The construction of a wastewater treatment plant (collector) is a city-wide, but also one of the biggest national problems with destructive potential, said Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović during a press conference at the Government of Montenegro.
According to him, the emission of harmful gases from the plant is equal to the operation of six trucks. Mujović also denied claims that the technology used to build the plant is outdated.
He also said that the contract is not being hidden, and that it will be available from today. Mujović also said that the current city administration wants to act as responsibly as possible.
"We have not disclosed the contract so far, because there was a clause that we had to get consent from the Turkish company. If we had published it, there would have been a possibility of being sued."
The delay and failure to build the plant, he said, calls into question credibility with European partners. Mujović also claims that the plant to be built in Botun also exists in other European countries.
"This facility has caused dissatisfaction among the residents of Botun. We are in the unfortunate position of possible riots, and we want to avoid that. I have had several meetings with the residents of Botun since the beginning of the year... During all meetings, their position was decisive - there will be no construction of a collector in Botun."
Mujović said that "a certain dose of spite also worked" in the people of Botunja.
"There were communication failures in terms of presenting the Environmental Impact Assessment Study. That first version was not written in the best possible way," said Mujović, adding that some issues were not well communicated in the first version of that document.
The Mayor of Podgorica also said that statements that if the collector is built in Botun, a "Chernobyl" will be created, and if it is moved to another location, it will not be, are irrational.
He emphasized that the location of the facility itself cannot be changed, because if the city service were to do this, it would be necessary to prepare new technical documentation:
"It would take us two to three years at the very least to make it happen."
The contract for consulting services, Mujović said, does not cost 13 million, but a little over three million euros.
"Even if we wanted to shut down or relocate the plant, we have nothing to hold on to," Mujović explained.
He pointed out that he would shut down the plant in Botun if harmful gas emissions were at or above the limit.
Mujović said that if "we do something bad for Botun, we are also doing it for Podgorica," emphasizing that the plant will not start operating until the red mud pools are rehabilitated.
Mujović said that the Government of Montenegro provides the money, and that Botun is the one who manages this process.
"They are the bosses. They say who will work, who will be the director...", said Mujović, adding that the people of Botunja decide when the plant starts operating.
Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development Damjan Ćulafić read the proposals that the Government sent to the people of Botunja.
1. The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development is tasked, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, to continuously monitor the level of harmful gas emissions that can potentially be produced by the operation of the Wastewater Treatment System in Botun.
2. It is recommended that the Capital City of Podgorica suspend the operation of the Wastewater Treatment System, without delay, if during the measurement of harmful gas emissions it is shown that the level of harmful gas emissions exceeds the limits set by Directive IED 2010/75/EU.
3. The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development is hereby instructed to initiate, without delay, in cooperation with international partners, the procedure for the rehabilitation of the red mud basin in Botun.
4. It is recommended to the Capital City of Podgorica not to put the System from point 1 of these conclusions into operation until the rehabilitation of the red mud basin is completed.
5. The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development is tasked with preparing amendments to the State Waste Management Plan 2025-2029 in such a way as to delete the provisions defining that hazardous waste can be temporarily disposed of within the KAP.
6. It is recommended that the Capital City of Podgorica build a sewage network and enable connection to the Wastewater Treatment System for about 30% of households in Zeta (covering Gornja Zeta), and that the maintenance of the sewage network be performed by Vodovod Podgorica until the formation of the Vodovod Zeta company.
7. The Capital City of Podgorica is obligated to ensure that the existing wastewater treatment plant remains operationally available for at least two years after the commissioning of the plant in Botun.
8. It is recommended to the Capital City of Podgorica that priority be given to residents of Botuni and Zeta when hiring in the new facility.
9. It is recommended to the Capital City of Podgorica that when appointing the President of the Managing Board for the facility referred to in these conclusions, he be delegated by the Local Community of Botun.
10. It is recommended that the Capital City initiate discussions with the Municipality of Zeta so that the ownership structure of the Facility is shared – between the Capital City and Zeta.
Ćulafić said that representatives of the Democratic People's Party (DNP) did not vote for the Government's proposals, but that the others did so "unanimously." He said that DNP representatives did not even attend that Government session.
He said that the current "legacy is dialogue."
"There is no room for mentioning repression. This is about the good intention of the Government of Montenegro to be at the service of its citizens," he said.
Ćulafić said that Montenegro does not need to face a loss of 115 million euros. He also stated that the construction of the plant implies stronger monitoring in the field of environmental crime.
Mujović said that there is no date set for the construction of the collector, but that they have met all the necessary conditions.
Responding to a question from a "Vijesti" journalist whether some of the Capital City's obligations within the facility would require permission from the City Assembly, Mujović replied that he did not know whether consent would be needed.
He said he thought it wouldn't be a problem, and that all clubs except DNP were providing support.
Ćulafić, commenting on the statement by DNP leader Milan Knežević that red mud is legally classified as a mineral raw material, said that for him it is waste and a pollutant that will be remediated.
"Again, we have a novelty in a type of request that Mr. Knežević is making to the Government. I will tell you and I will tell Mr. Knežević, for me, red mud is both waste and a pollutant. And that is why it will be remediated. No one in the Government is thinking about whether red mud should be monetized and commercial benefits should be made from it. The Government is focused on solving the ecological problem and the health of the citizens of Zeta. I must admit that I am a little surprised by Mr. Knežević's attitude that he does not think about this fact but rather relativizes it."
Mujović added that investors are showing interest in building a large photovoltaic power plant in that rehabilitated area - the red mud pools.
Nišavić: The plant will be done properly
The director of Podgorica's "Water Supply and Sewerage", Aleksandar Nišavić, said that this is a key project when it comes to communal problems.
He pointed out that this is evidence that the facility will be built properly, and that citizens should not worry that the project will affect their health.
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