Non-governmental organizations warn that hunting in Montenegro has reached a critical point of unsustainability and that an exodus of wild game is underway, which the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Hunting Association of Montenegro do not agree with.
Aleksandar Perović from the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds in Boje Jutra said that the situation is like this because the problem of poaching has been talked about for the past few years, but no work is being done to prevent it.
"There are signs that something is being done, but it is not nearly enough. In relation to our conference that was held in December last year where we had certain conclusions, we did not fulfill absolutely any conclusions. There we said that we would work, to open a public the discussion related to the proposal for amendments to the game law, that we will create a strategy to fight against poaching," said Perović.
He points out that there is a lot of poaching, and that a small number of cases come to the attention of NGOs, the Ministry and the Hunting Association.
"The problem is greatest in territories where hunting societies are not technically and humanly well-equipped, mainly in the north of Montenegro. On the coast there are societies that function extremely well and fight poaching extremely well. The hunting society of Berane has a chronic problem with poaching, as does the society in Mojkovac," said Perović.
In the Ministry of Agriculture, forestry and water management claim that the situation is stable and satisfactory.
"Two days ago, a text was published with very inappropriate and incorrect comments towards the ministry, which is not worthy of an intellectual. I do not accept the things they point to. The aim of some NGOs is to show the situation as bad as possible in order to open space for their projects," he said. Miloš Janković from this government department.
He adds that part of the media also contributes to this.
"Last winter, the media announced that an otter was killed in Žabljak, it turned out that it was not. So they said that it was poisoned, it turned out that it was not. And in the end, no one published a denial."
Janković raises the question of whose interests these NGOs work for.
"Why have we never heard that an NGO donated food for game. They want to go out into the nature for 5-10 days, look at something with those binoculars, write in notebooks and it's like some project names. If you include that data and poaching, which there is undoubtedly and they need to fight to suppress it, they have reasons why they don't process it," asks Janković.
Perović states that every case of poaching is prosecuted, but that the Prosecutor's Office "has a chronic habit of rejecting cases at the start".
The Hunting Association of Montenegro also believes that the situation is "more than good, quality and protected".
Nikola Marković from this association said in Colors of the Morning that hunters are committed to preserving game and hunting.
"Since 2003, we have been full members of the EU. No one will accept you there without documents and protocols. Hunting has existed as long as man has existed, it is an ancient culture of the people. We respect the cultural and historical heritage".
Marković points out that no one is talking about the predators and the almost 15.000 foxes that were skinned by hunters and given to the EU project.
"I work within the scope of my authority. The hunting association is working on a complete protocol related to hunting. We have published eight books in the last 10 years, for the purpose of educating and training people. We currently have 100 people active in the protection of hunting grounds," said Marković.
He adds that there are problems everywhere.
"To qualify hunters in a way that you say someone is a poacher, that is in the zone of accusation. Hunting societies have a problem with predators, 80 percent more than last year," and no one is talking about it.
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