The Government of Montenegro is preparing to declare “public interest” for the construction of a power transmission line to connect the Bijela wind farm, developed by Dubai-based company Alcazar Energy, to the Brezna substation in the Plužine municipality. This move is related to an agreement with the UAE and could result in land expropriation.
Residents of the Gornje Brezne village, through which the transmission line is planned to pass, strongly oppose the project. They argue that the route cuts through the most populated and tourist-developed area in the municipality and threatens their health, property, and future. They also object to plans for a new substation and a 400 kW transmission line from Brezna to Sarajevo, which are being considered by the state-owned CGES.
Locals claim that the project is being pushed forward without consultation or communication with the community. They describe it as a violation of their rights and fear it could lead to forced displacement, making the area uninhabitable for tourism or agriculture.
Residents also report unauthorized land measurements by Alcazar Energy’s surveyors, done without landowner consent. They argue that such actions would not be tolerated in a democratic country and that the government is prioritizing investor profits over citizens’ rights.
They draw parallels to the Krnovo wind farm project, which was developed under similar circumstances during previous governments, resulting in significant profits for investors and no substantial benefits for the state. They suspect similar interests are behind the Bijela project and that domestic energy tycoons may be hidden behind foreign investors.
In January, EPCG signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alcazar Energy, planning to guarantee electricity purchase from the Bijela Wind Farm. Locals believe this could be a backdoor method to reintroduce subsidies for renewables, benefiting private investors.
The residents are consulting legal experts and are ready to fight for their property and constitutional rights. They emphasize they are not against development but demand that energy projects be relocated to uninhabited areas in Montenegro’s north, of which there are many.
