The non-governmental organizations Eko-team, Da žavivi selo, Legalis and CEE Bankwatch Network will file a complaint with "international bodies for the protection of basic human rights and non-compliance with assumed climate and energy obligations" if the state of Montenegro does not abandon the opening of new mines.
In a joint statement, four NGOs state that the opening and expansion of coal exploitation is in contradiction with the strategic goals of Montenegro in the context of European integration.
They note that the comments and suggestions submitted to the Ministry of Capital Investments on the Draft Plan and the issue of the planned opening of the new Mataruga mine in Pljevlja were completely omitted from the final report from the public hearing.
"We want to express dissatisfaction with the insufficiently transparent attitude of the Ministry of Capital Investments, which, through superficial processes of public discussions, violates the basic principles of public participation in the process of adopting the Plan for granting concessions for the exploitation of mineral raw materials for the year 2023. "Ten days after the disputed plan was already adopted at the 43rd session of the Government, with our additional intervention, the Ministry submitted to us subsequently prepared responses to the comments, the content of which is not grounded in real facts and does not justify the opening of new mines," the announcement states.
They claim that in the adopted Plan, the new lignite deposit at the Mataruga location implies exploitation in the sanitary protection zone of the water intake from Lake Otilović, which is used for the water supply needs of the citizens of Pljevlja, which directly threatens the only and main functional source of drinking water for the population.
They also point out that the previous year they sent comments and objections to the Ministry of Capital Investments on the draft concession act for the exploitation of the "Mataruge" locality, demanding an analysis of the justification of public interest for such an operation, but that they were not published nor were they informed whether the objections were considered.
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