Valentina Babovic She was five years old when a hand grenade went off in the yard of her family's house. All the members of her family who were clearing leaves were injured, as was she. When she grew up, she wished that this would never happen to anyone again, and that wish led her to the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, where she is the only female deminer and works on protection from unexploded ordnance.
The job of a deminer is to find, identify, and secure unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other explosive devices to make the terrain safe for people and use.
Valentina Babović, with whom "Vijesti" spoke, has been doing exactly that for years, along with her colleagues.
What was her path to becoming a deminer like, in a profession that is almost exclusively associated with men?
"Working at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) - Directorate for Protection and Rescue, I was familiar with the work of colleagues who deal with protection from unexploded ordnance on a daily basis, and their calling aroused my curiosity and made me want to do this job. After that, I completed the necessary training, first in Montenegro, and then abroad, organized by NATO, Norwegian People's Aid, the Geneva Center for Humanitarian Demining and other professional schools from England, Malta, Croatia, etc. The turning point for me was protecting people and property from UXO. Namely, in 1976, as a little girl, I experienced a hand grenade being activated in the yard of our family home while we were clearing leaves. My family members and I were injured. Later, I wished that this would never happen to anyone again," says Valentina, answering the question of what was the turning point in deciding to choose this calling.
The conversation with her took place while she was showing the "Vijesti" team near Podgorica how the terrain was being searched in search of unexploded ordnance.
What does your working day in the field look like and what risks do you most often face?
When we receive a call from our OKC 112 or directly from the Police Directorate - that an explosive device has been found in the field, we take the necessary protective and other equipment and go to the specified location. Then I identify the device, assess its condition and accordingly proceed with further actions, which are reflected in the dislocation of the device to a warehouse or destruction on site or in the immediate vicinity if the device is highly risky for movement and storage. I am always on site together with colleagues who are also experts, because this is required by international regulations and positive practice. I also assist officers of the Police Directorate, the Special Police Department and the Forensic Center in connection with criminal cases, as well as with searching the area with a metal detector.
What is it that people most often don't know about the job of a deminer?
They usually don't know that when we arrive at the scene, we can seize the asset, but they always expect destruction on the spot and fear damage to property, and we most often displace the assets based on a security assessment.
Have you faced prejudice or suspicion throughout your career just because you are a woman in this business? How did you deal with that?
Yes, but there are many more positive and well-intentioned comments. People are often delighted when they see a woman in the field and know how to give words of praise. It is precisely situations like this and the fact that my work in the field is equal to that of my colleagues that have helped me deal with prejudice.
How safe is Montenegro today when it comes to mines and unexploded ordnance?
No country is completely safe from unexploded ordnance, and that is the case with Montenegro. As for mines, the situation is significantly better, Montenegro has officially declared itself mine-free.
Are there areas that are still particularly risky?
Yes, there are certainly areas that are still particularly risky, but I would not talk about them because of possible misuse or to arouse someone's curiosity and lead to unwanted consequences. In accordance with our capabilities and extremely modest capacities, we are cleaning these areas in order to bring them to a safe state.
Are the equipment, training, and institutional support at the level required by this job, considering that it is an extremely dangerous profession?
Equipment and training require constant improvement, renewal and service, which we more or less monitor and adhere to. As for institutional support, there is always room for its significant improvement.
The Directorate for Protection and Rescue carried out 505 activities during 2025, and collected around 12.000 kilograms of unexploded ordnance.
Would you recommend this profession to young women and what, in your opinion, would the state have to change to encourage more of them to enter these professions?
I would definitely recommend this call to young women because I believe that there are enough capable and courageous people who could adequately respond to these risks. However, I would like to note that the period of training and qualification for independent work is much longer than in other professions, because in this job we have no right to make mistakes. The state could provide better institutional support and stimulate young people in other ways to accept this call, and international partners involved in protection from explosive devices also view positively the greater representation of women in this profession.
She was bitten by a snake, her face was sewn...
Valentina was bitten by a snake while performing her work duties, while they were checking to see if it was safe to cross the Princess Ksenija highway, and she was injured on difficult terrain... However, the desire to prevent what happened to her and her family in 1976 from happening to anyone else keeps her at work.
What has been your most difficult moment on the field so far?
There were several difficult situations in this job, and due to the riskiness of the work I do, I couldn't single out just one. While searching the area for unexploded ordnance, I was bitten by a snake, and on the same project, I fell while moving on difficult terrain, where I sustained cuts on my face, which resulted in stitches. Apart from these two situations, the most risky for me was the work of destroying cluster bombs.
What gives you the strength to continue doing this work?
The strength I have is the wish I mentioned at the beginning of the conversation - that a situation like mine never happens to anyone again.
Bonus video:
