The Environmental Protection Agency has suspended the environmental impact assessment procedure for the project of detailed geological research of technical and construction stone at the Ober site in Bijelo Polje, after a negative opinion from an expert commission and protests from locals.
The company "Elas" itself requested the suspension of the proceedings before the Environmental Protection Agency.
The procedure was officially terminated after the investor, the company "Elas" doo from Bijelo Polje, submitted an official request to abandon this project.
Locals have repeatedly warned that there are houses near the site, that an archaeological site has been destroyed, and that they will defend a healthy environment with their lives, if necessary.
As stated in the Agency's decision, the suspension was preceded by numerous protests and outcries from residents of the surrounding villages, who from the very beginning pointed out the harmfulness of the planned research to the environment.
In this way, the long-term struggle of the residents of the villages of Bijedići, Voljavac, Podbrežje, Oluja and surrounding towns bore fruit.
"During the public review, an opinion was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency that an Environmental Impact Assessment Study was required by the residents of the villages of Bijedići, Voljavac, Pobrežje, Oluja and other surrounding villages (number 03-UPI-1770/6 dated 14.10.2024). After the decision on the need to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the project in question, number 03-UPI-1770/7 dated 14.10.2024, the Investor submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Study to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Environmental Protection Agency, by Decision number 03-UPI-1770/15 dated 09.12.2024, established a Commission for the assessment of the Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the project of detailed geological research of technical construction stone from the "OBER" site - on part of cadastral plot 545/1 KO Pećarska, in the area "PUP of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje (Official Gazette of Montenegro, Municipal Regulations, Official Gazette No. 7/14 and Official Gazette No. 9/22) - (construction of a trial - exploitation floor), Municipality of Bijelo Polje, after which the subject study and all accompanying documentation were submitted to the commission for assessment and further action," the decision states.
It is further added that the Commission for the Evaluation of the Study, after considering the relevant documentation, as well as the submitted objections, opinions and comments from the interested public, prepared a Report on the Evaluation of the Study, in which it concluded that an environmental permit cannot be issued for the relevant Study without previously made corrections and amendments that it stated in its report number 03-UPI-1770/25 of 25.02.2025, and set a deadline for the submission of the updated study of 120 days.
"After that, the project holder addressed the Environmental Protection Agency with a request for an extension of the deadline for submitting the innovated study number: 03-UPI-1770/28 dated 24.06.2025, for an additional 120 days. It was approved by the Agency. Then, the project holder submitted to the Agency the innovated study number: 03-UPI-1770/30 dated 21.11.2025. The study with the accompanying documentation was submitted to the study evaluation commission for further action, which, after a detailed review of the submitted documentation, prepared a report on the assessment of the innovated study, with a proposal to the Environmental Protection Agency not to issue the necessary environmental permit for the project in question for the reasons stated in the report number 03-UPI-1770/33 dated 26.11.2025. In accordance with the provisions of Article 112 of the Law on Administrative Procedure, the Environmental Protection Agency sent to the Project Holder project request for comment number: 03-UPI-1770/34 dated 04.11.2025., after which the company 'Elas' filed a request for suspension of the procedure."
Tvrdišić: Our resistance was directed against a freaking system that is not doing its job
Activist and resident of the village of Bijedići, Krsto Tvrdišić, told "Vijesti" that the residents of that and surrounding settlements received the news that the procedure had been suspended with great joy.
"Regarding the information that the company 'Elas' has abandoned the construction of a quarry at the Ober location, in the village of Bijedići, the residents of this and the surrounding villages that belong to the Local Community of Gubavač express immense satisfaction and relief. This is a direct result of our joint, arduous struggle that lasted for several years with one sole goal - to preserve nature, clean air, water and the elementary right to a normal life. We want to clearly emphasize that the residents in this struggle had nothing personal against the concessionaire. Our resistance was directed against a bizarre system that does not do its job properly and does not determine locations for quarries based on the actual situation on the ground," said Tvrdišić.
He added that this "is about cardinal mistakes by municipal and state institutions."
"Their representatives, guided solely by disinterest and without any field visits, issued permits and approvals 'from their armchairs', completely ignoring the actual data on the area where the quarry was planned. We hope and demand that all those individuals in the system who, through their conscious or unconscious omissions, have put citizens in a position to defend their properties and ancestral lands with their own bodies will be held accountable," said Tvrdišić.
He said that this fight has lasted too long.
"For many of us, who were at the forefront of this process, it left lasting consequences in terms of health, material and every other aspect. However, the goal was achieved. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude, on behalf of all the locals, to everyone who helped us in any way in the fight to defend our right to life and survival in this area. We have proven that united citizens can defeat systemic injustice," said Krsto Tvrdišić, representative of the locals of Bijedići and the civic initiative.
NGO Euromost: Authorities to announce the reason for the abandonment of the procedure
The NGO Euromost stated that they believe that citizens have the right to be timely and fully informed about all activities related to environmental protection projects, especially when it comes to projects that may have a significant impact on the environment and the quality of life of the population.
Therefore, as they say, they have called on the competent institutions and the Municipality of Bijelo Polje to inform the public of the reasons for abandoning the procedure, as well as to explain how the issue of wastewater treatment in the Potkrajace area will be further resolved.
"NGO Euromost will continue to monitor all activities related to this project and will insist on full transparency of procedures, respect for legal procedures, and protection of the interests of citizens and the environment," the statement said.
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