Krivokapić and Bečić visit Maljevac slag and ash landfill

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić and President of the Parliament of Montenegro Aleksa Bečić, within their working visit to Pljevlja, toured the ecological black spot Maljevac - slag and ash landfill of Pljevlja thermal power plant (Pljevlja TPP).

On this occasion, they spoke with ecological activists from Pljevlja Milorad Mitrović and Vaso Knežević about the issue of several-decade long environmental pollution in Pljevlja, as well as about the future of this municipality, which must be based on the sustainable development principles.

The two officials agreed that splendid natural beauties, ambient and cultural values presented an inestimable Montenegrin asset and a basic precondition for further development of our economy.

The President of the Parliament emphasised that by inhumane treatment of the environment and by its haphazard exploitation, the previous government has permanently ruined the invaluable natural resources. This is witnessed by the fact that last year Montenegro ranked 74th in the list of world's top eco-friendly countries, while only four years ago it ranked 47th, which indicates the drastic deterioration of our ecological environment.

Our generation has an obligation and commitment to invest all necessary efforts in raising the ecological awareness of our citizens and also with regard to the way in which our economy operates, because only united can we protect natural assets of Montenegro, Bečić said.

The Prime Minister said that great efforts towards the renewal of Montenegrin economy and establishment of just institutions must be followed by our special care for environmental protection, because any every effort would be in vain if contrary to nature.

The joint position of the two officials is that the time of bragging with Article 1 of the Constitution of Montenegro - where Montenegro is defined as an ecological state - has passed, and so has the time of the small-scale hydro power plants and friends and cousins who are members of criminal organisations in the fields of hydropower and forestry or those who ruthlessly exploit gravel from our riverbeds hiding behind that declarative self-promotion. It is about time to show our patriotism through deeds - by preserving our ecological potential which can be easily linked with our tourist offer, and in that way, we can achieve both - profit and environment protection, Krivokapić and Bečić concluded.

The activist pointed out that the Pljevlja TPP, for the sake of profit, did its operations at the dispense of ecology despite the existence of institutions tasked with control and oversight in this area. Also, Krivokapić and Bečić were briefed about the construction of illegitimate additional dumping grounds at Maljevac landfill, the fact that the landfill was raised in height, which burdened the dam and threatened its instability, as well as that wastewater, without mandatory filters, was discharged directly into Vezišnica river.

What the ecologic activists underlined as a major problem during their meeting with President of the Parliament and Prime Minister was the overstretched production at the TPP and consumption of allowed working hours with the existing technology of early production, therefore there was a risk that the TPP could be shut down until its ecologic reconstruction is finished or its misdemeanour fines collected for non-complying with the rules and measures of the Energy Community.

In a very fruitful and open conversation, the ecological activists underlined that they were not against any form of TPP operations, but against the previously demonstrated haughty work of the TPP, where the profit was more important than citizens’ health.

They also reminded of court epilogue on which basis the EPCG was acquitted of charges for causing fish die-off in the rivers of Vezišnica i Ćehotina, which occurred in 2019, even though the EPCG publicly had admitted the guilt before the court process was initiated, apologising to the citizens of Pljevlja and also compensating the damages for fishing stock to the user of water.

The interlocutors opine that ecologic reconstruction of the TPP is necessary as well as instalment of district heating networks in the town, which is an integral part of ecologic reconstruction, as well as that the TPP should continue its work in line with sustainable development principles and European Energy Community standards.

The meeting also gave an opportunity to the ecological activists to inform that Šuplja stijena Mine and current lead and zinc ore exploiter in Šuli have been influencing negatively on the environment of Šula local community, especially on Ćehotina river through Mjednički stream. Also, they said that water was mainly polluted by old pits, from which underground ore exploitation used to take place.

The meeting also underlined the issue of a lack of ecological inspector for Pljevlja even though it is a town with the biggest number of ecologic accidents. Given the fact that accredited companies for sampling in the midst of ecological accidents are far away from Pljevlja, it was indicated that the Law on Inspection Control should be modified, so that inspectors could take samples but also for the causes to be valid at the court.

The meeting also discussed the plans for constructing a cement factory. In this regard, the interlocutors agreed that the cement factory should have been constructed earlier in which case the cement for building highway would be provided.

In the end, it was concluded that Montenegro possessed all natural assets on its territory, so in the period to come, those assets would be managed in line with the sustainable development.