Ćulafić with Hencsey: Montenegro made a significant step forward in environmental protection

The Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Northern Development Damjan Ćulafić met with Monika Hencsey, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), on the sidelines of the Third Ministerial Meeting on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans held in Žabljak. Minister Ćulafić stated that the achieved results represent a significant success for Montenegro, but also that there is still much work to be done, especially in implementing adopted policies and regulations. He highlighted that nearly 4,000 inspections have been carried out in the previous period, and that the State Communal Inspection has been established, further strengthening capacities for environmental protection enforcement. Hencsey spoke specifically about the process of establishing the Natura 2000 network, emphasizing that the European Commission remains available to Montenegro for technical and financial support in this area. EU Ambassador to Montenegro Johan Sattler noted the significant progress Montenegro has made in Chapter 27, especially considering that much of the work is carried out with a relatively small administrative team. Ćulafić thanked the European Commission representatives for their continuous support and concluded the meeting by acknowledging the results achieved by the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Northern Development, as well as the responsibilities that lie ahead.