5, 2025, until the adoption of a new generation of plans, the planning documents published and recorded in the register will apply. Accordingly, the special purpose spatial plan for the 'Skadar Lake' National Park is applied as a valid planning document," said the MDUP.
They also added that in accordance with the new Law on Spatial Planning, which came into force on March 5 of this year, they will apply published and registered planning documents until the adoption of a new generation of plans.
In accordance with the new Law on Spatial Planning, which entered into force on March 5, 2025, until the adoption of a new generation of plans, planning documents published and recorded in the register will be applied. Accordingly, the special purpose spatial plan for the National Park 'Skadar Lake' is applied as a valid planning document," the Ministry said.
NPCG: Documents are sent to us only for opinion
The National Parks Company responded to "Vijesti" that the Ministry is responsible for issuing documents.
"The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property is responsible for adopting the Temporary Facilities Program from 2025 to 2029 for the Skadar Lake NP area. The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property is responsible for drafting and adopting the Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the areas of national parks, and the draft of that document is submitted to the company for its opinion," the company said.
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