Minister Ćulafić: Adoption of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Environmental Liability

The Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on Amendments to the Law on Environmental Liability, further improving the national framework for environmental protection and continuing the process of harmonization with EU legislation within Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change. Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Northern Development Damjan Ćulafić stated that the adoption of the law is an important step in strengthening the liability system for environmental damage and confirms Montenegro's commitment to consistently applying the 'polluter pays' principle. He emphasized that environmental liability is a key mechanism for protecting natural resources, ensuring operators bear responsibility for the consequences of their activities on nature, ecosystems, and human health. The law fully aligns national legislation with the EU Directive on Environmental Liability and its amendments, continuing Montenegro's obligations from the EU accession process. Minister Ćulafić explained that the adopted amendments more precisely regulate procedures for determining immediate danger and environmental damage, improve prevention and early response mechanisms, strengthen the competencies of the Environmental Protection Agency and inspection bodies, and enhance the remediation system through clearer definition of primary, complementary, and compensatory measures. He highlighted that the law improves transparency and public participation, establishes a more efficient system for record-keeping and reporting, and creates conditions for Montenegro to better fulfill its obligations to the European Commission in the field of environment.