The possibility of restarting operations at the coal mine in Berane was one of the main topics during the visit of the Minister of Mining, Oil, and Gas, Admir Shahmanović, to this municipality.
According to the statement, Shahmanović was welcomed in Berane by the Mayor of the Municipality, Đole Lutovac. The meeting focused on development plans and projects that the local government is working on.
This visit marked the first official visit by representatives of the Government of Montenegro since the formation of the new local government in Berane, strengthening institutional cooperation between the local and state authorities.
Lutovac emphasized the importance of this visit in the context of future investment activities.
“This visit by Minister Shahmanović is the first visit by government representatives since the formation of the new local government, which is an important signal for us and an additional incentive to think more intensively about the developmental and investment potential of the Municipality of Berane. The local administration is ready to fully support all initiatives that lead to the opening of new economic perspectives,” said Lutovac.
The meeting focused on the possibility of restarting operations at the coal mine, which has not been functioning for years, despite significant reserves of this energy resource and investor interest. However, no concrete steps have been taken towards realizing this process so far. At the invitation of Minister Shahmanović, the owner of the coal mine also attended the meeting to assess the current situation and business plans of the company that owns the mine.
Shahmanović stated that the proper valorization of natural resources must be a priority of responsible economic policy.
“A responsible state must manage its resources properly. Our task is to make a detailed assessment of the current situation, explore all possibilities, and, in cooperation with the local government, prepare a roadmap for the next steps to create conditions for restarting this important economic facility. The Ministry will be a constructive partner in all stages of this process,” said Shahmanović.
At the end of the meeting, it was concluded that the local government services and the relevant ministry would intensify cooperation in the coming period to create the conditions for the concrete realization of planned activities, particularly in the areas of mining and energy.
