Temporary waste dumps, gravel exploitation, quarries, and illegal construction along rivers are some of the main problems facing the northern part of Montenegro.
This was said by Almer Mekić, president of the non-governmental organization (NGO) "Euromost", during a gathering of several residents of the northern part of Montenegro in front of the European Union (EU) delegation building in Podgorica.
He said that they gathered in front of the EU Delegation to point out the catastrophic state of the environment in the north of the country.
"We want to point out to the European Union Delegation and state institutions that we do not agree with the statements that everything is great and wonderful, because that is not true. In the last ten, twenty years, nothing has been invested in environmental protection in the north," said Mekić.
A group of citizens gathered with banners and messages such as "STOP the devastation and destruction of Bijedići", "STOP the destruction of the environment in Northern Montenegro"...
They will gather again at 14 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development and demand a meeting with the relevant minister, Damjan Ćulafić.
Mekić also said that temporary waste dumps endanger the environment.
He claims that everyone knows that this is a big problem, but nothing is being done.
"Promises about a regional landfill are nowhere in sight. Natural landfills are being closed rightly, because they are illegal and unregulated. The Environmental Protection Agency committed a crime when it gave its consent for rivers in the north to be used for mini hydroelectric power plants," he claims.
Due to hydroelectric power plants, Mekić emphasizes, the population is often left without water. Quarries, he said, are another problem.
"We are surrounded on all sides by quarries... There was space for these ten years to relocate the wastewater treatment collector to another location," said Mekić.
He also claims that the information being sent to Brussels and the European Commission is not accurate.
"We will be here for another hour. We will not allow Chapter 27 to be closed. On Sunday, the residents of Srđevac will have their first blockade due to a quarry in that town," he announced.
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