Budimir Mugoša, a councilor for the European Union in the Capital City Assembly, said on Boje jutra on TV Vijesti that the current cleaning of the Mareško, or as he points out, the Lješko Polje canal, has more of the character of improvisation and political show than a serious professional solution, and that tearing down the floodlights at the Donja Gorica stadium will not solve the problem of flooding.
Appearing on the morning program, Mugoša pointed out that the canal was once a key part of the Lješkopolje irrigation system, but that it had been neglected, devastated and out of service for decades. According to him, the canal was last thoroughly cleaned around 2010, but without a constant supply of water, which led to its further deterioration.
"The canal cannot fulfill any serious function today because it is broken, drilled and practically serves as a horizontal cesspool. Water from Mareza has not reached the mouth of the Morača for twenty years," said Mugoša.
He claims that the thesis that the canal was built to drain excess water and prevent floods is wrong, emphasizing that floods existed even while the canal was in full function.
Speaking about the current cleaning campaign, he stated that the relevant hydro engineers, nor the Water Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture, which is the formal owner of the canal, were involved in the process.
"This is not a question of excavators and cameras, but a serious project. If the canal is to be revitalized, it is a multi-million dollar job – from completely sealing the riverbed to ensuring a biological minimum of water throughout the year," said Mugoša.
He particularly emphasized that floods in a large number of cases occur due to illegally built bridges, buried watercourses, and structures built in flood zones, and that responsibility cannot be placed solely on the canal.
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