The residents of Smokovac near Podgorica are desperate, because they fear they will lose everything they have created over the years and decades. The reason is the construction of the 2nd and 3rd phases of the interchange, because new roads are planned towards Tološi and Tuzi and later Božaj. They say they have contacted the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Urbanism and the Environmental Protection Agency, but without a response.
"These houses are in danger, because new interchanges to Tološi and Tuzi are to be built in this place. The locals, whose ancestors have been here for more than 300 years, are afraid that they will be left without everything...", says Goran Rajković, a resident of Smokovac
"7 kilometers from the city, peace, a river, we have everything, everything. We don't need anything else except what is ours. We don't know if they will continue to move us or not. For 20 years, there has been constant talk about the Smokovac interchange, they have taken something from the property so far, we don't know if they will or not, we would like to know, so that we can get by," adds Budislav Rajković.
Representatives of the locals went to a meeting in Monteput, which announced a public call for proposals for the development of a conceptual design for the 23 km long Smokovac - Tuzi - Božaj expressway. This road should improve the connection between Podgorica and Tuzi, as well as the connection of Montenegro with Albania, and it will also enable the connection of this part of Montenegro with the Bar - Boljare highway.
The epilogue of the meeting is - the dissatisfaction of the locals.
"The entire village is being demolished. There are about 30 residential buildings there, there are about 40 auxiliary buildings there, there are orchards, vineyards, it's a real paradise there that should have been preserved. There are more than 35 families there who want to stay there. That means total concreting, total destruction, which is problematic both ecologically and economically, we are asking them to save us," says Milodarka Novosel, the citizens' coordinator.
Monteput says that through the continuation of the construction of the Bar - Boljare highway, the section from Smokovac to Tološi, the 2nd phase of the Smokovac interchange will be implemented, which will ensure the continuation of the highway towards Tološi.
And the connection with the future expressway towards Tuzi and Božaj will be realized through the 3rd phase of the Smokovac interchange.
"Since we recognize that the implementation of Phase 3 will have the greatest impact on the area and the surrounding population, we at Monteput remain fully committed to the intention that through the development of the next phases of the Phase 3 project documentation, this impact will be reduced to the extent possible," Monteput says.
Ten years earlier, some experts suggested that Strganica, a place in Piperi, rather than Smokovac, was much more acceptable for the interchange where the planned Adriatic-Ionian and Bar-Boljare highways would intersect. Novosel recalls that their fight has been going on since 2008 and that they had the support of all local communities in Piperi and the Capital.
"Due to a combination of political circumstances, due to the upcoming elections, it was necessary, as the then Minister Ivan Brajović personally told me, "I don't have time to finalize the project, it's shorter for me to go to Smokovac, I have to start building the interchange" and so it started from Gornje Mrki to Smokovac. If there is a will, anything is possible, as long as there is a responsible and conscientious government that protects the interests of citizens, protects the space, protects finances, protects nature", believes Novosel.
Locals say they will fight against irresponsible policies and planners and political bargaining, adding that there is no strategic environmental impact assessment.
"We are addressing the mayor who protected Botun. Let's protect old houses, let's protect families, let's move forward with knowledge, with responsibility, with reflection, and not with a blah-blah story," Novosel says.
They are calling on domestic experts and non-governmental organizations to support them.
"We will fight to the last, we believe this is irresponsible, anti-state, and we ask for your understanding," said Novosel.
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