New protest at Podgorica's landfill - locals oppose construction of fifth sanitary vat

Several dozen citizens from several settlements near the Podgorica Landfill - Konik, Dinoša, Omerbožovići and the municipality of Tuzi - blocked the road to Dinoša due to the intention of a Podgorica company to expand the landfill, that is, build a fifth sanitary vat.

They claim it is a serious threat to their health and the environment.

The protest is planned to last until 20 p.m.

"There are no politics, this is a rebellion of the people, because of the injustice done to us, we are not asking for anything beyond what every citizen is asking for. We are asking for drinking water. No one can guarantee us that our drinking water will not be poisoned. That our land will be fertile. I know and understand that for someone from an urban environment it is ridiculous and unfathomable, but for us here who live every day, it is truly unpleasant," said protest organizer Marko Gorvokaj.

Gorvokaj says that the authorities did not consult the residents of the affected settlements and says that they will not allow the construction of a fifth or sixth sanitary bath within the landfill.

"The conditions we are asking for are, first, that no waste or accumulation of waste be dumped outside the landfill boundaries. That the fourth tank that has been built and is being dumped be closed. That construction work on the fifth and sixth tanks be stopped," said Gorvokaj.

The protest was also supported by the president of the Tuzi Municipal Assembly, Fadilj Kajošaj. He denies the claims of the Podgorica "Deponija" management that they have a construction permit from the Tuzi municipality, since the landfill is on their territory.

"Any work at the landfill itself requires the consent of the Tuzi municipality, and the landfill does not have such consent, everything done at the landfill is illegal. And we will certainly not allow that, if the director and other gentlemen see us as second-class citizens, then they are greatly mistaken," said Kajošaj.

If their demands are not met, citizens are announcing more radical protests.