Milatović launches “Ecological State 2.0” initiative with 20 proposals for Montenegro

Photo: predsjednik.me

Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatović has presented the “Ecological State 2.0” initiative, with 20 concrete proposals to strengthen nature protection and the country’s sustainable development, on the 35th anniversary of Montenegro being declared the world’s first ecological state.

The initiative, drafted in cooperation with environmental activists and academic community representatives, foresees, among other things, free entry to national parks for Montenegrin citizens, the declaration of Žabljak as an ecological capital, the creation of a national biodiversity database and a public digital cadastre of protected areas.

The focus is also on preventive protection of future Natura 2000 areas, strengthening the forest fire protection system, and designating suitable zones for solar and wind energy development.

The proposals also include measures for coastal and water protection, greater accountability for polluters, more sustainable tourism management in the Bay of Kotor, a deposit system for packaging, green public procurement, green energy development and the protection of water resources. Concrete examples of local protection cited include Spas Hill in Budva and Valdanos in Ulcinj.

According to Milatović’s office, the goal of the initiative is for Montenegro to clearly define what it must protect, where and how it can develop, how much the territory can bear, and who is responsible for ecological damage.

The initiative aims for nature protection to be accompanied by measurable results and to directly affect citizens’ quality of life.