“Čuvaj da te čuva”: Cleaning and rehabilitation of road routes between Tuzi and Podgorica

The Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, in cooperation with the NGO "Let's Green Montenegro", the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, and the municipalities of Tuzi and Podgorica, took part in a joint clean-up initiative as part of the "Čuvaj da te čuva" campaign, aimed at removing illegal dumping sites and improving the appearance of main road routes ahead of the tourist season.

The clean-up action in the Municipality of Tuzi was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, Damjan Ćulafić, and the Mayor of Tuzi, Lindon Đeljaj, together with their teams. The NGO The NGO "Let's Green Montenegro" installed street furniture and promotional materials at the cleaned sites, while representatives of institutions and activists collected scattered waste. Municipal services deployed machinery to rehabilitate larger waste sites and illegal dumps along roads within the territory of Tuzi.

The initiative continued along the Tuzi-Podgorica road, where Ambassador Sattler, Minister Ćulafić, activists and primary school pupils participated in collecting smaller litter. The initiative was also joined by the management and employees of the company "13 July Plantaže", as well as the Mayor of Podgorica, Saša Mujović, and the President of the City Assembly, Jelena Borovinić Bojović. Through this joint effort, the road was cleared up to the turn-off for the "Špiro Mugoša" sports aerodrome.

Ana Dedeić, a pupil of "Pavle Rovinski" Primary School, emphasised that students and members of the school's eco-club were pleased to join the "Čuvaj da te čuva" environmental campaign, noting that they are always eager to take part in environmental initiatives and consider it an honour to be involved in such actions.

Ambassador Sattler stated that today's action demonstrates that environmental protection requires continuous and collective effort from all stakeholders - institutions, local authorities, public enterprises, civil society, companies and citizens, including the youngest participants. He stressed that this is a visible issue that must be addressed systematically and consistently, through the practical application of European standards, not merely through regulations. "Success will not be measured by a single day of action, but by long-term results on the ground," the Ambassador underlined.

"After the Bay of Kotor, today we are in Tuzi and Podgorica for the same purpose. I am pleased to see that local authorities, with their full capacities, are an active and responsible part of this shared environmental effort. I believe that through this campaign we will reach every critical area of Montenegro, strengthen awareness of the importance of reforms, and further reinforce our commitment to the full implementation of European environmental standards," said Minister Ćulafić. He added that the Ministry remains committed to properly preparing for the final phase of the EU integration process ahead, fully aware that much work still lies ahead.

The Mayor of Podgorica, Saša Mujović, stressed that if Montenegro aims to join the European Union, it must adopt European values and standards, particularly in environmental protection, which he described as one of the country's key resources. As he stated: "When you are in Europe, you should behave like Europeans," emphasising the need for Montenegro to follow European standards and values in the integration process. He added that environmental actions represent "patriotism" in practice, contributing to nature conservation and better preparation for the tourist season, while highlighting the importance of involving children in developing environmental awareness. He thanked the EU Delegation and Ambassador Sattler for their support.

The President of the City Assembly of Podgorica, Jelena Borovinić Bojović, assessed that the "Čuvaj da te čuva" campaign represents a successful example of joint action by the EU, institutions, the civil and private sectors, as well as citizens and children. She emphasised that such initiatives contribute to building a more environmentally responsible and safer Montenegro, with the aim of a healthier Podgorica and stronger awareness of environmental protection.

The spokesperson for the company "13 July Plantaže", Marija Gašović, highlighted that environmental care is an obligation, not a choice, for the company, and expressed gratitude to the EU and institutions for the initiative. She emphasised the importance of the Ćemovsko Polje area as both an ecosystem and a tourist zone, and announced continued support for similar actions.

This initiative once again confirms that joint efforts can help create a cleaner, healthier environment for all citizens of Montenegro.