State of emergency in Montenegro: Greater involvement of police and citizens, classes in schools suspended

Podgorica, Montenegro (12 February 2012) -- Pursuant to the decision of the Security and Defence Council on the state of emergency, the Emergency Management Coordination Team has passed four new directions signed by Prime Minister Igor Lukšić, the Team administrator.

The directions include:

• Within the Police Administration, Acting Police Director Božidar Vuksanović shall establish the Operative Team to undertake measures on the field, in cooperation with the Emergency Management Coordination Team, in order to provide greater efficiency in alleviating the negative effects of severe weather.

• Police Administration shall, in cooperation with presidents of condominium owners assemblies and condominium owners' managers, involve citizens in alleviating the negative effects of severe weather.

• Classes shall be suspended in all public and private preschools, elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education in the municipalities of Podgorica, Cetinje Andrijevica, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Danilovgrad, Kolašin, Mojkovac, Plav, Plužine, Pljevlja, Rožaje, Šavnik, Žabljak, starting from 13 February 2012.

•Maximum retail prices of petroleum products in Montenegro can not be increased compared to the maximum retail prices of petroleum products which were valid on the day on which the state of emergency was declared.

Pursuant to Article 52 of the Law on Electronic Media, we ask of all electronic media in Montenegro to broadcast these directions hourly as part of their regular schedules.

The media is also asked to promote the directions and recommendations to citizens to save electric energy and remove snow so as to alleviate the negative effects of severe weather.