In 2021, we did not have enough funds allocated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) to secure the planes, Director of the Directorate for Emergency Situations, Miodrag Bešović, said in Boje jutra.
He believes that the reaction of the public and ecological societies is justified when it comes to the damage caused during fires, and states that they have nothing against launching initiatives to determine the responsibility of institutions in state bodies.
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"But above all, everything depends on the decision-makers, the Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare, who need to allocate funds in order to improve the entire system of protection and rescue. In 2022, the budget and public procurement have been adopted, the funds and the tender have been allocated should be opened to see what are the possibilities to secure the plane," said Bešović.
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Insurance is made even more difficult, he says, by the fact that planes were insured through insurance companies in Russia in previous years.
"Due to the current situation, we are not able to make contracts with them, and western insurance companies are significantly more expensive, for which we additionally have to allocate funds".
There are currently three firefighting aircraft available, of which only one is operational.
"We have two helicopters, one of which has almost been brought from Germany, and we have almost installed a fire extinguishing tank on it. We have initiated certain procedures according to our state authorities, which will allocate funds for the repair of the aircraft, a lot also depends on the insurance. We hope that in to receive funds in a future period," said Bešović
According to the data they have, there are still active fires in the area of Kolašin, as well as those in the area of Nikšić and on some parts of the coast.
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