Experts: Construction of the plant in Podgorica is an urgent need, not a political issue, and the citizens of Botun should understand this

The construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Podgorica is an urgent need and it is a project that must be viewed as a civilizational step forward, not a political issue.

This, as announced by the company "Vodovod i kanalizacija" Podgorica, was assessed by experts who participated in the public forum "Wastewater Treatment in Montenegro - Challenges and Perspectives", organized by the University of Montenegro.

"The unified message from the panel is that the right to a healthy environment is a basic human right, and that the issue of wastewater treatment must be addressed immediately, in the interest of citizens, public health, and future generations," it was announced.

It is also emphasized that it is necessary to have understanding for the concerns of the citizens of Botun, "because it does not come from nowhere", and that for this reason additional efforts should be made in education and open communication, in order to clearly convey to the public all the facts and benefits that the project brings.

The panel discussion was attended by professors from the University of Montenegro - Rade Šarović, Danilo Mrdak, Milena Tadić and Duško Vujačić, as well as a guest from Serbia, Ivan Samardžić from the Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade.

Tadić, a professor at the Faculty of Metallurgy and Technology of the University of Montenegro, emphasized that the issue of wastewater is one of Montenegro's environmental priorities, and that the implementation of such projects must be realized.

"With industrialization and urbanization, water pollution is increasing, their chemical composition is changing, which further undermines the status of environmental protection, and consequently increases the risk to human health. The only solution is to build a purification system. Such facilities are otherwise the most important ecological infrastructure projects. By implementing this project, a country like Montenegro will gain a sustainable system, protect the environment and solve the issue of public health. Not to mention that wastewater itself can be treated as a resource. By purifying it, we get water that we can reuse for both agricultural and industrial purposes," said Tadić, according to the statement.

Samardžić, from the Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, emphasized that the problem of wastewater has not been solved even in large cities in the region, such as Belgrade and Novi Sad, and that there are always dilemmas regarding the choice of location.

"There is never an ideal location. Such facilities will always bother someone. The problem in society is that we pollute water, and we do nothing to purify it. This and last year, both Serbia and Montenegro faced a chronic lack of clean drinking water in the summer season. So, we have a water shortage and we have to preserve what we have. In my opinion, it is a civilizational step forward for many places in the Balkans to have a wastewater treatment plant. Belgrade has not resolved the issue of a wastewater treatment plant, and it is precisely it that is the biggest polluter of the Danube. In our country, this has not been resolved in Novi Sad either. Niš has a plant that is inadequate, as does Kragujevac. A good example in our country is, for example, Kruševac, 80% of whose territory is connected to collectors that carry wastewater to the central plant," said Samardžić, adding that it is important that all interested parties participate in resolving this issue and especially that the academic community give its opinion in order to respond as adequately as possible to all the ambiguities of the local population.

Šarović, from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Montenegro, assessed that this is a rare positive investment in Montenegro that does not endanger green areas, but that due to social and political circumstances, skepticism is developing towards the project.

"A difficult historical legacy, economic injustices and the devastation of space have formed resistance to everything that comes from the government. The key problem is the collision between scientific knowledge and populism, where resistance is chosen instead of facts. The lack of environmental education in society means that such key projects always suffer," said Šarović, according to the statement.

Mrdak, from the Faculty of Science at the University of Montenegro, assessed that the entire topic is often torn out of its professional context and reduced to political bickering.

"There is no universal solution for location. This is a civilizational step forward that we need to realize for our own sake, not just for the sake of the European Union. In my opinion, the most sacred right in the world is the right of a citizen to a healthy environment. When that is ensured, then we can talk about everything else," said Mrdak.

Vujačić, from the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management of the University of Montenegro, pointed out that the problem is not limited to Podgorica.

"Wastewater that the existing collector fails to process ends up in the Morača River, then in Lake Skadar and the Adriatic Sea. This is not only a problem for Podgorica, but also for a good part of Montenegro. A bigger problem than the financial one would be an ecological disaster if this project is not implemented," Vujačić emphasized.