Although it can be said that videos of poaching in Skadar Lake NP are, unfortunately, nothing new for Montenegro, but the videos of attacks on supervisors that we had the opportunity to see during the weekend are the latest alarm that serious measures must be taken in relation to poaching in Lake Skadar NP steps at the national level.
The fight against poaching must not remain only the fight of PE for the national parks of Montenegro. The support of other departments and institutions cannot remain limited, because it is absolutely necessary for this struggle to have meaning and results.
The Government of Montenegro and relevant Ministries, as well as the competent prosecutor’s office, must provide adequate support to the PE for the national parks of Montenegro in protecting the biodiversity of this internationally protected area. Nature protection cannot and must not be a matter of the engagement of one institution or even worse an individual, or a group of individuals, it must have institutional support.
Efforts made in this direction in previous years were obviously insufficient to suppress poaching in this protected area.
The NGO Green Home will continue to provide support to the PE for national parks of Montenegro in this fight within its capacities, but the very widespread and intensive poaching that is present in the Skadar Lake NP requires a serious, strong, institutional response from the state of Montenegro.
I would like to remind you that Skadar lake NP, in addition to having the status of a protected area at the national level, is also on the list of internationally protected wetlands (Ramsar area), and also has the status of an IBA area (Important Bird Areas) and an IPA area (Important Plant Areas – International area important for plants).
In this sense, Montenegro has an obligation to report on the state of this national park according to numerous conventions to which it is a signatory. This is especially important in light of the open case that Montenegro has in front of the Berne Convention, which has been monitoring the situation in this national park very intensively for years.