01 February 2019 - The environmental organisation NGO Ozon called on the local governments of Nikšić and Danilovgrad Municipalities and the Podgorica Capital to join the government in the process of legal protection of the Zeta River area.
"We believe that, in accordance with great importance of the Zeta River with its tributaries and hydrological phenomena, the specifics of its upper and lower flow and territorial jurisdiction of local administrations, we need a strategic recognition of the importance of this river for the further development of local communities, but also of the potential for the national branding of Montenegro as an ecological state, i.e. the entire social prosperity," the statement said.
NGO Ozon proposes that three municipalities adopt a joint Resolution for the protection of the Zeta River, in order to allow the public to be involved in this initiative, and that the Government of Montenegro, through the competent institutions, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, The Nature Protection Agency and the Environment Agency open a public debate in order to examine all the relevant facts through the argumentative discussion. Keeping in mind the fact that the significance of the Zeta River in the aspect of an ecosystem is already recognized in national and local strategic documents, the representatives of this movement believe that the protection of this river at the international level is also important in the context of European integration and the success of the negotiations in Chapter 27. This step, they conclude, is another tool for the joint resolution of the local government administrations which should take part in this initiative.
The representatives of the Environmental Movement NGO Ozon announced that it will begin with the action of collecting citizen support for the protection of the Zeta River, and announced the implementation of this initiative on a series of thematic events, "in order to create an incentive environment for public argumentative discussion and active citizen participation in the decision making process, "the statement said. They also invited all interested parties to support this civic initiative.
The NGO Ozon was founded with a mission to contribute to improving the quality of life and the environment, as well as protecting the public interest through active participation in the decision-making process, public advocacy, and education of various target groups from all segments of the society.
