Census of illegal buildings in Zabljak (MEZBK0003)

Commitment ID

MEZBK0003

Commitment Title

Census of illegal buildings in Zabljak

Problem

The municipality of Žabljak faces a major challenge: the lack of records on illegal buildings, impacting spatial planning and environmental protection. Žabljak’s development is shaped by its exceptional natural heritage, making it a European biodiversity hub and the capital of Montenegrin tourism. However, growing tourist demand for facilities near the national park has led to unplanned construction and infrastructure development. This is further exacerbated by the absence of an information system, outdated planning documents, and weak urban inspection capacities. Many investors, lacking environmental awareness, mistakenly believe activities outside the national park do not harm the environment. Such unregulated development threatens citizens’ quality of life, the city’s identity, and its tourism appeal.

Planned actions include creating a local environmental plan and a climate change adaptation plan. The environmental plan will assess current conditions, identify problems, and propose measures in line with national and international standards, considering Žabljak’s UNESCO-protected areas. The adaptation plan will identify risks, assess vulnerable sectors, and define mitigation measures. Educational workshops will also raise awareness among children and business owners, fostering ecological practices and sustainable development, ensuring a balanced future for Žabljak’s unique natural and cultural heritage.

Status quo

Due to the lack of adequate records and intensive illegal construction, it is not known how many illegal buildings there are in the territory of the municipality of Žabljak. So far, 1215 requests for legalization have been submitted to the competent authority, to which it should be added that many persons have submitted one request for several buildings. On-site inspection, according to informal data and reports from citizens, and reports from the urban planning and construction inspection, it can be concluded that there are a huge number of illegally built buildings for which requests have not been submitted, as well as that new buildings are being built every day without permission.

Due to the complex socio-political situation, the national authorities are late with the announced General Regulation Plan and the Spatial Plan of Montenegro, which causes concern and a sense of legal uncertainty among citizens.

Also, due to the lack of documentation, it is not possible to work on the development of environmental awareness among citizens.

Action

The general goal of the proposed commitment is to establish conditions for the suppression and prevention of illegal construction in the municipality of Žabljak, focusing on high-pressure areas like Motički Gaj. The expected results include: 1. Identification and registration of illegal buildings. This will involve creating records with data on the buildings’ categories, locations, cadastral plots, owners, users, floor plans, and legal conditions (such as unauthorized construction or deviations from technical documentation); 2. Development of an electronic database for illegally constructed buildings in Motički Gaj; 3. Establishment of a communication mechanism with citizens to inform them about legalization procedures and raise awareness about spatial protection and sustainable development; 4. Preparation of a local ecological plan to support resource management and environmental protection; 5. Creation of a climate change adaptation plan to better prepare for extreme weather and enhance resilience, particularly in agriculture and tourism; 6. Conducting educational workshops for children to foster ecological habits, proper waste disposal, and nature protection; 7. Organizing workshops for business owners to raise awareness of waste separation and green technologies, helping them become more competitive in ecological tourism.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

The establishment of publicly available records of illegally built buildings will contribute to the creation of preconditions for the implementation of spatial planning policies and the application of the Decision on compensation for the use of space. At the same time, it will contribute to the prevention of further devastation of natural resources. The database will provide a clear insight into the number of buildings and their distribution by categories of use (residential, business, residential-business, auxiliary, economic, production, etc.). Also, the records will enable the availability of data on buildings that can enter the legalization process, as well as those that must be demolished, which will be especially important for ensuring the legal security of potential buyers and investors.  The availability of information is of great importance for the improvement of cooperation with citizens, owners of land and buildings and investors, because it increases the transparency of work and reduces the space for illegal actions. The proactive action of the local administration will enable citizens to be better informed about their rights and obligations, which will reduce potential conflicts and prevent illegal construction.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

Improving the physical form, economic functions and social impacts of the urban environment, preventing the devastation of space and preserving the natural values ​​of Žabljak as an ecological capital of Montenegro.

Primary Policy Area

Right to Information, Social Accountability

Primary Sector

Environment & Climate, Land & Spatial Planning

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?