EU Delegation: It is not true that the Botun plant is a health threat and is based on outdated technology

Claims that the Botun wastewater treatment plant poses a threat to public health or is based on outdated technology are completely unfounded.

This was told to "Vijesti" by the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Montenegro.

"The project envisages a modern and safe facility, fully compliant with EU standards. Thousands of such facilities are operating successfully across the European Union and beyond, improving environmental protection and safeguarding community health. EU taxpayers have provided €33 million in grants for this project, helping Montenegro meet its obligations under Chapter 27 of the EU-EU Treaty, while protecting the health of citizens and the environment. Far from being a polluter, the facility provides a key solution to the long-standing problem of untreated wastewater for around 150.000 citizens, which pollutes the Morača River, the Zeta Valley, the Skadar Lake area and the Adriatic Sea," the EU Delegation said in response to questions from "Vijesti".

They said they also call on all stakeholders, including local authorities and public officials, to refrain from spreading false claims regarding the EU-funded wastewater treatment plant project in Podgorica.

"The claims that this facility poses a threat to public health or is based on outdated technology are completely unfounded. The project envisages a modern and safe facility, fully compliant with EU standards. Thousands of such facilities are operating successfully across the European Union and beyond, improving environmental protection and safeguarding community health," the EU Delegation said.

The President of the Municipality of Zeta, Mihailo Asanović, and the professors-consultants hired by the municipality, claimed that the EU was funding outdated technology in Botun, and that the incinerators were huge polluters.

The EU Delegation emphasized that the real environmental threat in the Zeta municipality continues to be the red mud pool, and that they fully support citizens' demands for an urgent resolution of this issue.

"We call on the competent state and local authorities to prioritize a rapid and sustainable solution to this major environmental problem," the EU Delegation said in response to questions from "Vijesti".

The EU Delegation did not respond to the question of how they would comment on the allegations of the leader of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, "that the Governor of Montenegro is the EU Ambassador to Montenegro, Johan Sattler"?

The residents of Botuni have been protesting for days against the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in this Zeta settlement.