Environmental crime is a growing challenge that requires joint action, improved coordination amongst state institutions and NGOs, and full awareness among private sector, the media and citizens. The OSCE Mission to Montenegro will support national stakeholders to jointly address this issue, as formation of joint working groups for environmental crime investigations has been agreed. These were conclusions from a roundtable organized by the Mission on 5 June to coincide with World Environment Day.
Around 20 representatives of the state, judicial and prosecutorial institutions, as well as NGOs gathered to discuss how to increase cooperation and coordination in promoting environmental protection and addressing environmental crime.
During the event, the OSCE-supported "Environmental crime in Montenegro" analysis was presented, which detailed environmental crimes in Montenegro, together with recommendations how to combat them. The analysis, prepared by Professor Danka Caković from the University of Montenegro, revealed that illegal forest cutting is the most prevalent environmental crime, followed by illegal construction andillegal exploitation of gravel. Corruption at various levels and lack of coordination remain challenges in preventing and stopping environmental crime. Statistics show that only a small number of environmental crime cases are prosecuted and penalties are inadequate. The report encourages joint action amongst institutions.
Head of Mission Dominique Waag encouraged institutions to consolidated national efforts in addressing environmental crime. "Protection and sustainable management of environmental resources are crucial for development and social stability. Today's forum is an excellent opportunity to develop ways to improve mutual cooperation amongst institutions, strengthen institutional capacities and raise awareness of environmental crime," said Ambassador Waag.
State Secretary in the Ministry of Interior Petar Koprivica, explained that the Police Directorate investigates environment crime. "The government is focusing on suppressing illegal exploitation of gravel from the rivers and illegal exploitation of forests. The Ministry and the Police Directorate, together with competent institutions, cooperate daily to suppress these issues, while in the coming period we must strengthen our personnel and institutional capacities in order to combat environmental crime in Montenegro," said Koprivica.
State Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, Nenad Vitomirović, said that environmental crime, often crosses -borders, is highly profitable and is very difficult to detect and prosecute. "Eco-crime represents the fourth largest organized criminal activity, increasing annually by five to seven per cent, while the damage to the economy is between 80 to 230 billion euros annually," said Vitomirović, adding that training judges and prosecutors is extremely important, to ensure the consistent application of the law and perpetrators of environmental crimes are adequately punished.
This activity is the first in a series of activities launched by the Mission in this area in order to support Montenegrin institutions in strengthening their capacities to tackle environmental crime, facilitating mutual co-operation amongst institutions and raising awareness of this important issue.
