Entrance to the Old Town in Kotor blocked: Citizens demand drinking water

Citizens held a 15-minute protest today, blocking the main entrance to the Old Town due to problems with the drinking water supply to consumers in Dobrota.

The rally, which began at 11 am, was organized by Dobrota resident Anita Radonjić.

During the protest, numerous tourists and residents of Kotor were unable to leave or enter the Old Town, Radio Kotor reports.

Those present carried banners with the following messages: "Water is life, not salt", "Without drinking water there is no life", "Drinking water from the tap, not from the cistern", "Water is our right", "Give us back drinking water", and applauded, chanting "Water".

"We gathered solely because of the salt water that is not suitable for use. We believe that the basic right of every citizen is proper water from the tap. This is not a protest against anyone, this is a protest for us, our children, families, elderly fellow citizens, who have the right to open the tap and have water of the correct quality come from it. We were told that the water would be distributed properly. Why is this not being done, doesn't every citizen of Kotor have the same rights? Water is not a privilege, it is not a luxury; water is the basic right of every human being," Radonjić told Radio Kotor.

She announced that, in agreement with other citizens through a Facebook group, the date for the next protest, which will last longer than today's, will be defined.

"The protest must be reported to the Police Department and it takes some time to be approved," said Radonjić.

Consumers in the areas of Dobrota, Ljuta and Orahovac, as well as Perast and Risna, have been facing a shortage of drinking water at their taps for three weeks now, because, due to the increased salinity of the Tabačina and Orahovac springs, they are receiving saline water at their taps, Radio Kotor reports.

Due to the current situation of salinity of local springs and disruptions in public water supply in part of the territory of Kotor, the Mayor, Vladimir Jokić, as published on the Municipality's website on July 11, issued an Order on the implementation of measures to protect the population from the consequences of disruptions in public water supply and a Decision on the formation of an Operational Headquarters.

According to information from DOO "Water Supply and Sewerage" Kotor, water from local springs is currently not drinkable, while the water is safe to drink in the areas of Škaljare, Mu, Prčanja, Stoliv, Kostanjica, Morinje and Strpa, which are supplied from the Regional Water Supply System.

The order, issued based on Article 58 of the Law on Local Self-Government, Article 87 of the Statute of the Municipality of Kotor, the provisions of the Law on Communal Activities and the Law on Waters, determines the measures and activities that must be implemented to protect the population, as well as the entities responsible for their implementation.

The delivery of drinking water to consumers in the aforementioned areas via tanker trucks was organized, as well as home delivery to elderly, sick and immobile citizens.

Incidentally, the Assembly Service announced today that the sixth session of the Kotor Municipal Assembly will be held on July 21st, with only one item on the agenda: Information on water supply, with a proposal for measures to overcome the problems that have arisen.