Police and security at the site where the construction of the Botun plant is planned: "Access strictly prohibited"

In front of the planned construction site for a wastewater treatment plant in the Zeta village of Botun, there are about a dozen police officers and a dozen members of private security.

In front of the entrance to that plot, a wire fence has been erected with a sign on it that says "access strictly prohibited".

There are no tents on the plot, and the entrance to the plot where citizens opposed to the construction of the plant gathered in previous days has been dug up.

Citizens of Zeta who oppose the construction of the plant in Botun have been protesting in recent days, staying in tents located on the plot where the plant is planned to be built.

The machinery that was to be used to build the plant was brought to Botun on December 30, and on that day, police detained 54 people who were opposed to the construction of the plant. All the detained citizens were released after giving statements.

Yesterday, the police blocked access to the wider Botun area, preventing locals led by the president of the Democratic People's Party (DNP) Milan Knežević and the president of the Zeta Municipality Mihailo Asanović from reaching the future construction site of a wastewater treatment plant.

Botun resident Duško Stijepović, after a meeting with the director of the Police Administration, Lazar Šćepanović, said last night that an agreement was reached with Šćepanović to withdraw the police from Botun and to free up the road leading to the city.

"It was agreed at the meeting that the police will enable normal traffic in Botun, Zeta and towards the capital, and will carry out regular traffic controls so that it can proceed smoothly for all citizens on these roads," a police source told Vijesti last night, commenting on the announcement by the Botun representative.

Stijepović also said last night that it was agreed to launch new talks.

While these negotiations are ongoing, Stijepović stated, it has been agreed that all roads in Zeta will be unblocked.

"And there will be no gatherings of citizens while the negotiations are ongoing," he told the Adria portal last night.

This means, he explained, that the protest announced for today in Botun is being canceled.

Citizens of Zeta who oppose the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Botun yesterday unblocked roads through Zeta after a blockade lasting several hours.

Yesterday, they were also in front of Podgorica Airport where, as the president of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, said at the time, they wanted to talk to Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.

Knežević said yesterday that they have information that Spajić is allegedly scheduled to travel to Vienna from that airport this afternoon.

Police in riot gear arrived at the airport earlier.

Knežević also told the gathered citizens that he tried to call Spajić, but that the Prime Minister had turned off the phone.

"We had no intention of violently invading the airport or in any way threatening the safety of Spajić and President Milatović. We only wanted guarantees that he, as prime minister, would do everything possible to withdraw the police from Botun and to continue the dialogue regarding what they did yesterday," he said.

But, as he said, "even when you don't have an answer, that's the answer."

He then suggested to the citizens that on January 1st at 11 am, if no agreement is reached between the Minister of Interior Danilo Šaranović and the residents of Botun, they should gather with "all available machinery" and "set out to liberate Botun."

Those present exclaimed: "That's right."

Citizens of Zeta who oppose the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Botun blocked and unblocked the roundabout towards Podgorica Airport, the Bar-Podgorica railway and several other alternative routes towards Podgorica, via the neighboring municipality of Tuzi, the day before yesterday.

The day before yesterday, during the police intervention in Botun, Knežević announced his departure from the "bloody government", and the Speaker of the State Parliament Andrija Mandić (Nova) stated in the Parliament that the action against the people of Botun had endangered peace in Montenegro.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić (PES), however, assessed during the Prime Minister's Hour that everything was done in a civilized manner and said that this is "the European path that Montenegro should strive for."

The session of the Parliament of Montenegro did not continue yesterday because Mandić said that due to the situation in Botun, he could not chair the session.