Bečić: Combating environmental crime is now a national priority

At the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers in Podgorica, a national environmental protection campaign titled Čuvaj da te čuva (Preserve It, So It Preserves You) was ceremoniously launched, organized by the Ministry of Ecology with the support of the EU Delegation in Montenegro.

During the accompanying panel discussion, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić, Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Marković, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, civil society, and EU Ambassador to Montenegro Johann Sattler addressed the attendees.

DPM Bečić emphasized that the fight against environmental crime has become one of Montenegro’s national priorities within the broader fight against organized crime. He condemned previous governments' irresponsible treatment of natural resources, citing the controversial privatization of the "Velimir Jakić" wood-processing company.

He explained that for just €100,000—three days before the 2006 referendum—the company was privatized with a 30-year concession, enabling exploitation of 138,000 cubic meters of timber annually. Despite this, the state received only €2 million annually in concession fees, while the raw timber was worth €10 million, and processed wood up to €40 million. The privatization ultimately resulted in €130 million in company debt, bankruptcy, over 500 workers losing their jobs, and shareholder losses—alongside extensive environmental damage.

Bečić highlighted that during this Government’s term, approximately 250 criminal complaints have been filed against around 300 individuals and legal entities for illegal construction, deforestation, and sand extraction. Results in 2024 showed a 35% improvement compared to 2023, with the past six months surpassing previous years’ records.

Following a proposal from the Operational Coordination Bureau, which he chairs, the National Security Council officially classified the fight against environmental crime as a national priority. He announced that at the next Bureau session, he will propose the creation of a dedicated unit within the Police Directorate’s Anti-Crime Sector to focus solely on environmental crime.

Bečić concluded that institutional reforms must follow three paths: preserving and motivating honest professionals, attracting young people with strong values, and implementing a vetting process to remove compromised individuals.

Operational, preventive, enforcement, and oversight efforts have been intensified. We advocate for tougher criminal sanctions and regulatory improvements. Public cooperation is crucial—timely citizen reports about environmental crime are key. Inter-institutional and local-national cooperation is essential, as this is a collective endeavor, not a one-man mission, Bečić stated.

The campaign will continue until Montenegro’s accession to the European Union, symbolically reaffirming that European values begin with a responsible attitude toward nature.