If a hydroelectric power plant were to be built on Komarnica, that river, as well as the area around it, would be permanently devastated - the habitats of several endemic plant species and protected animals would be destroyed, and the locals would benefit less from the concession than they do from the passage of tourists through the canyon Unseen.
Environmentalists, biologists and the profession therefore suggest that the idea be abandoned and that the state turn to the production of solar energy or energy from wind power plants.
These are the main conclusions of the public forum "Construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Komarnica River", held yesterday in the multimedia hall of the Podgorica Cultural and Information Center "Budo Tomović".
The tribune was organized by the Montenegrin Society of Ecologists and the citizens' group "Save Komarnica".
During the forum, it was heard that the authorities plan to invest around 350 million euros of all citizens' money in a project that will produce negligible amounts of electricity, of which only a part will belong to the Electric Power Company of Montenegro (EPCG), and the rest to the Electric Power Company of Serbia (EPS), with which the state planned to enter that business.
It was also explained to the citizens who oppose the construction of the hydroelectric power plant that the environmental devastation would be immeasurable, and the hosts cross-examined their arguments with two proponents of the idea who were in the audience.
"All projections indicate that the annual production of HPP 'Komarnica' will be around 213 GWh, which is around 7 percent of our total annual consumption. For that project, EPCG signed a joint implementation contract with EPS, on the basis of which EPS would be supplied with half of the produced electricity. Apart from half of the money, Montenegro plans to invest the entire river in that project," said biologist Vuk Iković.
He pointed out that based on the Law on Free Access to Information, they have been unsuccessfully asking EPCG for a conceptual design for two years, and for a year the contract that the state enterprise signed with EPS in 1992.
It was also explained that they decided to organize a public forum after the management of EPCG refused to organize a public forum in Podgorica, even though they were asked to inform the citizens about the benefits and harms they have from the construction of the hydroelectric power plant in Komarnica.
ŠAVNIK REJECTED by UNESCO
Ikovic announced that UNESCO representatives proposed to the Government of Montenegro that the Komarnica area be protected, but that the Municipality of Savnik refused.
His colleagues Andrijana Mićunović and Jelena Popović pointed out that they were pleased with the great response of citizens, because only two years ago very few people were interested in that project.
"The river belongs to all of us, it does not belong only to Savnik or only to Plužine", said Mićunović.
"I am asking you to all give a voice to the river Komarnica and put a stop sign on this project, which is based on incomplete facts and for various reasons looks like a spoiled experiment", added Popović.
Mechanical engineer Denis Hot assessed that HPP Komarnica should not be built, respecting EPCG not to inform the citizens who are, in essence, the owners of all state enterprises, including this one, about the projects.
"We have plenty of space for solar and wind parks," he said.
He pointed out that this time too, it started from the wrong point.
"They first do the projects, bring the citizens before the fait accompli and then tell us: 'If you protest, that money will go to waste'. They have already spent 1,6 million euros," Hot said, stressing that EPCG had to first ask the profession, then ecologists, which was not done.
EPCG HIDES CRACKS
One of the citizens also asked whether, considering the low water level, Komarnica would be able to serve the hydroelectric power plant during the summer months.
Iković replied that in the immediate vicinity of the planned dam there is a crack 1.500 meters long and that this problem is hydrologically unsolvable.
"For this reason, we have the need to doubt the complete project... This information is nowhere in the environmental impact study. Such rivers, which are unique in the whole world, can give more money if they remain free, than if we turn them into hydropower potential", said Iković.
He explained that experts in the field of energy claim that the works will certainly last ten years and that, with the probable breach of the deadline, they would only have the first kilowatt produced in 2033.
"The hydroelectric power plant planned for Komarnica will not bring people back to Savnik," said Ikovic, accusing EPCG of trading with the locals by promising them roads and water.
"The locals didn't pay for it, they overpaid, but neither Duži nor Dubrovsko still have water today," said Iković.
Forum participant Milan Niković said that the impact of such a project on the territory of Montenegro would be so great that the changes would be permanent.
He also pointed out that there are numerous alternative sources that can replace the energy planned by obtaining the construction of HPP Komarnica.
He accused EPCG of hiding the fact that there is no substation to which the hydroelectric power plant could be connected, adding that solar panel technology has advanced so much that it is a much smaller investment.
"The damage that would be caused to the environment by the construction of HPP Komarnica would be immeasurable. This space was given to us by our ancestors, and it will remain for our descendants," he said.
Niković asserted that there is no department in EPCG whose job is risk analysis, nor any employee who has that responsibility.
THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE
Citizens were interested in whether there was an alternative, what impact HPP would have on the environment, how much devastation it would be, but also what they could do so that this and similar projects are not hidden behind the curtain.
The youngest participant in the forum, a boy from Krnja Jela, asked what impact the construction of the Komarnica hydroelectric plant and the submergence of the canyon would have on the eco-system.
"The bottom line is that the citizens of Montenegro understand that this is their responsibility, and I will say their face. If we had 30.000 people here today, we would be able to exert pressure," said Merima, explaining that she comes from the construction sector.
She called on all citizens to understand that it depends on them whether we save the river and that it concerns them all.
"Such decisions and such projects can irrevocably destroy something that is extremely valuable, which people outside of Montenegro can clearly see, but we don't," she said.
Explaining that she grew up and was educated in Šavnik, the panel participant who introduced herself as Mirjana, pointed out that the report states that the noise will exceed 100 decibels, asking how it will affect the animal world.
She called on all the people of Uskok and Drobnjak to stand up to save Komarnica, and her elderly fellow citizen Mojaš said that he came to Podgorica to say that he was against the construction, adding that he wanted to say it clearly, so that he would not be ashamed in front of his grandchildren or great-grandchildren.
Angelika from Austria, who lives in Montenegro, joined the discussion, pointing out that procedures must be followed in the European Union when such large projects are carried out, and that she is surprised why this is not the case here.
"My proposal is to follow the procedures of the European Union," she said.
The government of Zdravko Krivokapić, in its technical mandate, ten days ago passed the Decision on granting a concession for the use of natural resources, for the purpose of building, maintaining and using the energy facility of the Komarnica hydroelectric power plant for the production of electricity.
At the public debate in Šavnik, we heard that HPP Komarnica will reduce climate change. That's what EPCG management said, Iković said, answering a question from civic activist Aleksandar Dragićević
"Green" for construction, they would create new Plitvice Lakes
The President of the NGO Green Montenegro, Radosav Rako Nikčević, answering the questions of the journalist Vijesti, said during the forum that he is in favor of the construction of not only that, but a series of hydropower plants.
Construction engineer Husein Vuković is of the same opinion, who said that he and his colleagues considered and made technical solutions for the Komarnica watershed.
"32 reservoirs are planned there. We retain that water and bring it to Komarnica", said Vuković, adding that new Plitvice Lakes are practically being created with these solutions.
Sell cows and buy boats?
During the forum, the actor Velizar Kasalica received applause as well, who made a humorous comment on the influence of HE Piva on the "development" of Plužine.
"Listening to the gentlemen from EPCG who promise that honey and milk will flow to us... One year I passed through Plužine and could not cross the dam for four hours because of tourists who were taking pictures at the dam. I counted 75 buses, I couldn't count more. I was amazed when I saw so many people from Pivlja lying down, and people from EPCG pouring money on them... I was delighted when I saw the marina for yachts... So I came to ask if we from Komarnica could sell cows and tractors , and let's buy tourist boats", asked Kasalica, who is the president of the Committee for the Protection of Dragišnica.
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