16 April 2019 - The Government of Montenegro is strongly committed to preserving and protecting the Ulcinj Salina, revitalizing that area and in that context it provided legal and planned protection of the site, Prime Minister Duško Marković said at a meeting with representatives of four NGOs - EuroNatur Foundation, BirdLife International, Center for Protection and Research of Birds of Montenegro (CZIP) and Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association.
Representatives of these four NGOs, Gabriel Schwaderer, Ariel Bruner, Jovana Janjušević and Zenepa Lika, handed over a petition to Prime Minister Marković signed by over 90,000 citizens from Montenegro and Europe, demanding that the Prime Minister ensures the timely revitalization of salt production in Ulcinj Salina, protection of Ulcinj Salina in accordance with national and international law and to ensure that Ulcinj Salina remains owned by Montenegrin citizens and that it is managed in the best interests of the country's environment and citizens.
Prime Minister Marković pointed out that the Government's intention and actions regarding this issue were undisputed and reminded that, besides the adoption of documents protecting this area, the Government had invested 1 million EUR in equipment and water pumps so far.
He pointed out that the issue of ownership of land cannot and will not determine the way of valorization and protection of this area, and that the Government will engage in solving this problem. He said that the support and expertise of these NGOs are welcome and that in the forthcoming period they will work together to fulfill the goal - protection and revitalization of Ulcinj Salina.
Both sides agreed that the Salina area is important both from the aspect of environmental protection and preservation of biodiversity, as well as from the perspective of the economy, job creation and creation of new tourist offer in Montenegro based on nature protection.
Minister of Sustainable Development and Tourism Pavle Radulović also attended the meeting.
