Residents of Beogradska Street in Podgorica stood guard all night at the spot where the tree was cut down

Ten residents of Beogradska Street in Podgorica, about ten of them, spent the entire previous night guarding the spot where the tree was cut down, behind the "Zija" hotel.

This was confirmed to "Vijesti" by Ivana Radulović, a resident of that street, in a telephone conversation.

She said that everything went smoothly and that they gathered spontaneously.

She announced that she would be on guard tonight until early tomorrow morning.

A tree on Beogradska Street was cut down yesterday around two o'clock after midnight with a chainsaw.

Residents of that street gathered at that location yesterday and, among other things, said that the consequences of illegally cutting down a tree could be catastrophic, and that they called the Municipal Police, who, as they stated, "reacted rather lukewarmly."

One of the residents, Vuk Pejović, said at the gathering yesterday that, "if the state does not react," they will have to "settle for night watches."

Several residents told Vijesti that they think this is a kind of retaliation for the fact that work on this plot behind the "Zija" hotel was prevented on Monday.

Residents of Beogradska Street then held a protest because workers had previously started illegally digging and excavating in the yard behind the "Zija" hotel.

They then announced that they would not allow a residential and commercial building to be built on the green area.

The capital city announced yesterday that their position is clear, and that they are with the citizen and against the construction of the controversial facility.

The informal citizens' group Zeleni Kvart also announced yesterday that the tree had been cut down.