The situation when it comes to waste management in Montenegro is not at a satisfactory level, but, as was said at a press conference in Nikšić, the situation will have to be regulated, both through legal regulations and on the ground, if we want to close Chapter 27, which relates to environmental protection, on time.
"Montenegro, as a tourist country, must not allow itself the luxury of waste management being the biggest environmental problem. The state plan on waste management is nearing completion and should be adopted soon. We have worked a lot on adopting by-laws that will significantly influence and improve this area. There will also be significant penal provisions within this law, and this year we will focus most of our efforts on education and implementation of the law that was passed almost a year ago. I hope that, if each of us contributes, we can significantly influence this area and improve the situation," said Milan Gazdić, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency.
At a press conference, he, as well as representatives of the Ecological Movement "Ozon" and the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development, presented the concept of training for local governments, utility companies and business entities regarding legal obligations in the field of municipal and direct construction waste management, obtaining permits, registering polluters and reporting on waste.
The goal of the training is to strengthen the capacities of employees working in waste management in order to improve the quality of reporting and monitoring of waste flows through a proactive approach by those responsible, all with the aim of more efficient legislation and the obligation to develop local plans after the adoption of the National Waste Management Plan.
"Municipalities expect the state to solve these issues for them. However, they need to get involved in solving these issues. Most municipalities have not provided locations for the disposal of tires and construction waste, and these are their legal obligations, and we must not allow such omissions to occur in the future. We cannot blame citizens and say that they are disposing of waste where it should not be. We need to show them where and how it should be disposed of, and if they do not comply, then punish them," Gazdić pointed out.
He recalled that they had over 350 registered illegal landfills and that local governments, although they had good laws, did not comply with them and did not regulate temporary landfills.
"We have passed a decision to close the temporary Mostina landfill in Rožaje, and the Municipality is still disposing of waste there. We gave them almost a year to find a location for disposing of tires, animal waste, and construction waste. They could not do that in a year. We need to examine how these utility companies function. In the future, we must work in a different way," said the director of the Environmental Protection Agency.
There are six environmental inspectors in Montenegro, which, according to Gazdić, is not enough, so they are trying to help them through new forms of action, such as the recently promoted platform through which citizens can report environmental problems and illegal activities in the area.
"As for Chapter 27, a lot has been done. It seems to me that the most problematic part of that entire chapter will be the part regarding the Saltworks. It includes about 30 percent of the activities that we have to complete. We are completing Natura2000 a year or two ahead of schedule. That was the most complicated process in all the countries that joined, and we are completing it well ahead of schedule. I expect that by the end of 2026, we will complete all the activities from Chapter 27," Gazdić is convinced.
He emphasized the very good cooperation with "Ozon", with whom they have already successfully implemented several projects.
Igor Jovanović, from the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development, also emphasized the good cooperation with "Ozon", which, according to him, can serve as an example of how the non-governmental sector should cooperate with institutions in order to jointly solve problems.
"Waste management is the most demanding area that is very dynamic. In terms of legislation, we have almost reached the maximum. Podgorica and the coastal municipalities have built a significant part of the infrastructure in accordance with the planning documents. The situation regarding infrastructure is not satisfactory in the northern region, but certain results are being achieved there as well. The European Commission has given us an assessment that there is limited progress. So there is progress and there is a tendency for the situation to move forward. The competent entities need to recognize their responsibilities and understand that without mutual cooperation, especially between municipalities and state institutions, we cannot achieve these demanding recurrences that we have. In the previous period, the inspections did not do their job, or as I like to say, they did not interfere in their job. And they did not do that because they mainly shifted responsibility from one to another. We need to change our attitude towards our obligations and jointly seek a solution," said Jovanović.
The Executive Director of "Ozon", Aleksandar Perović, pointed out that a large number of utility companies are not registered for waste collection and transport, that in many municipalities the utility infrastructure is in very poor condition, and that only the Podgorica and Bar landfills have integrated permits for waste disposal.
"The whole of Montenegro has been dumping waste illegally. When creating a waste management plan at the local level, the real quantities and morphology of waste should be taken into account. Until now, waste quantities have mostly been given approximately, without any measurement. In Nikšić, we managed to measure the waste and see what its potential is," said Perović.
According to him, the way waste is understood is quite confusing, and local governments and utility companies do not have a sufficiently developed infrastructure.
"We want the waste management center to be not just a place where waste will be delivered and measured, but also a place that will have certain educational content. Our goal is to obtain information through training on how to help utility companies and local governments and how to help businesses fulfill their legal obligations, so that we can all come up with the best solutions together," said the director of "Ozon".
Danilo Veljić, from the Environmental Protection Agency, presented the concept of trainings that will start in September and will be tailored to municipalities and their needs.
He pointed out that the situation in the field of waste management is not great, that many utility companies in the north are not registered in the registry of waste collectors, and that the state plan envisages four regional centers, in addition to the existing ones in Podgorica and Bar, and one each in Nikšić and Bijelo Polje.
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