25 July, 2018 - The Government is firmly determined to implement the programme of reorganisation of the concept of forest management in Montenegro to achieve significantly higher effects, primarily when it comes to better forest preservation, but also better economic valorisation, balanced availability of raw materials for the development of the wood industry, with the ambition to open up as many "green" jobs as possible and create a new value in this sector. This and many similar questions were a topic at the meeting of the extended collegium of the Forest Administration, which was held on 25th of July in Andrijevica.
At the meeting, which was attended by heads of all local units in Montenegro, representatives of the Directorate of Forestry and Wood Industry, and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović, the Minister said that all resistance to the introduction of an improved forest management system, which was recognised in the previous period, will be eliminated.
"We have recognised all the barriers and we will not allow any individual interests to stand in the way of the firm determination of the state to develop a new, even better forest management concept," Simović said.
He also demanded all employees in the forestry sector be more responsible and serious in the coming period, especially when it comes to field activities - to visit forest resources on a daily basis, as well as local roads and control the fulfilment of concession contracts, to be more engaged and show stronger state care of forest resources.
The meeting also discussed the need to strengthen the human resources and professional capacities in the forestry sector in order to respond in a qualitative manner to the challenges in this area, especially in the area of conservation and protection of forests in Montenegro for future generations, and create conditions to implement sustainable and economically more efficient model for using forest wealth.
Representatives of the Government of Montenegro and heads of all local units of Montenegro visited the construction site of the “Fruit House” in Andrijevica as well. The construction of "Fruit House" in Andrijevica is one of the capital projects of the Government, whose realisation creates an environment for the development of entrepreneurship and local economy in the area of this municipality and wider north of Montenegro, which will result in opening new jobs and new opportunities for a significant number of inhabitants.
After visiting the "Fruit House" construction site officials expressed the satisfaction that the realisation of the capital project of the total value of 1.33 million EUR is running with good dynamics. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development particularly expressed the belief that this dynamic of works will spend more than the planned 510 thousand EUR from the budget for this year and that the project will be completed within the planned deadline.
He also expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of realisation of works on the construction of a factory for bottling quality water that is realized by the concessionaire of the water source in Sjenožet, with an investment of 1.5 million EUR. Through the construction of a total of six mini-hydropower plants on the Andrijevica river, the water potential of this region is valued wisely in the energy sector, Simović said that the new water bottling factory is going towards the valorisation of these potentials, which will, in particular, provide about 20 new jobs.
Particularly positive was the initiative of the local authorities of Andrijevica to help and buy this year's raspberry plant in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It was assessed as necessary and intensified to inform agricultural producers about the possibilities of support through the IPARD programme in order to maximise the utilisation of significant available EU funds, accelerate the development and competitiveness of agricultural holdings, and opened a significant number of new jobs in the sector.
