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Sinjajevina is the Balkans’ biggest mountain
grassland and a place of outstanding beauty. It is
used by more than 500 families of farmers and nearly 3,000
people. Many of its pastures are governed communally by eight
different Montenegrin tribes, and the Sinjajevina plateau is
part of the Tara Canyon Biosphere Reserve at the same time as
it is bordered by two UNESCO World Heritage
sites.
Now the environment and the livelihoods of
those traditional communities are in imminent danger: the
Montenegrin government, supported by important NATO allies,
established a military training ground in the very heart of
these community lands, despite thousands of signatures against
it and without any environmental, health, or socio-economic
impact assessments. Severely threatening Sinjajevina's unique
ecosystems and local communities, the government has also
halted a planned regional park for the protection and
promotion of nature and culture, the majority of whose project
design cost of almost 300,000 Euros was paid by the EU, and
which was included in Montenegro's official spatial plan until
2020.
Montenegro wants to be part of the European
Union, and the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and
Enlargement is leading those conversations. The Commissioner
must urge the Montenegrin government to meet European
standards, close the military training ground, and create a
protected area in Sinjajevina, as preconditions to join the
EU.
The local people have put their
bodies in the way and prevented military exercises on their
land -- an amazing victory! The movement was awarded the War Abolisher of 2021 Award. But they
need our help to make their success permanent and end all
efforts to build a NATO military base or training area in
Montenegro.
Sign
the petition and learn how you can come to Montenegro to help
in July!
After
signing the petition, please use the tools on the next
webpage to share it with your friends.
This work is
only possible with your financial support. Please
chip in $5 now.
--
The RootsAction.org Team
www.RootsAction.org
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