The alarming situation in the area of hunting and widespread poaching activities– which are gaining momentum even when it comes to non-game, protected species – require urgent introduction of a moratorium on hunting for a period of at least five years. The undersigned NGOs hereby request an urgent reaction from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and from Minister Aleksandar Stijović personally to place a complete ban on hunting in Montenegro as soon as possible.
Chapter XXV of the Criminal Code provides for a number of criminal offences relating to the protection of wildlife in Montenegro as a natural resource and as an integral part of the environment. However, numerous cases of killing wild animals in a way that falls within the definition of a crime show that poachers have long been unafraid to shoot at anything that comes in their way and that the practice of illegal hunting of protected species has been present in Montenegro for a long time. An independent study conducted in 2010 as part of the project aimed at protecting the Adriatic migratory flyway, which included a comparison between hunting practices in the Balkans – from Slovenia to Albania – revealed a very poor situation in Montenegro, with an average score of 1.55 (out of 5 points). Montenegrin hunting received an absolutely negative rating in terms of hunting control, monitoring the quantity of shot individuals, the length of the hunting season, hunting during reproduction and migration stages, the impact on endangered species and illegal hunting/poaching.
The latest case of a killed female bear (Ursus arctos) in Berane is just one in a series of cases that confirm that there has been total neglect of problems such as poaching, insufficient inspection capacities and lack of harmonization of regulations governing the area, which ultimately resulted in lack of enforcement of penalties for crime against nature. We would like to bring to mind some of the examples that came under public scrutiny, such as the decapitated bear being driven on a car hood through the streets of Podgorica, the bear killed in the Tara canyon, the bear killed in Mala Rijeka, the two killed griffon vultures with satellite transmitters from Croatia (Perun and Fojiška), pelicans, Eurasian eagle-owls, other predators that have suffered as a result of gunshot wounds, the recent cases of deer poaching on in the areas of Piva and Golija, etc.
Between 2013 to 2018, a total of 127 criminal complaints were filed for 1) the criminal offences of killing and torturing animals and destroying their habitat as per Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro (66 criminal complaints) and 2) illegal hunting as per Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro (61 criminal complaints). Of this number, as many as 84 criminal complaints have been dismissed. As for the criminal offense under Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, a total of 13 cases have been finalized in respect of 14 persons, whereby convictions were made in respect of 12 persons, with one person being imposed a measure of compulsory psychiatric treatment and one person being acquitted. As for the criminal offence under Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, 22 proceedings have been finalized in respect of 36 persons. Of this number, convictions were made in respect of 28 persons; furthermore, an educative measure of close supervision was imposed in respect of one person, proceedings were suspended in respect of one person as the prosecutor declined to prosecute and 6 persons were acquitted.
As regards the type of convictions, in most cases suspended sentences were imposed. In particular, 6 persons received a community sentence, a fine was imposed on three sentenced persons, whereas one person was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment for illegal hunting.
In view of such statistics, there is a clear “dark number” of environmental crimes (unrecorded offences) as a result of actual neglect of activities relating to the detection and especially the prosecution of these offences. The special nature of environmental crime indicates that significant activities should be carried out to prevent this type of crime, as it is too late to react once this problem is taken to court, as shown by the figures on the cases pursued.
A moratorium on hunting of all species should be imposed for a period of at least five years in order:
• sprovela efikasna zakonodavna i institucionalna reforma lovstva (izvršila revizija liste zaštićenih vrsta, revizija lovnih vrsta i trajanja lovnih sezona);
• organizovao adekvatan monitoring, a prije svega izradilo nulto stanje divljači u lovištima od strane stručnih i kredibilnih institucija sa ciljem dobijanja podataka o stvarnoj brojnosti populacija;
• ojačali kapaciteti lovne inspekcije, koja po našem iskustvu ne vrši preventivne radnje, a još manje se bavi problemom krivolova;
• Lovočuvarsku/inspekcijsku službu staviti po direktan nadzor/kontrolu Ministarstva i učiniti je potpuno nezavisnom od Lovačkog saveza.
• izvršila temeljno restruktuiranje lovačkih saveza i društava, čiji lovočuvari nisu na visini zadatka i nisu u stanju kontrolisati lovišta.
Inicijativu potpisuju:
Centre for the Protection and Research of Birds
Parkovi Dinarida
Green Home
NGO Montenegrin Ecologists’ Society
MSJA Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby
NGO Wildife Montenegro
Young Ecologists’ Society – Nikšić
NGO Sjeverna Zemlja
NGO Eko tim
Association of Admirers of Gorica
NGO Med Cem
NGO Župa u srcu
Montenegrin Biology Students’ Society
NGO Ruka – Šapi Podgorica
NGO sPas
Association of Ada Bojana Home Owners
Ne dajmo rijeke Plava
Association for Animal Protection – Podgorica
Aleksandar Dragićević, activist
NGO Kuća Životinja
Centre for Ecological Initiatives
NGO Natura Kolašin
NGO Mogul
NGO Zeleni korak
Coalition 27 in Montenegro
NGO Civic Alliance
Centre for the Development of Non-Governmental Organizations (CRNVO)
Centre for Civic Education (CGO)
Expeditio Kotor
NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights
NGO Anterija
NGO KANA/ko ako ne arhitekt
NGO Istok
Eko korijen
NGO Priča za djecu
Centre for Women’s Rights
NGO Brda
NGO DATA Association of Young People with Disabilities of Montenegro
NGO Pandora
NGO Priority
NGO Fešta
Association of Young Artists of Montenegro
“I also have the right to be a mom” Foundation
Montenesoft Educational Centre Podgorica
NGO “Novska kredenca” Herceg Novi
NGO CEZAM
Union of Doctors of Medicine of Montenegro
NGO Montenegrin Foundation for HIV and Virus Hepatitis
NGO 35mm
NGO First Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities
NGO Klub Velika
NGO Safra
Avlija – Magazine for Culture, Literature and Societal Issues
Donja Bukovica Ecological Movement
Friends of Dogs Montenegro
CEDEM
Team Korina Animals
Politikon Network
Friends of Animals – Podgorica
NGO Association of Beekeepers – Budva
Green life
Centre for Youth Education
NGO Cazas
NGO Zinak
Centre for Child Rights of Crne Gore
Association for Protection at Work of Montenegro
NGO URBAN NOVA
Association for Protection at Work of Montenegro
European Movement in Montenegro
NGO Don’t throw away bottles
NGO Youth Cultural Centre – Herceg Novi
NGO Gradionica – Bar
NGO CAREP
Association of Natural Scientists of Montenegro
Ruka Prijateljstva Foundation
NGO Škart – Tivta
Green Centre Youth Association – Nikšić
NGO Naš san
Fluid drum – Tivta
NGO Naša akcija
NGO IKRE Rožaje
NGO Istraživanje Crna Gora / Montenegro screening
DELFIN Eco Centre
NGO Naš san
River Collective
