Issue: Results of the impact testing of the destruction of the weapons on the locations in the country Golija near Niksic on the environment

   Center for ecotoxicological researches of Montenegro submitted the results of the impact testing of the destruction of the weapons on the locations in the country Golija near Niksic on the environment to the Agency, based on which we can state the following:

Samples of the ground from the location 100-150 m far from location of the destruction of weapons were tested before and after explosions on the content of heavy metals, explosives remains, PAH, PCBS, phenolic materials, mineral oil presence as well as presence of other unknown materials. Samples were tested in accordance with the Rulebook on maximun allowed concentrations of hazardous and harmful materials in the ground (Off.G. MNE, No. 18/97). Higher concentrations of nickel were found in the samples, however concentrations are significantly lower from concentrations of these elements which are determined in the ground within the implementation of regular monitoring program of hazardous and harmful materials in the gorund in all settlements in Montenegro, which points to the possibility that the sample of higher concentrations geological genesis of the ground.

   On the occasion of more frequent allegations relating to the impact of the destruction of the military weapons on the environment, we inform the public that according to the Environmental Impact Assessment Law (Official Gazette MNE, No. 80/05 from 28/12/2005), which is entirely compliant with the EU directives concerning projects impact assessment on the environment, projects aimed at defence (under which projects and activities that are implemented for the military needs are implied) are subjected to the procedure of environmental impact assessment.  It is not necessary to get the environmental approval of the Environmental Protection Agency for the mentioned activities. Activities like the destruction of the military weapons should definitely be done under the control of authorised institutions.

    On 28/7/2010, the representatives of the World bank (Michael Feiss and Sanela Ljuca) and Environmental Protection Agency (director Daliborka Pejovic, chief inspector Vesna Zarubica and advisor Ilija Radovic) visited the landfill of the Steel factory and steel drive.

Within the project of the World bank ’’Managing and removal of industrial waste’’ identification of questionable locations so called ’’hot spots’’ in Montenegro was performed, for which detail monitoring and the sanation of contaminated locations should be conducted. In that sense, landfill of the Steel factory which is 3 km from the factory was recognized, on location Konjev do.  Mentioned landfill hasn’t been performed in accordance with the standards, and scoria form electro arc aggregates of Steel factory drive, steel waste form the process of rolling, waste of fireproof material and slag from the process of coal burning. Waste has been disposed without selection and treatment on this location for 55 years. The assessment is that on this location of unconditional landfill for solid waste 2 000 000 t of industrial waste is there, which became, over time, because of selected storage and because the impact of atmosphere is mixed and homogenized, hazardous pollutant of surface waters, air and ground.

 As part of the manifestation "Days of blueberries," which is traditionally organized every year in the municipality of Plav, on 26/07/2010, Agency for Environmental Protection in cooperation with the above-mentioned municipality organized a round table on "Plav Lake Protection."

        In addition to representatives of the Agency for the Environment, a round table was attended by Mayor of Plav, Mr. Skender Šarkinović, representatives of institutions of Plav municipality, NGOs, the Regional Development Agency Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletija, Hydrometeorological Institute, GTZ, UNDP and Institute for Nature Protection.

Cooperation with IAEA- RER3007-regional training, Podgorica,

Montenegro, 26-30 July 2010-07-19

   In the period of 26-30 July 2010, in cooperation with the International Agency for atomic energy from Vienna, there will be Regional training ’’Waste Management Operators on Radioactive Waste Management-Pre Disposal Technologies’’ in Podgorica. Training will be organized under the regional project IAEA, RER3007 ’’Improvement of radioactive waste management quality’’ in English, with the involvement of eminent international and national experts for this area.
Besides the candidates from countries which participate in this regional project, members of IAEA (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey), and which were selected by IAEA, the participation of candidates from Montenegro, from institutions dealing with the subject, was also planned.

Organizators of the event are Environmental Protection Agency and ZAMTES (Agency for International Scientific, Educational, Cultural and Technical Cooperation)

 Improvement of cooperation of local and central level of public administration in environmental protection activities

  On 8 and 9 July 2010 in the hall of the hotel ''Princess'' in Bar, organized by the OSCE Mission in Montenegro, there was a round table entitled ''Improving Cooperation Between the Local and Central levels of Public Administration in Environmental Protection Activities''.
Opening words at the above-mentioned round table were given by a Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Montenegro, Mr. Waldemar Figaj and Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ms. Daliborka Pejovic.
Mr. Figaj said he was particularly pleased that the round table was an opportunity to meet for the first time representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Physical Planning and Environmental Protection and local governances in Montenegro.
Mr. Figaj, expressed readiness to support all initiatives coming from the municipalities,  certainly, in cooperation with the Agency and the relevant ministry, suggesting that special emphasis should be placed on raising environmental awareness among children of preschool and school age, and social responsibility of enterprises in Montenegro, as well as remediation of the so-called hot spots (black ecological spots).
   Director of the Environmental Protection Agency Ms. Daliborka Pejovic expressed gratitude to the OSCE Mission in Montenegro for current co-operation, their efforts and the significant role they had in the past decade in Montenegro.