Investors are increasingly drawn to Montenegro’s scenic coastlines and crystal waters. A country with very little industry, Montenegro prides itself on its ‘wild beauty,’ though infrastructure needs are putting its environmental commitment to the test.
With its scenic Adriatic coastline, pristine waters and rugged mountains, Montenegro has presented itself as a green paradise for holidaymakers and investors.
Yet plans to award a 30-year concession for the construction of four hydropower plants could risk harming that image as environmentalists mount a campaign warning about the impact on a local lake, birds and greenery.
The planned dams on the Moraca River, to produce a total capacity of 242 megawatts, would reduce the Balkan country’s dependency on imports with its biggest investment in power production in 20 years. Yet conservation group the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said that the project could cause serious environmental damage.
“We are potentially going to destroy high levels of biodiversity,” said Chantal Menard, a WWF spokeswoman. “The biggest concern we have is that the plan is going beyond any EU rules.” Montenegro, which gained independence from Serbia in 2006 and generates about a quarter of its gross domestic product in tourism, applied for European Union membership last year.
‘Loss of habitats’
A WWF report said, “the inundation of the canyon upstream of the dams would cause permanent loss of habitats” including those of eagles, hawks and owls. The group added that flooding would destroy trees and kill some fish species.
With very little industry, Montenegro is proud of its nature and advertises itself with the slogan of “wild beauty.” The constitution defines Montenegro as an ecological state.
Yet it still suffers from a shortage of electricity, which means that power sometimes goes off even at the height of the tourist season.
The country plans to import around 817,000 megawatt hours of electricity in 2010, which makes up one-third of the country’s power needs. The electricity comes mostly from Bosnia and some from Serbia. The four hydroplants could produce up to 730,000 megawatt hours each year, sharply reducing dependency.
A government-sponsored consultant carried out a study that gave a green light for the project, saying it would not have a huge impact on the environment.
“The major focus of this study was the impact of planned accumulation on lakes and the biodiversity of this area, on hydrology, climate, air, cultural heritage and scenery,” Environmental Minister Branimir Gvozdenovic said.
The government does concede that the project will destroy 10 bridges, including an Ottoman one from the 18th century. Hundreds of people will have to move from homes that will be flooded or left isolated on a mountain peak.
“People must get compensation for their land and the infrastructure should be improved, not damaged with this project,” said Vuk Rakocevic, a resident of the impacted area.
There is also a risk that the 13th-century Moraca Monastery – a tourist destination because of its frescoes – might be affected by flooding.