Ibrahimović: Closer cooperation needed between local governments and ECO Fund for successful projects

Deputy Prime Minister for Regional Development and Minister of Capital Investments Ervin Ibrahimović held a meeting with representatives of the ECO Fund to discuss ongoing projects and the ECO Fund's plans for the upcoming year.

During the meeting, Executive Director of the ECO Fund Draško Boljević, and Assistant Director Nikola Peković presented current activities with a specific focus on projects in northern Montenegro. They identified certain localities and projects that need to be included in the ECO Fund's Work Plan for 2024, based on their communication with local authorities. The representatives of the ECO Fund emphasised their commitment to projects related to environmental preservation, sustainable use, protection, and improvement of the environment, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy sources. This aims to create a favorable business environment and conditions for private sector investments in environmentally friendly initiatives in Montenegro.

The meeting also addressed environmental challenges, particularly the issue of waste disposal. Local governments in the northern part of the country face significant challenges due to the absence of a regional landfill. Deputy Prime Minister Ibrahimović stressed the need for stronger communication with municipal representatives to identify projects that can be realized or planned in collaboration with the ECO Fund for the coming year. He highlighted the urgency of proposing solutions for two illegal landfills in Rožaje and Mojkovac.

Executive Director Draško Boljević also reminded of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Municipality of Plav and the Environmental Protection Fund (ECO Fund), aimed at the revitalisation and protection of Plav Lake and the construction of wastewater treatment plants and sewage networks in the municipality.

Deputy Prime Minister Ibrahimović expressed his support for the ECO Fund's efforts in assisting municipalities in solving environmental issues and emphasised the need for the construction of a regional landfill in Bijelo Polje, given the growing problem of illegal landfills in eleven municipalities in the north. The projects discussed during the meeting are crucial for the further development of the northern region, with a particular focus on initiatives related to Plav Lake. The collaboration with the ECO Fund provides local authorities with an opportunity to address these issues systematically and sustainably, which will be a key focus in the coming years.