Mortar rounds in the Brestica pit: Korina finds ammunition where dog carcasses were found

In addition to a large number of animal carcasses, bags of dog food and other rubbish, mortar rounds were also found on the surface of the pit in Brestica, near Nikšić — as the Montenegrin portal Pobjeda reports, referring to the non-governmental organisation Korina, which made the discovery during a descent by speleologists into the pit on 25 September.

According to Korina, in addition to animal remains — which had earlier been filmed by drone — and various rubbish, mortar shells left on the surface were also noticed in the pit. The organisation said that at the beginning of this week it informed the Basic State Prosecution in Nikšić and the Police Administration about the find, but so far there is no information on whether the authorities have taken any action.

This is a new development in the scandal that has been rocking Nikšić for weeks. As reported earlier, on 21 September the pit was partially covered with earth without a prior on-site inspection in the presence of inspectors and police; afterwards, Korina’s speleologists confirmed that at least three dogs registered at the local shelter were in the pit — dogs that in Montenegro’s central dog register still figured as alive — while on 29 September Korina filed a criminal complaint with the Nikšić prosecution.

The animal protection organisation stresses that the discovery of ammunition in the same place where dog carcasses were dumped makes a full investigation of the case and a check of what is hidden in the depths of the pit even more urgent. It calls on the institutions to act without delay and to secure the evidence before the traces disappear for good.

The Brestica scandal has caused great public outrage in Montenegro, with demands for strict punishment of those responsible and an immediate inspection of all animal shelters in the country.