Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović announced that work on the wastewater treatment plant in Botun will not be interrupted, nor will the sludge incinerator be built at another location.
He told this to Television Vijesti, after a meeting with the President of the Municipality of Zeta, Mihailo Asanović, and opponents of the construction of the collector, who requested a moratorium on construction and announced new negotiations with the Government on the issue.
Asanović told those gathered in front of the Municipality of Podgorica today that they were suspending protests and blockades until a new decision is made.
Two sides, one conversation, two different conclusions after a meeting held in the Podgorica municipality building between representatives of the Zeta municipality and the mayor of Podgorica.
The people of Botunja and representatives of the Zeta Municipality expect to begin negotiations with the Government and Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović next week to suspend construction, and in addition to the current conditions, they have another one that can be interpreted as a kind of concession in terms of relocating part of the plant.
"To place a moratorium on construction until a new decision is made, whether it is about changing the location, or whether they ultimately have to move the incinerator and sludge at all costs," said Asanović.
Mujović, however, says that nothing will come of it and that the position of the Capital City in that regard is completely clear.
"There is no cessation of work, no relocation of the location, there is no talk of building a new incinerator at another location. So, these are items that, in my opinion, are out of the question and there are no negotiations or concessions," said Mujović.
He is, however, ready to continue talks on providing additional guarantees to the residents of Botun and Zeta and to assist in the construction of infrastructure facilities.
"If that's a topic of conversation, of course not, they're welcome, we can talk about it. And regarding these big, major things, I think that's the end of it," said Mujović.
In addition to the conclusion of the Zeta Municipal Assembly requesting the suspension of construction of the plant, the people of Botunja and Zeća presented Mujović with an offer to cover the costs that would arise from the possible termination of the contract with the Turkish construction company, which they estimate at ten million euros.
"Because we told him that anything that can be paid for with money without affecting the health of citizens and the environment, we are ready. To protect our citizens, to protect Botun," said Asanović.
They say that while negotiations with the Government and the Municipality of Podgorica are ongoing, there will be no protests or road blockades.
The leader of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, also addressed the citizens who came in front of the Podgorica municipality building and thanked them for, as he said, "coming from the meadows and fields."
That was an allusion to last night's show Načisto, where one of the guests was Asanović, who left the show at one point.
"Because, last night, we realized that we are not worthy of living outside Zeta, nor of having houses, but that we should function in our meadows and heritages, and that this is determined and decided for us by those who have been in the appanages of foreign agencies all this time," said Knežević.
And on the meadow in Botun, which is the subject of controversy, earthworks and preparation of the site for solid construction are well underway.
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