International Consequence Management Exercise "Crna Gora 2016" to be held from 31 October to 4 November

NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) and the Directorate for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro will conduct the consequence management field exercise "Crna Gora 2016" from 31 October to 4 November 2016, in Montenegro.

This is the sixteenth field exercise conducted by the EADRCC since 2000, and the first hosted by Montenegro.

Some 680 participants from 32 NATO allied and partner countries will take part in the event. Teams from 7 Allied and 10 Partner nations (Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Macedonia, Romania, Georgia, Israel, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine and USA) will practice disaster response mechanisms, exercise capabilities and demonstrate their ability to work together effectively in emergency situations. The exercise will also contribute to strengthen the affected nation’s capacity to effectively coordinate crisis response operations. 39 observers from 22 allied and partner nations and EU countries are expected to attend (Albania, Canada, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States o America, and Ukraine).

The scenario for the exercise is based on a flood response and chemical incidents which will affect the civil population and critical infrastructure in the exercise area around the capital city of Podgorica in the areas of the rivers Zeta and Morača and the Lake Skadar, as well as in the area of Municipality of Danilovgrad.

The exercise scenario will also include the clearance of unexploded ordnance shifted as a consequence of the flooding. The NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, supports the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro in acquiring an enhancing capabilities to detect, transport and dispose UXOs using state-of-the-art technologies which will be showcased during the exercise.

The exercise will consist of the following phases:

Phase I: 31 October - 1 November 2016: Organisation of on-site Operations, reception of teams, training of participants and a Command Post Exercise.

Phase II: 1-2 November 2016: Field activities at the exercise sites.

Phase III: 3 November 2016: Media Day, including demonstrations of team skills, static display and press event.

The first two phases are not open to the media, except for media that are selected under special procedures.

Photo and video material will be available on the website of NATO, as well as on the portals of the Government of Montenegro (www.gov.me) and NATO Membership Council's Communication Team (www.natomontenegro.me)

The third phase (3 November) is open to the media.

Media who wish to accredit their representatives for reporting the event on 3 November must seek the issuance of accreditation from the Public Relations Service of the Government of Montenegro at: pr@gov.me by Friday, 28 October 2016 until 12 pm.

A detailed program will be timely delivered to accredited media.

Public Relations Service of the Government of Montenegro will also report public through social networks (Hashtag #NATOMNEX).

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO