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Montenegro
Mine Action
Contamination and Impact
Montenegro became contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), mainly unexploded ordnance (UXO), as a result of conflicts during the break up of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.[1]
Mines
It was reported in the press in November 2007 that Montenegro had become the first Balkan country to be cleared of mines.[2] Its Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report for 2008 stated “there are no areas under Montenegro’s jurisdiction or control in which anti-personnel mines are known or suspected to be emplaced.”[3] However, Montenegro still had to survey a mountainous area on its borders with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to clarify if contamination on the Croatian side of the border also affects Montenegro.[4] As of July 2012, Montenegro had not formally declared completion of its Article 5 obligations.[5]
Cluster munition remnants
Contamination includes cluster munition remnants left after NATO air strikes on Serbian and Montenegrin military positions in 1999. The residual problem consists of unexploded BLU-97 submunitions, mainly located on and around Golubovci airfield, near the capital Podgorica. Covering an estimated 250,000m2,[6] contamination is said to affect four villages around the airport.[7] During explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) response, one unexploded submunition was found and destroyed in 2011 and two in 2010.[8]
Montenegro’s initial Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 report affirmed that, as of 27 January 2011, “according to our data there are no contaminated areas in Montenegro.”[9] In July 2011, however, the director of the Regional Centre for Divers’ Training and Underwater Demining (RCUD) confirmed that unexploded submunitions had been found in the area, most recently in 2007 during an EOD response after two cows had been injured.[10]
A technical survey of the area was planned to start in 2007 but was postponed to 2009[11] and as of July 2012 RCUD said the plan had still not attracted donor support.[12] In 2009, officials said that cultivated land in the area had been cleared and was safe for use, but noted that the edges of the land had not been cleared and might still pose a threat to the population.[13] RCUD said that the clearance which had been conducted was not in accordance with humanitarian standards.[14]
In April 2012, Montenegro informed States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions that it was contaminated by cluster munition remnants left over from conflict in the 1990s and claimed that clearance since 1999 of “several locations” had not been conducted “fully according to humanitarian mine action standards.” Montenegro planned to conduct survey of the areas “in the coming period” to identify the size of the contaminated areas, but provided no further details.[15]
Other explosive remnants of war
Another area of approximately 30,000m2 around Golubovci airfield is suspected to be contaminated by UXO (up to 1m below the surface) from munitions fired during aviation exercises by the military of former Yugoslavia. The local population is said to be aware of the possible threat but still uses the area.[16]
The Bojana river, which represents the natural border between Montenegro and Albania, is suspected to be contaminated by both UXO and abandoned explosive ordnance. The river is used by small boats and its bank by border police. Montenegro’s Adriatic coast is also contaminated with underwater UXO left by World Wars I and II and the 1991–1995 conflict in former Yugoslavia. The precise location of residual underwater contamination remains unknown, although two bays are known to be affected.[17]
Mine Action Program
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration established a Department for Emergency Situations and Civilian Safety in 2007. It lacks human resources and equipment, however, because of a shortage of funds and because responsibility for EOD remained with the police.[18] Police set up an EOD team that currently has three trained members who conduct demolitions.[19]
RCUD has continued its role as the national mine action center.[20] RCUD was set up in 2002 by the government, which assigned the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration to “develop [the center’s] organization and its specification.”[21] It describes itself as a “public institution and has status of a legal entity realizing independently its functions assigned by the [government].”[22]
Montenegro said in 2008 that it would clarify roles and responsibilities in mine action, but as of June 2012 it had not completed the process.[23] In May 2010, however, the government approved regulations drawn up by the Ministry of Interior that identified units engaged in mine action/EOD and set out the scope of their responsibilities.[24] The government continues to provide in-kind support to mine action in the form of office space and office running costs as well as RCUD staff salaries. [25]
Montenegro did not draw up a strategic mine action plan due to the relatively small extent of its mine problem.[26] Since 2009, RCUD has been planning to give priority to general and technical surveys of suspect land around the military airport at Golubovci and the Bojana river, as well as the mountainous area on the border with Croatia and BiH referred to above, which may still be contaminated with antipersonnel mines. However, none of the planned surveys has taken place, due to lack of funds.[27]
Land Release
Montenegro has not reported any mine clearance on land since 2008, but RCUD has conducted offshore clearance. [28]
RCUD has 10 accredited deminers for both underwater and land demining.[29] The Department for Emergency Situations and Civilian Safety has only one EOD team with three personnel, including one technician with a university degree and two with secondary school diplomas. [30]
Summary of clearance
|
Year |
Mine clearance (m²) |
Battle area clearance (m²) |
|
2008–2011 |
0 |
0 |
|
2004–2007 |
78,028 |
394,700 |
|
2003 |
241,000 |
0 |
|
1999–2002 |
0 |
0 |
|
Totals |
319,028 |
394,700 |
Survey in 2011
Montenegro has planned general and technical surveys of suspect land around the military airport at Golubovci and the Bojana river since 2009, but has not yet conducted them, citing lack of funding.[31] In 2010, RCUD had initial discussions with the Albanian Mine Action Center and Albanian military on cooperating in underwater clearance of the river, which is suspected to be contaminated with UXO in both countries[32], but no clearance was undertaken during 2011.[33]
RCUD has said it planned to seek funding through the European Union’s Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance and for survey and clearance of mines and underwater UXO to be conducted in cooperation with the Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC) in order to find solutions for hazards on both sides of the border.[34] CROMAC confirmed to Landmine Monitor that survey is planned in cooperation with Montenegrin local communities in the suspected areas.[35]
Mine clearance in 2011
No mine clearance was reported in Montenegro during 2011.[36]
Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Montenegro is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 April 2017. Officials stated publicly in November 2007 that Montenegro was free of mines, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not formally declared completion of its Article 5 obligations and has not said when it plans to do so.[37]
Clearance of cluster munition contaminated areas in 2011
Montenegro did not report any clearance of cluster munition contaminated area in 2011, although one unexploded submunition was destroyed during EOD response. Also, RCUD reported that in July 2012 it found and destroyed two unexploded submunitions in the course of underwater clearance of three tons of UXO in the Zeta river in Podgorica.[38]
Compliance with Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions
Under Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Montenegro is required to complete clearance of all areas affected by cluster munition remnants under its jurisdiction or control by 1 August 2020.
Montenegro has yet to conduct a survey of cluster contamination that would identify the extent of its Article 4 obligations.[39]
Battle area clearance in 2011
Montenegro did not report any onshore battle area clearance in 2011. [40]
RCUD underwater deminers conducted 14 clearance tasks in 2011 in response to information from the population, clearing an area of 30,000m2 and disposing of 1,300kg of UXO, mostly hand grenades and unexploded bombs. Three teams of four deminers conducted those tasks along the Montenegrin coastline, from Ulcinj to Herceg Novi. The UXO items they found were destroyed by the police EOD department.[41]
In the first six months of 2012, RCUD underwater teams worked on clearance of 8,000m2, finding and destroying a total of four tons of different UXO.[42]
Explosive ordnance disposal in 2011
The Department for Emergency Situations and Civilian Safety has reported finding and destroying a total of 6 tons of UXO during 121 EOD response tasks in 2011. Items destroyed in these operations included antivehicle mines, antipersonnel mines, unexploded submunitions, air bombs, antiship torpedoes, grenades, rockets, bullets, fuzes, and detonators.[43]
Quality management
Quality control of the underwater operations is conducted internally by RCUD staff in accordance with the SOPs developed in compliance with IMAS.[44]
Safety of demining personnel
No demining incident or accident was reported in 2011.[45]
Risk Education
No risk education was conducted during 2011.[46]
[1] Interview with Veselin Mijajlovic, Director, Regional Centre for Divers’ Training and Underwater Demining (RCUD), Bijela, 14 March 2007.
[2] “Montenegro is the only one without mines in Balkans,” Pobjeda (Montenegrin daily newspaper), 8 November 2007; “Montenegro cleared,” Dan (Montenegrin daily newspaper), 9 November 2007; and interview with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, Podgorica, 16 March 2008.
[3] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2008), Forms C and I. Montenegro’s subsequent Article 7 reports state “no change.”
[4] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012, and interview, Podgorica, 18 February 2009.
[5] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[6] “Field of Golubovac, Reconnaissance, Survey, and Removal of Cluster Bombs, Estimated Expenses,” Podgorica, 21 February 2009, received by email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 26 March 2009.
[7] Interview with Borislav Miskovic, Head of EOD team, Montenegrin Police Force, Podgorica, 16 March 2008.
[8] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[9] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for the period 1 August 2010 to 27 January 2011), Form F.
[10] Telephone interviews with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 19 and 25 July 2011.
[11] Ibid., 17 June and 19 July 2011; and interviews with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, Podgorica; and with Borislav Miskovic, Montenegro Police Force, Podgorica, 16 March 2008.
[12] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012, and telephone interview, 25 July 2011.
[13] Interview with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, Podgorica, 18 February 2009; and telephone interview with Borislav Miskovic, Montenegrin Police Force, 18 February 2009.
[14] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012, and telephone interview, 25 July 2011.
[15] Statement of Montenegro, Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Working Group on Clearance and Risk Reduction, Geneva, 17 April 2012.
[16] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012, and interview, Podgorica, 18 February 2009.
[17] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012, and telephone interview, 17 June 2011.
[18] Telephone interview with Zoran Begovic, Assistant to the Minister, Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration, 21 June 2011; and email, 8 April 2010; and interview with Borislav Miskovic, Montenegrin Police Force, Podgorica, 16 March 2008.
[19] Email from Zoran Begovic, Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration, 28 June 2012.
[20] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[21] Sluzbeni list RCG (Official Gazette of Montenegro), No. 66, pp. 28–32.
[22] See RCUD, www.rcudme.info.
[23] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012; telephone interviews with Zoran Begovic, Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration, 21 June 2011, and email, 8 April 2010; telephone interview with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 17 June 2011; and interview with Maja Boskovic, Third Secretary, Department for UN and Other International Organizations, Multilateral Sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Podgorica, 18 March 2008.
[24] “Pravilnik o unutrasnjoj organizaciji i sistematizaciji Ministarstva unutrasnjih poslova i javne uprave,” Podgorica, 12 May 2010, mup.gov.me.
[25] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[26] Interview with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, Podgorica, 18 February 2009; and see “Montenegro is the only one without mines in Balkans,” Pobjeda, 8 November 2007; “Montenegro cleared,” Dan, 9 November 2007.
[27] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Email from Zoran Begovic, Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration, 28 June 2012.
[31] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012; telephone interviews with Veselin Mijajlovic, 30 March 2010; and with Borislav Miskovic, Montenegrin Police Force (retired), 30 March 2010.
[32] Telephone interviews with Arben Braha, Director, Albanian Mine Action Executive, 19 July 2011; and with Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 17 June 2011.
[33] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[34] Ibid., and telephone interview, 17 June 2011.
[35] Interview with Miljenko Vahtaric, Assistant Director, CROMAC, Sisak, 1 March 2012.
[36] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[37] Telephone interview with Stanica Andjic, Department for UN and Other International Organizations, Multilateral Sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2011; “Montenegro is the only one without mines in Balkans,” Pobjeda, 8 November 2007; “Montenegro cleared,” Dan, 9 November 2007.
[38] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[39] Ibid.
[40] Ibid.
[41] Ibid.
[42] Ibid.
[43] Email from Zoran Begovic, Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration, 28 June 2012.
[44] Email from Veselin Mijajlovic, RCUD, 29 July 2012.
[45] Ibid.
[46] Ibid.
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