Closing Chapter 27, which deals with the environment and climate change, is among the most expensive and demanding in Montenegro's negotiations with the European Union. Estimates suggest that it will cost almost one and a half billion euros.
"The chapter will be closed from the state budget, from the budget of local governments and loans, but also from funds. There are currently three IPs operational. There are some 63 million available to Montenegro, and with the World Bank we are finalizing a project of some 48 million. And do you have any details somewhere on how much money will need to be allocated from the state budget? We do not have an estimate for now," says Nenad Vitomirović, State Secretary of the Ministry of Ecology.
However, experts warn that there is still no clear financial plan or precise estimate of the costs of closing this chapter.
"The latest estimates regarding how much Chapter 27 will cost Montenegro were made back in 2015. In the meantime, a number of other regulations have been adopted, and obligations have been additionally imposed by the European Union," points out Ivana Vojinović, Director of the Center for Climate Change.
The Ministry of Ecology says that everything necessary for EU entry will be completed by the end of 2026, while some of the obligations will be implemented after entry - during a transition period.
"The European Union is aware that such extensive infrastructure projects that are needed to close Chapter 27 cannot be built in a year," assures Vitomirović.
Eight benchmarks are foreseen under Chapter 27. For now, only one has been temporarily closed.
"Currently, we have fulfilled 53 percent of all obligations, and the civil protection sub-area in measure 6 is the only one temporarily closed. The reason for the delay is insufficient commitment and lack of work in the previous period," explains the State Secretary.
Wastewater and waste management remains one of the biggest challenges. The municipal wastewater management plan foresees the construction of around 2035 kilometers of sewage network and 885 treatment plants by 21. And there are hundreds of unregulated landfills on the ground.
"It's all going very slowly, here we are as the capital of Podgorica, a city of a future member state of the European Union, we do not have a modern facility today. The existing facility was designed for 60.000 inhabitants, which is three times less than the current population of the capital. As for waste, we have a regional landfill here in Podgorica, but the north is not covered by a regional waste management center and this is something that is a great burden on our country," Vojinović points out.
In order to keep the doors of the European Union open and make 2028 seem like an achievable goal for membership, serious investments, clear plans, and a more determined commitment to implementing the obligations under Chapter 27 are needed. For Montenegro, as the first ecological country in the world, this should not be a problem. At least we hope so.
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