Residents of Beogradska Street: The consequences of illegal tree felling can be catastrophic, the Municipal Police reacted lukewarmly

The consequences of the illegal felling of a tree that was cut down with a chainsaw by an unidentified person this morning on Beogradska Street in Podgorica at two after midnight could be catastrophic.

This, among other things, was said by one of the residents of Beogradska Street, Stradimir Babović.

Several residents of Beogradska Street came out shortly after the tree was cut down to see what had happened.

According to one of the tenants, several unidentified persons immediately fled.

According to Babović, they have repeatedly asked the competent institutions - the judiciary and the prosecutor's office - to put a stop to the vandalism.

"Green areas are our lungs and thanks to them we sustain our families, children and descendants. That is the only way we can resist," said Babović.

He said the reverberation was too great and "the tree hit the garage."

He also said that they called the Municipal Police, who "reacted rather lukewarmly."

"The cut tree should not have been felled, because it belongs to category B trees," said Babović.

One of the residents, Vuk Pejović, said that "if the state does not react," the locals will have to "settle for night watches."

"Do everything preventive. Podgorica is expanding. We live in a city, but not everyone is made for the city," said Pejović.

Several residents told Vijesti that they think this is a kind of retaliation for the fact that work on this plot behind the "Zija" hotel was prevented on Monday.

The residents of Beogradska Street then held a protest because about ten days ago, workers had begun illegally digging and excavating in the yard behind the "Zija" hotel.

The informal citizens' group Zeleni Kvart also announced today that the tree had been cut down earlier.