The Solana Bajo Sekulic salt pans should be protected at national and international level, because it is not just a place used for bird watching, said the Speaker of Parliament Darko Pajovic during his official visit to Ulcinj.

“I belong to the generation that remembers the time when salt was produced here. I remember the huge number of workers, I remember that healing mud was used and today we import it and after all that I remember active holiday and visiting protected areas such as Solana”, he said.

He added that joint work was the key for success.

“I believe that this approach will contribute to opening new jobs in Ulcinj and in Montenegro”, he pointed out.

Pajovic added that the parliament passed a series of laws related to protected areas in national parks, including Solana.

“Not only that illegally built facilities will not be legalised, but they definitely need to be removed”, he said.

The president of the Municipality of Ulcinj, Nazif Cungu, is also aware that something must finally be taken in the Solana case.

“There is time to take action. A specific elaboration has to be done, which will be 100 percent guarantee that Solana will be protected. This region should be used by citizens and for tourism”, Cungu said.

One of the examples of Solana’s importance is that 250 species of birds (which is almost half of European bird species) inhabit it.

However, it has been out of operation for years.

Investment company Eurofond bought it in 2003 for €800,000.

Bankruptcy procedure was launched two years later and in 2011 it was declared bankrupt due to debts which currently amount to €8m. There were no bidders on 14 tender calls for selling the salt pans.

The government persistently repeats that it is committed to protect Solana.

The European Union (EU) is also interested in solving the problem. Its member states have announced that opening of the chapter 27 related to environment protection will depend on Montenegro’s attitude towards Solana.

Source: CDM