Perović on the collector: Public, not private interests, should prevail

The environmental movement "Ozon" appealed to protect the public interest and, based on facts, come up with the best possible solution for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, as "Podgorica's most important infrastructure project" when it comes to environmental protection.

The director of the NGO, Aleksandar Perović, announced that "the public discussion about the project for the wastewater treatment plant in Podgorica has currently shifted to the level of classic politics," and that "interest groups are obviously behind it, which, for various private motives, are trying to divert attention from the essence through manipulation."

"The latest pressures on the Environmental Protection Agency, due to the issuance of environmental consent for the environmental impact assessment study in question, are the best indicator of ignorance of the issue and shifting responsibility to an institution whose primary responsibility is environmental protection and improvement," he said.

Since the purpose of the work of the commission formed by the Agency, as well as the institutions themselves, is for the Study in question to contain the best protection measures during the construction and operation of the WWTP, in accordance with the technology offered by the processor in that document, based on the documentation submitted by the investor, it is clear that the Agency did not choose either locations or technological solutions, but rather influenced the best protection measures in accordance with its legal authority, said Perović.

"That is why we point out that the environmental permit is only one in a series of permits that need to be obtained before the final construction permit, and that the legally prescribed procedure for starting construction has not been completed. We call on all interested parties, without wishing to prejudge the outcome, to conduct a discussion about this project based on the facts, noting that it is in the public interest and legal obligation to ensure the management of municipal wastewater in a way that protects the environment to the extent possible," the statement reads.

If those responsible need to be sought, as he said, "it is clear that these are those who bypassed communication with the residents of Botun in preparing the project", when "a study visit to a facility with identical or similar technology should have been provided", and the residents of Botun should be provided with information that they could have nominated their representative in the work of all working bodies regarding the project in question, including in the commission for evaluating the environmental impact assessment study, which would "exercise their guaranteed right to participate in the decision-making process".

"Since in the meantime there has been a territorial change with the proclamation of the Municipality of Zeta, and since the WWTP itself is territorially linked to Podgorica and Zeta with the proposed technological solution, it is completely logical that risk assessment studies had to be carried out, with particular attention to the expected resistance of the residents of Botun, who, based on decades of difficult experiences with KAP, red mud basins and various pollutants, must by nature be reserved and cautious, especially if they have not received fact-based arguments about the safety of the project when it comes to environmental protection," believes Perović.

He said they hope that public, not private, interests will prevail.

"Given the importance of the construction of the WWTP for the citizens of the capital, where almost half of the population of Montenegro lives, the prevention of negative impacts on public health and causal complications on aquatic and related ecosystems, we call on all relevant stakeholders to protect the public interest and, based on the facts, come to the best possible solution for the construction of this most important infrastructure project of Podgorica when it comes to environmental protection. We hope that our appeal will be accepted by everyone, and that public, not private, interests will prevail," the statement reads.