Çulafiq: €4 Billion Needed for Ecology — Chapter 27 to Close at End of December

Montenegro’s Minister of Ecology, Damjan Çulafiq, said he expects Chapter 27 of the EU accession negotiations — the environment chapter — to be closed at the end of December. He made the remarks on the show “Dobro jutro Crna Goro”.

Çulafiq revealed that by the end of 2024 about 39% of the obligations under Chapter 27 had been met, while in the past two years progress has been much faster than in the first six years of the negotiations. He stressed that implementing the obligations will cost around four billion euros at today’s market prices — three times more than the 2021 estimate, a change the minister attributed to global developments and inflation.

Montenegro has been granted a transitional period until 2045 for building wastewater management infrastructure. The country’s long-term goals include removing all illegal dumpsites by 2030, while full neutrality on air pollution must be achieved by 2050.

According to ministry data, there are around 256 illegal dumpsites in the country, which are renewed almost overnight; responsibility for them is shared between the state and municipalities. Construction of the wastewater treatment plant in Botun has passed 50% completion. Çulafiq has announced zero tolerance for pollution of the Zeta river and guaranteed enforcement of the “polluter pays” principle — every polluter must repair the damage or pay the appropriate compensation.

Source: RTCG