The alarming situation in the area of hunting and widespread poaching activities\u2013 which are gaining momentum even when it comes to non-game, protected species \u2013 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 Stijovi\u0107 personally to place a complete ban on hunting in Montenegro as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n
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 \u2013 from Slovenia to Albania \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n
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 Foji\u0161ka), 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.<\/p>\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n
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\u2019 imprisonment for illegal hunting.<\/p>\n\n
In view of such statistics, there is a clear \u201cdark number\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n
\nA moratorium on hunting of all species should be imposed for a period of at least five years in order: <\/p>\n\n
\u2022 sprovela efikasna zakonodavna i institucionalna reforma lovstva (izvr\u0161ila revizija liste za\u0161ti\u0107enih vrsta, revizija lovnih vrsta i trajanja lovnih sezona);
Inicijativu potpisuju: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n Centre for the Protection and Research of Birds<\/p>\n\n Parkovi Dinarida<\/p>\n\n Green Home <\/p>\n\n NGO Montenegrin Ecologists’ Society <\/p>\n\n MSJA Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby<\/p>\n\n NGO Wildife Montenegro<\/p>\n\n Young Ecologists’ Society \u2013 Nik\u0161i\u0107 <\/p>\n\n NGO Sjeverna Zemlja<\/p>\n\n NGO Eko tim <\/p>\n\n Association of Admirers of Gorica<\/p>\n\n NGO Med Cem <\/p>\n\n NGO \u017dupa u srcu <\/p>\n\n Montenegrin Biology Students’ Society <\/p>\n\n NGO Ruka – \u0160api Podgorica <\/p>\n\n NGO sPas <\/p>\n\n Association of Ada Bojana Home Owners <\/p>\n\n Ne dajmo rijeke Plava <\/p>\n\n Association for Animal Protection \u2013 Podgorica <\/p>\n\n Aleksandar Dragi\u0107evi\u0107, activist<\/p>\n\n NGO Ku\u0107a \u017divotinja <\/p>\n\n Centre for Ecological Initiatives<\/p>\n\n NGO Natura Kola\u0161in <\/p>\n\n NGO Mogul<\/p>\n\n NGO Zeleni korak <\/p>\n\n Coalition 27 in Montenegro<\/p>\n\n NGO Civic Alliance<\/p>\n\n Centre for the Development of Non-Governmental Organizations (CRNVO) <\/p>\n\n Centre for Civic Education (CGO)<\/p>\n\n Expeditio Kotor<\/p>\n\n NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights<\/p>\n\n NGO Anterija<\/p>\n\n NGO KANA\/ko ako ne arhitekt<\/p>\n\n NGO Istok <\/p>\n\n Eko korijen<\/p>\n\n NGO Pri\u010da za djecu <\/p>\n\n Centre for Women’s Rights<\/p>\n\n NGO Brda <\/p>\n\n NGO DATA Association of Young People with Disabilities of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n NGO Pandora <\/p>\n\n NGO Priority<\/p>\n\n NGO Fe\u0161ta <\/p>\n\n Association of Young Artists of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n \u201cI also have the right to be a mom\u201d Foundation <\/p>\n\n Montenesoft Educational Centre Podgorica<\/p>\n\n NGO \u201cNovska kredenca\u201d Herceg Novi<\/p>\n\n NGO CEZAM <\/p>\n\n Union of Doctors of Medicine of Montenegro <\/p>\n\n NGO Montenegrin Foundation for HIV and Virus Hepatitis<\/p>\n\n NGO 35mm<\/p>\n\n NGO First Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities <\/p>\n\n NGO Klub Velika <\/p>\n\n NGO Safra <\/p>\n\n Avlija \u2013 Magazine for Culture, Literature and Societal Issues <\/p>\n\n Donja Bukovica Ecological Movement<\/p>\n\n Friends of Dogs Montenegro <\/p>\n\n CEDEM <\/p>\n\n Team Korina Animals<\/p>\n\n Politikon Network<\/p>\n\n Friends of Animals \u2013 Podgorica<\/p>\n\n NGO Association of Beekeepers \u2013 Budva<\/p>\n\n Green life <\/p>\n\n Centre for Youth Education<\/p>\n\n NGO Cazas<\/p>\n\n NGO Zinak <\/p>\n\n Centre for Child Rights of Crne Gore<\/p>\n\n Association for Protection at Work of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n NGO URBAN NOVA <\/p>\n\n Association for Protection at Work of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n European Movement in Montenegro<\/p>\n\n NGO Don\u2019t throw away bottles <\/p>\n\n NGO Youth Cultural Centre \u2013 Herceg Novi <\/p>\n\n NGO Gradionica – Bar<\/p>\n\n NGO CAREP <\/p>\n\n Association of Natural Scientists of Montenegro <\/p>\n\n Ruka Prijateljstva Foundation<\/p>\n\n NGO \u0160kart \u2013 Tivta<\/p>\n\n Green Centre Youth Association \u2013 Nik\u0161i\u0107<\/p>\n\n NGO Na\u0161 san<\/p>\n\n Fluid drum \u2013 Tivta<\/p>\n\n NGO Na\u0161a akcija<\/p>\n\n NGO IKRE Ro\u017eaje<\/p>\n\n NGO Istra\u017eivanje Crna Gora \/ Montenegro screening<\/p>\n\n DELFIN Eco Centre <\/p>\n\n NGO Na\u0161 san<\/p>\n\n River Collective<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The alarming situation in the area of hunting and widespread poaching activities\u2013 which are gaining momentum even when it comes to non-game, protected species \u2013 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/czip.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}