The problem of illegal construction in the protected area of the Durmitor National Park was also noted during the holidays, when inspections did not work, claims the interlocutor of "Vijesti", a civil and environmental activist from that city. Miloš Lazarevic.
Lazarevic filed a criminal complaint with the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Pljevlja against a fellow citizen and several unknown persons, whom he accuses of having, contrary to the law, completed the construction of a building at the Barno jezero site in the first protection zone of the Durmitor National Park at the end of last December and at the beginning of January this year.
After he reported the illegal construction to the authorities, and before he filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office, a fellow citizen, whose identity is known to "Vijesti", sent him a threatening message.
"When I come back from prison, see where you go after," the message reads.
Lazarevic told "Vijesta" that he submitted the report because of the inefficient work of the competent officials, who had to report it before the citizens.
"Illegal construction has now broken through from the third and second protected zones into the first, that is unacceptable. Everyone who plans to build or intervene in any way in the Durmitor NP area must know that before starting any work, it is necessary to obtain permission from UNESCO. This is not the case here, and we risk losing our status, that is, being put on the red list. For the same reasons, we fought to preserve the Black Lake, and preserved it, we protected the territory of the military resort, although it is exempted from NP, but not from UNESCO. For all that, before us, the authorities from the National Park were invited to fight, but they did not, they remained silent. I doubt that individuals, who build illegally, are deliberately used by someone in order to lose the status of UNESCO heritage", said Lazarevic to "Vijesta".
Lazerević wrote in the report, submitted to "Vijesti", that the construction of that building was started earlier, contrary to the current laws, after which the competent inspection stopped the construction and sealed the building:
"In order for the same persons, within the specified period, to continue construction and finish the building, they committed the following criminal acts - construction of a building without registration and documentation for construction (act prescribed by Article 326a of the Criminal Code), removing and violating the official seal and sign (act prescribed Article 381 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code), construction and execution of facilities contrary to the special purpose spatial plan, management plan and other planning documents (act prescribed by Article 22 paragraph 1 of the Law on National Parks), depositing and temporary disposal of construction waste in places not designated for that purpose (act prescribed by Article 16 paragraph 19 of the Law on National Parks)".
He also reported him for violating the official seal.
That resident of Žablja states that, for the purpose of building an illegal building, the applicants also performed certain works on the construction and arrangement of the access road, which is also contrary to the current laws.
Lazarevic also explains that his fellow citizen and several non-governmental persons started the construction of the building on the site near Barni Jezera, in the first protection zone of the Durmitor National Park on July 11, 2022, after which a report was submitted to the competent inspections for the construction of the building without registration and documentation for construction.
The construction inspection responded and on August 5 of last year stopped and sealed the construction near Barni jezera.
He also explains that on January 6, while walking in that area, he noticed that work continued on the disputed and sealed building and that the building was almost finished - with a facade and a roof, despite the fact that construction in that place is strictly prohibited by law, which is confirmed by the competent inspection and stopped the construction.
"As I was at the location for the last time in mid-December 2022 when the building was still sealed, it is clear that the persons against whom I am submitting the report built the building in the period from December 20, 12 to January 2022, 5, and so knowingly and deliberately, used the end of the year and holidays to bring the building to an end contrary to the law... It is logical to conclude that with these actions, the aforementioned persons consciously and deliberately, and continuously, independently tried to obtain the right to build and own the disputed building , which is also prohibited by Article 01 paragraph 2023", explains Lazarevic.
He points out that this facility represents a serious disturbance of the beauty of the landscape, which is particularly characteristic of that climate in UNESCO's reports under criterion (VII), and that it is in contradiction with Article 22 paragraph 1 of the Law on National Parks.
That article of the Law prescribes that the construction of facilities and the execution of other works in the area of national parks can be carried out in accordance with the special purpose spatial plan, management plan and other planning documents.
A protected natural resource of exceptional importance
According to the Law, the first zone, with strict (absolute) protection, includes areas with exceptional and universal importance, i.e. a protected natural asset of exceptional importance.
This category includes special nature reserves:
"Fir and spruce rainforest in the Mlinsko potok basin (about 10 hectares), Black pine forest - Crna poda (about 20 ha), Barno lake with its immediate surroundings (about 5 ha), Zabojsko lake with its closest surroundings (about 10 ha), the basin Škrčki Jezera with Sušica Valley from Sušički Lake to Tara Canyon (about 2.360 ha), the Surutka - Vjetrena Brda speleological reserve (850 ha)".
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