On Sunday, June 29, residents of the village of Gornja Brezna in Piva will gather under the Civic Initiative (GI) “Save Brezna” to block the main Nikšić – Šćepan Polje road for one hour, near the turnoff to Brezna. According to their press release, the blockade will commence at one minute to 12, prompted by the state and the Montenegrin Electricity Transmission System (CGES) planning to build an international energy hub in the village. They argue that this construction would devastate the village, something that is unacceptable in populated areas in any civilized country.

“For two months, we’ve been fighting to raise awareness among decision-makers about the severe threat the construction of a 400kV transformer station poses to our community. This would involve connecting multiple high-voltage transmission lines to the station, forming an international energy hub in the center of our village. This represents silent genocide; many residents would have to abandon their homes for their safety, risking the local eco-tourism development and rendering properties worthless,” the statement from GI “Save Brezne” reads.

The group notes they have reached out to top Montenegrin officials but have not been included in the planning processes that impact their future.

“CGES stated in project documentation, which served as the basis for a €28 million loan from the EBRD, that there are no residences or businesses within a two-kilometer radius of the proposed site for the 400kV substation. This documentation is available on the EBRD’s official website. In reality, the nearest homes are just a few hundred meters away, with over 100 houses and tourist facilities within that distance. CGES has yet to clarify how such misleading information found its way into the project documentation, labelling us instead as ‘enemies of the state’ and threatening legal action, which we await with impatience,” the residents of Brezna stated.

They allege that the private investor behind the planned “Bijela” wind farm, Alcasar Energy, has affiliations with individuals and companies from the previous regime in the energy sector.

According to them, Gornja Brezna is among the few villages in Montenegro where young families and children are moving in, including those returning to family farms and others buying land for tourism ventures, including citizens from the UK and Australia.

“Rather than the state and local government recognizing the vast potential for sustainable tourism and supporting young people who envision their future here through grants and interest-free loans, they are actively planning to displace us. We embody Montenegro’s strategic commitment to promote eco-tourism and revitalization of rural areas, yet we feel erased from their priorities,” the statement continues.

They suggest that there are plenty of locations in Plužine or Šavnik municipalities ideal for constructing the energy hub with minimal environmental and community disruption.

“We also worry for our safety, feeling as though we’ve stumbled into a ‘hornets’ nest’. Intimidation tactics are being used against us. We’ve alerted the relevant institutions in Montenegro and the international community about our fears,” the locals concluded.

They have invited journalists to visit Gornja Brezna after the blockade to witness firsthand that “the village is alive, with children, homes, and property.”

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