Montenegro, with the political courage, knowledge and consistency of those leading the green transition, can reach the concrete standards of green Europe in the next ten years.
This was assessed at the conference "Is it a long way from reality to a green future?", organized today in Podgorica by the Civic Alliance (GA).
The press release from the non-governmental organization (NGO) states that the conference concluded that implementing the green transition requires synergy between everyone - institutions, citizens, the civil sector, and the media.
The Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development, Damjan Ćulafić, pointed out the important role of the NGO sector in promoting green policies.
He said that the path from reality to a green future involves a wide range of actors - from institutions and the private sector, through local communities, to every citizen.
The Program Director of the Civic Association, Milan Radović, said that for years, Montenegro has been talking about the necessity of a green transition and the need to protect what defines Montenegro as an ecological state - nature, air, water, mountains, sea.
"There is often resistance between declarations and real changes: political inertia, insufficient investments, low environmental awareness, corruption in spatial planning, and ignoring the recommendations of experts and the civil sector," Radović pointed out.
The Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office, Lejla Dervišagić, pointed out the significant connection between the Council of Europe as an organization dealing with human rights and the environment.
She recalled that in Reykjavik in 2023, a Declaration was adopted in which the Council of Europe confirms its commitment to this issue, emphasizing that environmental protection cannot be separated from fundamental human rights, that is, that a healthy environment is a fundamental human right.
MP Aleksandra Despotović, speaking about the biggest obstacles preventing the term "ecological state" from becoming the foundation of real state policy, pointed out the importance of finding a balance between economy and ecology.
"In addition to political will, it is necessary for this area to be implemented by people who know it. I believe that if we change governments, we must not automatically change people who have knowledge and produce results," said Despotović.
The Director of the Environmental Protection Fund of Montenegro, Draško Boljević, said that in the past four years, the Eco Fund has recorded a significant increase in citizens' interest in energy efficiency measures.
As he stated, the main focus of citizens is still financial gain, while the importance of environmental benefits is insufficiently recognized.
He stated that in the coming period, the Eco Fund will direct the funds collected from the collection of fees for the use of plastic bags to projects to raise awareness among citizens, through cooperation with the civil sector and local communities.
The Executive Director of the NGO UZOR, Danko Jokanović, said that it is a devastating fact that after 30 or more years in Montenegro there is a decreased trust in the concept of an ecological state.
He assessed that citizens will not support the green transition until they feel the personal benefits and clearly understand why it is important to them.
Jokanović said that NGOs should be equal partners to state institutions on the path towards green transition and European standards.
"Because they can contribute to overcoming problems when citizens do not understand the process, because when they do not understand it, they oppose it," said Jokanović.
As announced by the GA, the conference presented an analysis of "Innovative Action for a Greener Future", which addresses one of the most serious environmental and infrastructural challenges of today - waste management.
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