Civil society has an irreplaceable role in environmental protection through raising awareness, advocating for policies, and implementing innovative solutions. This role will become even more important when Montenegro becomes a member of the European Union (EU), thereby contributing to the fulfillment of European ecological goals. This message was conveyed at the final conference of the project “Strengthening Civil Society engagement in the EU Accession supported Environmental Reforms” organized by the Center for Protection and Research of Birds (CZIP) within the network of non-governmental organizations Coalition 27.
The Executive Director of the Center for Protection and Research of Birds and representative of Coalition 27, Jovana Janjušević, emphasized the importance of EU accession not only as a technical process but as a key issue for the well-being of citizens and the preservation of natural resources. “EU accession should not be viewed as a domestic task, but as an opportunity to improve living standards, protect nature, and ensure a better future for our families and society,” said Janjušević. According to her, space is the most important resource Montenegro loses through irresponsible spatial planning. “Once lost, space cannot be regained. The way we currently treat space is concerning, especially through changes to the spatial plan for Podgorica,” Janjušević warned. She pointed out that changes to this plan are being made in a way that violates formal legal procedures and scientific guidelines, stating that this could have catastrophic consequences for biodiversity. “The planned changes include megalomaniac energy projects on future Natura 2000 habitats, such as Ćemovsko Polje, which should be protected upon Montenegro’s entry into the EU,” Janjušević said. She highlighted the problem of inadequate waste management, such as the long-standing issue with burning car tires at Ćemovsko Polje. “We talk about EU accession, yet we don’t have a solution for tires. In a state that declares itself as ecological, this is absolutely unacceptable,” said Janjušević. She warned of the loss of bird species, including those protected by European legislation, such as the large lark and nightjar. “Instead of protecting these species, we are planning projects that will destroy them,” said Janjušević. She expressed hope that access to EU programs, such as the LIFE program, will enable solving environmental problems and preserving nature. “These problems require funds, and access to EU programs can help us heal what others before us have damaged,” concluded Janjušević.
Montenegro’s Chief Negotiator with the European Union, Predrag Zenović, emphasized the importance of joint action by all sectors of society in the European integration process.
“We are all aware that the obstacles on this path are shared, and overcoming them is only possible through dialogue, partnership, and transparency,” said Zenović. He highlighted the “immeasurable” role of civil society on this path. “It is no coincidence that the work of smaller organizations operating at the local level is emphasized today. They are the backbone of change and key to achieving concrete results,” Zenović believes. He recalled the concrete steps Montenegro has taken in the past year to improve environmental protection. “The Law on Forests and the Law on Waste Management have been adopted, and soon we can expect the adoption of the national waste management plan, as well as the national energy and climate plan,” Zenović noted. He also said that work on expanding protected areas has continued, with two new territories already gaining the status of protected natural assets, indicating Montenegro’s commitment to preserving natural resources and harmonizing with European standards. Speaking about key challenges, Zenović highlighted the protection of Ulcinj Salina, an area of exceptional importance for biodiversity and with potential for eco-tourism development. “Although we are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the protection of Salina, the job is not finished. It requires strategic planning and serious investments to ensure its future,” Zenović said. He believes that citizens must change their paradigm in relation to nature, “to step out of the anthropocentric vision and understand that nature is not just a resource, but our ally.” “This is crucial for creating a sustainable future,” Zenović concluded.
The State Secretary in the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Northern region Development, Zoran Dabetić, emphasized the importance of joint action by institutions, the private sector, and citizens.
“We are facing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, which directly threaten the health and quality of life of all citizens of Montenegro,” said Dabetić. He stressed that addressing these problems requires the engagement of all sectors, with a particular emphasis on civil society. Dabetić pointed out that the European Commission’s report for 2024 assesses a certain level of Montenegro’s readiness in the area of environmental protection. “The dynamics that await us in the coming period are extremely demanding, especially in waste management, nature protection, and water management,” Dabetić added. He assessed that the role of civil society is irreplaceable in raising public awareness, advocating for sustainable policies, and practical action, reminding that it is a key partner in the process of making strategic decisions and implementing concrete solutions. Dabetić highlighted several significant achievements made in the previous period, recalling that during 2024, the Ministry invested 150,000 euros in 21 projects implemented by non-governmental organizations across Montenegro. He announced that Montenegro is actively working on joining the European Union’s LIFE program, a platform for financing projects in the field of environmental protection and climate action. “Access to the LIFE program will open numerous opportunities for innovation, cooperation, and concrete actions,” Dabetić explained. He stressed that the state has an obligation to support the civil sector, noting that non-governmental organizations must be recognized, as well as local initiatives, as the pillars of our European path.
Deputy Head of the Cooperation Sector in the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Liselotte Isaksson, emphasized the importance of aligning with the EU’s environmental and climate change legislation, which encompasses over 200 key laws.
“This is a great challenge for any candidate country. A strong and focused administration is required, not only at the central but also at the local level, as most changes need to be implemented locally,” said Isaksson. She believes that Montenegro must speed up the fulfillment of the set goals, especially within Chapter 27, which is crucial for the EU accession process. “Integrating ecological standards into spatial planning can ensure development that is not only in line with EU legislation but also sustainable and beneficial for all citizens,” said Isaksson. She praised the work of civil society organizations in Montenegro in the field of environmental protection. “Civil society has an important role, not only in raising awareness and advocating policies but also in implementing innovative ideas and policies themselves. Their role will become even more significant when Montenegro becomes an EU member, as a strong civil society is crucial for further progress in environmental protection,” Isaksson emphasized.
Presenting the Shadow Report: The voice of nature reaching Brussels, Green Home’s Executive Director Azra Vuković, while presenting the findings for 2024 in the field of horizontal legislation, stated that there had been no progress, primarily due to a lack of administrative capacity and inter-institutional coordination.
“When it comes to air quality, the situation remains worrying, and an air quality management strategy has not yet been adopted. Data shows that we are among the countries with the worst air quality in Europe,” said Vuković. She pointed out that progress had been made in waste management, including the adoption of the Waste Management Law, but problems such as inadequate waste disposal persist. “In terms of water quality, activities to align with EU directives have continued, but infrastructural problems, such as sewage networks, remain a challenge. In the field of nature protection, we have seen limited progress, while the adoption and implementation of laws are delayed. Some plans have been adopted, but many protected areas still lack adequate management,” Vuković stated. In the field of industrial pollution and noise, as she added, no progress has been made, pointing out that strategic documents and administrative capacities are lacking. “When it comes to climate change, key laws and strategies have not yet been adopted. The low-carbon development strategy and the national energy and climate plan are still awaiting finalization. In the field of civil protection, there is a lack of human and technical resources, especially in northern municipalities, where challenges are the most serious,” Vuković said.
The representative of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable development, and Northern region development, Danka Kažić, said that the working group for leading negotiations in the field of environmental protection, in cooperation with the EU, has made significant progress in recent years.
“The Action Plan for Chapter 27, adopted in 2021, precisely defines the obligations we must fulfill. Progress reports are also submitted to the Government every six months, with a mandatory translated version in English so that the European Commission can monitor our progress,” Kažić stated. She reminded that the plan envisages 251 obligations, and the realization of these obligations is monitored by 25 different institutions. “So far, we have fulfilled 122 obligations, which makes up 48 percent of the total realization, and the remaining obligations are in the process. A large number of these obligations have a continuous character, so their realization is monitored until the chapter is closed. Particularly significant obligations relate to waste management, nature protection, and water management, and the deadlines for the realization of these measures last until 2026,” Kažić said. She recalled that in April 2024, they adopted the Law on Waste Management, the Law on Industrial Emissions, and the Law on biocidal products. “The Law on Forests was also adopted in September 2024. In the upcoming period, we expect the adoption of the Law on Nature Protection, as well as the Law on negative impacts of Climate Change” Kažić noted. As for strategic documents, she added, the completion of the National Waste Management Plan is expected in 2025, as well as the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change for the period 2025-2029. “Closing this chapter by 2026 is an ambitious goal, but with strong political will and efficient resource management, I am convinced it is achievable,” Kažić believes. She pointed out that the implementation of these measures requires extensive infrastructure, the adoption of new laws, and changes in practices in waste management, nature protection, and air and water quality. “Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the effective implementation of planned activities and financial support from the EU and domestic funds. In November 2023, the European Commission adopted a new plan for the Western Balkans, which envisages significant grants and favorable loans,” Kažić stated.
Speaking about the LIFE program, Sanela Metjahić from the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable development, and Northern region development reminded that the process of joining the LIFE program began more than six months ago, and numerous workshops and informational sessions were organized with relevant institutions and partners from neighboring countries.
“The LIFE program is dedicated to environmental goals, as well as combating climate change, and encompasses four main sub-programs: nature and biodiversity, circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and coordination and awareness-raising,” said Metjahić. She explained that the LIFE program provides various types of grants for projects, including standard action projects, strategic projects, and technical assistance projects. “For most projects, funding can amount to up to 60 percent, while for coordination and awareness-raising projects, funds can be obtained up to 90 percent,” said Metjahić. She stated that although Montenegro was not able to apply for funds last year, the Ministry of Ecology is actively cooperating with countries that already participate in the program, such as Croatia, to prepare projects for the next call. “Although the procedure can take from one to two months after we submit our projects to the European Commission, we hope that we will be able to participate and use the funds available to us this year,” said Metjahić. She pointed out that, in addition to the LIFE program, the Ministry is in the process of implementing the Action Plan for Nature Protection, as well as the National Energy and Climate Plan, which, as she stated, will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.
At the conference, an enviromental survey was presented, conducted by the agency NinaMedia under the leadership of professor Miloš Bešić on a representative sample of 1,000 Montenegrin citizens for the year 2024. Bešić said that the survey findings showed that Montenegrin citizens believe that the state of the planet, in general, is much worse than in Montenegro. “These attitudes have not significantly changed since the 2023 survey, while the number of those who believe that institutions take care of the environment has slightly increased from 30 to 43 percent,” said Bešić. He said that the biggest environmental problem, according to citizens, remains waste, especially illegal landfills. “This problem is still in focus, while an increasing number of citizens have started recognizing the human factor as the key cause of pollution,” said Bešić. He emphasized that a significant number of citizens, 78 percent, would be willing to allocate part of their income if they were sure that the money would be used for environmental protection, but there is also a significant number of skeptics who believe that environmental problems are exaggerated. “The survey showed that the majority of citizens support the idea that the economy and ecology can coexist in balance, while very few people believe that the economy should come before environmental protection,” said Bešić. He said that the survey showed that, although the majority of citizens, about 85 percent, know what selective waste disposal is, the problem remains the lack of appropriate containers. “More than 40 percent of respondents said they would start selective waste separation if there were appropriate containers in their neighborhoods,” said Bešić. He said that television and internet portals still dominate as the most important sources of information about ecology, while social networks have begun to take on an increasingly important role. “The survey showed that citizens rate the ecological culture in Montenegro as unsatisfactory, with 80 percent believing that environmental protection is often abused by politicians,” said Bešić. He pointed out that more than half of the respondents said they would regularly participate in actions to improve the quality of the environment, such as cleaning cities and riverbanks.
Presenting projects supported through the grant scheme, CZIP representative Ksenija Medenica presented projects supported through the grant scheme intended for small civil society organizations, which aimed to improve ecological awareness and address local environmental problems in accordance with EU ecological standards. “The goal of the grant scheme was to strengthen civic participation, improve transparency in decision-making, and promote ecological activism. Additionally, the projects included initiatives for waste management, protection of natural resources, and enhancing synergy among key actors in addressing ecological challenges,” said Medenica. She pointed out that the total fund for the implementation of these projects was 50,000 EUR, distributed among eight selected organizations, with amounts ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 EUR per project. “Among the organizations that received support are: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby (MSJA), MogUL, Zinak, RDA-UBA, Gnijezdo, Ljubitelji prirode, Da zaživi selo, and the Action for Social Justice. Several of these projects dealt with important issues such as environmental protection and sustainable waste management. For example, MSJA implemented a dune protection project at Velika plaža, while the organizations Mogul and RDA worked on connecting citizens and institutions for more efficient waste management,” said Medenica. Additionally, as she added, the projects included educating citizens and youth about the importance of environmental conservation, such as the Gnijezdo organization, which engaged green ambassadors in schools. “The Zinak organization promoted the green circular economy in schools, while the Action for Social Justice worked on aligning domestic laws with EU standards. The Da zaživi selo organization dealt with water protection in Pljevlja, while the Ljubitelji prirode organization prepared a Case Study: Komarnica Canyon,” said Medenica. She emphasized that all projects have brought significant results in local communities, although many of them are still developing. “As a result, positive environmental changes have been achieved, and organizations have shown the ability to make a significant impact on the local community,” concluded Medenica.
The conference was organized within the project “Strengthening Civil Society engagement in the EU Accession supported Environmental Reforms (4E),” funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration.
