Fighting environmental crime focus of regional workshop in Montenegro

In the last decade, a pronounced form of environmental crime has been present in Montenegro and the region, including illegal activities in forestry, land, stone, riverbeds and sand exploitation, destruction of nature’s biodiversity, as well as illegal construction, which poses a significant threat to natural resources and public health. In the fight against environmental crime, a holistic approach, co-operation and data exchange amongst institutions is of key importance.

This was conclusion of the regional workshop “Fighting Environmental Crime in Montenegro and the Balkans region”, organized by the Environment Protection Agency of Montenegro, the French Embassy in Podgorica, and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro from 8 to 10 October at the Plavnica Eco Resort.

The event gathered around 50 representatives of the police, judicial and prosecutorial institutions, international organizations and NGOs from the region, as well as from Bulgaria, Greece and France, who discussed the ways of fighting against crimes that affect the environment and institutional co-operation and coordination in addressing environmental crimes.

Opening the event, Stephen Harmon, the OSCE Mission’s Security Co-operation and Governance Programme Manager, stated that the OSCE worked with Montenegrin institutions to strengthen their capacity and efficiency in addressing environmental crime. “We supported the ‘Environmental crime in Montenegro’ analysis, which detailed environmental crimes in the country, together with recommendations on how to combat them. “A long time ago we were given one task, to be stewards of this world, our home the only one we will ever have. Our efforts have been poor at best. We are gathered here to renew our commitment in unity to that task,” said Harmon.

The Ambassador of France to Montenegro, Anne-Marie Maskay, said that the country’s diverse ecosystems, including national parks, rivers, and coastal areas, were under siege from various forms of environmental crime. “While Montenegro has made substantial progress in establishing a legal framework to protect its environment, significant gaps remain. The implementation of this framework is often incomplete due to insufficient resources, lack of trained personnel, and also corruption that hamper the effective monitoring and enforcement of environmental regulations,” said Ambassador Maskay. She added that more stringent laws were necessary that specifically addressed environmental crime, but also underscored the need to establish specialized environmental police units.

Zoran Brđanin, Director of the Police Directorate, stated that police analysis, intelligence and operational data and initiated investigative criminal and misdemeanour proceedings show the presence of environmental crime in Montenegro. “It is precisely for this reason that the Police Directorate recognized this form of crime in the latest update of the Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment - SOCTA and included it in the list of national priorities. In the coming period, the Police Directorate will implement proactive investigative measures and actions to prove criminal acts related to the abuse of official position and provision of logistical support to persons who carry out criminal activities in forestry. In addition, conventional measures and actions and will be intensified during the wood cutting season,” said Brđanin.

Milan Gazdić, Director of the Environment Protection Agency of Montenegro, stated that activities such as illegal logging, wildlife smuggling and hazardous waste disposal disrupt ecosystems and undermine the efforts for sustainable development. “This workshop provides an opportunity to strengthen co-operation among all actors. With the knowledge and commitment of all present, I am convinced that we will make significant progress in the fight against environmental crime,” said Gazdić, adding that one of the key results in Montenegro will be the formation of the National Working Group, which represents an important step towards improving the efficiency of environmental protection in Montenegro.

This three-day regional workshop was a follow-up on the event the Mission organized in June, when representatives of Montenegrin institutions gathered to discuss their co-operation in promoting environmental protection and addressing environmental crimes.