How useful the mine is for the local community can best be seen on the example of Pljevlja, where we have an active mine. Precisely because of the polluted environment and poor air quality, according to Monstat estimates, around 7,000 residents have left this city in the last ten years.

Mojkovac has been preparing for the development of tourism for a decade, with huge financial resources invested in that area. The reopening of the mine will not only slow down, but will completely prevent the development of tourism and agriculture in this area. A far greater number of people in the municipality can benefit from tourism than from mines.

In Montenegro, we have the only green party that fights for environmental pollution through the exploitation of ores. It is the European Green Party that opposes proposals to strengthen the interests of extractive industries at the expense of environmental protection by: opposing the weakening of the directives on birds and habitats and the introduction of the designation of “areas of public interest” for mineral extraction at the EU level. It is really unclear, how is it possible that in Montenegro, which is declared as an ecological country, it is a member of the Greens who is advocating the opening of a mine. It is possible that, if their mandate lasts, we will also have ideas about the construction of nuclear power plants in Montenegro.

We haven’t seen any progress in the circular economy and management of resources that we have already extracted from nature. Our material recycling percentages are minor and the proposed plans will not move us from the dead point.

We also have a warning from UNESCO that it is necessary to assess the impact of this project on Durmitor, which has the status of a UNESCO site, but this should also be done for Biogradska Gora, whose protection zone this project enters, and which is on the waiting list to receive the status of a UNESCO area. Throughout Europe, mining activity is declining, and then, in the ecological state of Montenegro, “new economic value” is represented by the largest mine in Europe located between two national parks and a UNESCO protected area.

New economic value, which Mojkovac needs, should be created in healthier and more sustainable ways, which include the development of tourism and agriculture, and not through the representation of private interests. In this case as well, as in the case of the planned sinking of Tara and Morača for the sake of private interests, the interests of the citizens will prevail.