The mayor of the Zeta municipality, Mihailo Asanović, expressed his opposition to the state’s proposal to transport all hazardous and carcinogenic materials from across the country to the red mud basin located in Gornja Zeta.

This plan is part of the State Waste Management Plan for the years 2025 to 2029.

Asanović noted that the KAP facility was initially promised to residents that it would not contribute to pollution, yet Zeta now has a high incidence of cancer. Additionally, the Morača River is severely damaged, and there are longstanding asphalt bases alongside the red mud pond, which is a significant environmental concern in Montenegro, he stated during a press conference at the Parliament of Montenegro.

He urged state authorities to reconsider this “mad idea” included in the Waste Management Plan for 2025-2029.

Jelena Aligrudić, the Secretary for Spatial Planning, Environmental Protection, and Traffic of the Zeta Municipality, emphasized that the state plan entering a stage where potential threats to the health of residents must be taken seriously.

She mentioned that the Municipality of Zeta was not informed about any public debate on this document and opposes the suggestion to designate the KAP location for the temporary storage of industrial hazardous waste.

Aligrudić stated that the Municipality insists on the removal of this proposal from the final state Waste Management Plan:

“It is the Government’s responsibility to find an alternative location, away from populated areas,” she added.

She emphasized that the Municipality of Zeta is not an ecological “buffer zone,” but rather the agricultural heart of Montenegro, home to many citizens who seek their right to pure air, clean water, and a secure environment.

“We will not permit being designated as the most convenient area for waste that no one else desires,” Aligrudić asserted.

DNP MP Milan Knežević pointed out during a press conference that the residents of Zeća have one of the highest rates of malignant diseases in Montenegro.

“I will not just appeal as the mayor; I will warn the state authorities that if they implement this plan, we will invade the red mud pool, we will breach KAP, and we will secure that location… The area surrounding Lake Skadar, the Bolje sestre water source, and the airport should not be labeled as the regional waste disposal area in state plans, programs, or studies,” said Knežević.

He emphasized he would not organize protests but would prepare for resistance.

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