Debate between Đukanović and Abazović: "You said the Thermal Power Plant would explode"; "I didn't, but so that the canopy doesn't happen"

After being in the focus of the Montenegrin public and media for two days, the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant will also be dealt with by the Special State Prosecutor's Office, at least that is what the leader of the Civic Movement URA, Dritan Abazović, who today filed a criminal complaint against the management of Elektroprivreda and the Minister of Energy and Mining, Admir Šahmanović, is asking them to do.

Abazović claims that the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant was put into operation without the consent of the competent inspection, meaning that the decision was made independently by Elektroprivreda.

"People signed for themselves, six of them, signed the consent, I will deliver to you the document on the commissioning of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, instead of the inspectors," Abazović said at a press conference in parliament.

"The inspector finds out through the media that the Thermal Power Plant has been put into operation," he added. "Look at the crazy Ministry of Energy. It's only on December 11th, the document was filed on December 15.12th, so it's only on December 11th that they send an inspection."

Abazović states that since December 1, no pollution measurements have been taken at the Thermal Power Plant and accuses the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Company and Minister Šahmanović of environmental pollution, abuse of official position, and causing an ecological disaster in Pljevlja.

The conclusion of the inspection findings of the Ministry of Energy, which Abazović presented to journalists, states, among other things, that the Thermal Power Plant did not meet the minimum criteria for commissioning.

"The inspector announces that he will issue a decision rejecting the request for trial operation of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant. December 15th, children have been poisoned since December 1st, shame on them, let them not mention DPS, communists, anyone, or URA, this was not done," said Abazović.

After the press conference of the Civic Movement URA, the head of the Electric Power Industry of Montenegro, Milutin Đukanović, entered the Parliament building. The TV Vijesti crew tried to get a comment from him on the accusations of the leader of the Civic Movement URA. Instead, Đukanović entered into an argument with Abazović, accusing him of insinuating that an explosion could occur at the Thermal Power Plant.

"Who told you it would explode? You said that here in parliament," said Đukanović, to which Abazović replied that he did not say that.

"You did. Check, you said it," Djukanovic asked him again.

"No, I said so that we don't get a roof," Abazović replied.

"You said it would explode. Tell me who told you it would explode," Djukanovic repeated.

"No, no, you explain this to the citizens," Abazović replied.

As a reminder, in the show "Reflektor" on TV Vijesti, broadcast at the end of November, representatives of the Electric Power Company clearly emphasized the conditions for the commissioning of the Thermal Power Plant.

"Has Elektroprivreda received approval from the competent inspections to put the Thermal Power Plant into trial operation?" asked the show's editor Aleksandra Mudreša at the time.

"That is one of the conditions for putting the Thermal Power Plant into operation," EPCG Production Director Miro Vračar responded on the show.

Due to polluted air in Pljevlja, the Environmental Inspection ordered the company "Grijanje Pljevlja" to close the boiler room on Skerliceva Street in Pljevlja. The relevant ministry told "Boje jutra" on TV Vijesti that this is not the first time, and that the decision to close the boiler room was also made in December 2023.

"Given that increased emissions of pollutants were detected at that time, for this reason the Environmental Inspection issued a decision on the ban," said Vesna Bigović from the Ministry of Ecology.

As a reminder, the European Union is introducing additional taxation of electricity produced from coal as of January 1st next year, which will directly affect Montenegro, especially since the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant provides 40 percent of total electricity production. It was recently announced that the Government, in its energy and climate plan, foresees that the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant could operate until 2041.