The environment is still not a priority for state and local authorities in Montenegro, said biologist Vuk Iković, stating that there are a significant number of sustainable and green solutions in local communities that do not receive the necessary support.
In an interview with the MINA agency, Iković said that he believes that Montenegro will welcome the next anniversary of its declaration as an ecological state in a better situation, primarily because citizens are becoming more and more aware.
"Citizens are waking up more and more and are not accepting statements that something cannot be done, if they have seen it with their own eyes in another well-organized country," Iković said.
As he added, even if they haven't seen it, numerous scientific papers confirm that one can live without polluting.
"We can have industry without polluting the environment, we can have electricity and the rivers remain clean and healthy, we can have a timber industry and have beautiful forests," Iković said.
According to him, citizens have done more to raise awareness about ecology and environmental preservation than any local or state leadership.
"Citizens, as the basic building block of society and the state, have done more in terms of raising awareness, or informing the entire community when it comes to ecology and environmental protection, than the state apparatus and any leadership has done," said Iković.
As he explained, governments and leaderships have changed, but the environment is still not a priority.
"If drinking water, healthy food, clean air are not your priority - then what should be the priority? We still have deaths in Pljevlja due to polluted air. We still have people from cities with rich agricultural land, clean water, and wood moving to Podgorica or leaving Montenegro," said Iković.
According to him, this means that Montenegro does not have a development policy, nor a policy of using agricultural or other resources so that people can live from their work and knowledge.
Iković believes that in Montenegro it is necessary for people with knowledge to be responsible and in key positions where important decisions are made, and not for it to be a "combination of hunger, ignorance and lack of vision".
This, he emphasized, must become a thing of the past, and the resources that remain must be utilized and upgraded with knowledge.
"As a rule, the state should be the one to finance and encourage healthy policies, and that would be a healthy environmental policy," said Iković, adding that it is also necessary to control and punish those who make mistakes.
Iković said that in Montenegro the primary issue is political will, which creates awareness, including awareness of environmental protection.
According to him, the question is whether in Montenegro the political will will change society or whether society will change the political will.
"The process in which society changes its political will is much slower, while the one in which the political will is so strong and decisive is revolutionary. We do not yet have a revolutionary government and we need to fight for it," Iković said.
He said that in Montenegro, in local communities, there are many business ideas and solutions that are in line with ecological principles, but that they are implemented by those who have the strength and courage to develop them, while state support and encouragement are lacking.
If the state encouraged them, as he said, there would be more of them.
Iković pointed to the examples of the Montehum company and the 3D room in Danilovgrad, stating that these two examples show that it is possible.
As he explained, Montehum produces humus from organic waste with the help of Californian earthworms and thanks to this idea, the import of humus from Italy to Montenegro has been reduced.
"If Montenegro processed all the green waste it produces annually, we would halve the import of humus into the country in a year," said Iković.
In the case of the 3D room, as Iković pointed out, recycled waste plastic is used to make inventory for parks and other public areas.
"If the municipal leadership recognized this, we could supply all green areas and parks, starting in Danilovgrad and Podgorica, with recycled plastic," Iković emphasized.
According to him, these are just some of the examples in Montenegro that live thanks to the enormous enthusiasm and "the hard work of individuals to reach positive zero and live from their work."
As he pointed out, they need so much work because the state does not recognize these business ideas.
Iković also pointed out the problem that Montenegro needs the support of the party in whose hands power is held, so that ideas and businesses can be recognized.
Asked about the solutions offered by the Donkey Farm in Martinići, Iković said that it, like several other farms of this type in the region, is a good example of a tourist attraction and rural tourism.
"What's especially good about this is that children from the city can come to the countryside and see life in the countryside," said Iković, adding that children have the opportunity to see what farm animals look like, as well as where fruit, vegetables or milk are produced.
According to him, the Farm is also significant because it preserves agrodiversity, through the protection of one of the endangered indigenous species - the donkey, a certain amount of food and donkey milk is produced, but also because of the education of children who come to the Farm.
"It is very sad that the municipal leadership did not seize the opportunity and did not take such a project to a higher level or develop others like it that could create a network," said Iković.
According to him, although the Donkey Farm is a small project, it has been recognized in the region, and Montenegro should promote small family households.
When asked why state and local authorities do not support initiatives coming from local communities and citizens, Iković said that very often people in institutions are guided by their own or party interests and do not support projects that do not bring them certain benefits.
Iković said that this is why educated people are leaving Montenegro, but young people are also making plans to leave during their high school days.
"Those who have been blocked once or more in competitions, whether national or international, who are under the control of parties in Montenegro, they are leaving Montenegro," said Iković.
As he said, an ecological state is designed so that people can live off their work and knowledge, while preserving natural resources and using knowledge.
Iković believes that the fight for natural resources in Montenegro is yet to come.
"The biggest loss is the loss of human resources," said Iković, adding that the importance of knowledge is also clear through examples in local communities where people have used their knowledge to create solutions from existing resources.
Iković emphasized that such projects should be supported.
"These are micro projects, but even though we have thousands of such projects, we are starting to be producers, whether of energy, food, or final wood products," said Iković.
This podcast and text were prepared with the support of Journalism Fund Europe (https://www.journalismfund.eu/).
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