The forestry sector is blocked, forests are deteriorating, lawsuits are coming in, and the company exists only on paper

That the newly established state-owned company for forest management „Montenegro Forests“ is essentially a company that does not exist was also confirmed by its Board of Directors in a letter submitted to the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management on March 11, with the message that the „slow pace in the procedure of establishing the company and appointing management and executive bodies has seriously caused problems in the forestry sector, which is currently blocked from performing most of the planned forest management activities“.

For now, „Montenegro Forests“ only has a founding act and a Board of Directors, but also significant legal powers and obligations. However, the company has not yet been registered, has no director, premises, or employees... Although it essentially does not exist, it is already responsible for serious problems.

In the letter from the Board of Directors, which Portal ETV has access to, titled „Problems and Risks“, it is emphasized that „such a pace in establishing the functionality of the company in question is unacceptable“.

THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING

They recall that the newly formed company was supposed to take over forest management as of January 1 this year, but that it „received its first governing bodies, a five-member Board of Directors (Official Gazette No. 24/26 of 19 February 2026), whose mandates have not been verified, nor has a constitutive session been convened where this would be done and further organizational procedures in forming such a complex company initiated“...

They explained that they are facing a series of problems „which are becoming more complex from the very start“, and that they are neither able nor authorized to resolve them.

They reiterated that the first problem is the „delay in establishing and setting up official management and executive bodies of the newly founded company“, followed by the lack of adequate office space for the company headquarters and business units across Montenegro, as well as the „inability to assess the available professional workforce in the field of forestry“.

- ...It is unknown what professional staff is available who would remain outside the Forestry and Hunting Management Administration, and who are necessary for the efficient performance of urgent tasks such as marking, receiving, and dispatching timber assortments - they emphasized.

They warned that another issue is the „inability to continue implementing forest use contracts from the previous year, which under the new law fall under the jurisdiction of the newly established company“, which is still not registered and therefore not functional.

- This represents a serious problem in the entire forestry sector, including the wood-processing industry and forest protection. There are currently significant quantities of cut timber assortments located in forests without the possibility of being placed on the market. This is a serious issue from the standpoint of timber deterioration and damage to companies that have obtained forest-use contracts, as well as from the aspect of forest protection, the emergence of harmful insects, and the deterioration of forest health, which can lead to enormous health problems in forest ecosystems (caused by biotic and abiotic factors) and financial losses - the letter states.

They informed the Government and the Ministry about several other key problems caused by the dysfunctionality of the newly formed state-owned company, warning that additional difficulties will arise from the fact that the company cannot be registered due to the „non-functionality of the information system for registering business entities“.

VALUABLE TIME LOST

Members of the Board of Directors - Igor Vojinović, Saša Bjeković, Slaviša Lučić, Ilija Krejović and Petar Knežević - called on the Government and the relevant ministry, headed by Vladimir Joković, to act urgently.

A group of citizens from Pljevlja also contacted Portal ETV again, warning that the situation in forestry is becoming increasingly difficult and that the consequences, as they say, will be devastating.

- The village is burning while the old woman combs her hair - this is how the situation in the new company, but also in the forestry sector in general, could be described. It seemed easy to them to form a company with the grand name „Montenegro Forests“, from the perspective of gatherings in cafés among relatives, godfathers, in-laws, and others - said our unofficial interlocutors, expressing their frustration.

They repeat that the Board of Directors is a kinship-based interest group.

- Everything they already knew in advance, they are now presenting as obstacles in their work. That there is not enough workforce, that everything is not yet legally defined, that they do not have office space, and that no one else will do it for them. Thinking that everything would just start on its own, they already planned the first session, and the first item on the agenda would be amending the Statute, especially the article concerning compensation for Board members, because 400 euros is too little - our interlocutors say.

According to them, valuable time has been lost, and wood processors are already announcing lawsuits, as are private forest owners, because their constitutional right to private property has been endangered.

- The risk of forest infections is increasing, and there is also the obligation of firefighting, which they did not mention in the letter. All of this is too great a risk - said concerned citizens who contacted Portal ETV.

CHECKING CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption confirmed to our portal that they received a report regarding suspected conflict of interest within the Board of Directors of the state-owned company „Montenegro Forests“ and that they initiated „appropriate proceedings, in accordance with the law“.

- The public will be informed about the outcome of this procedure, in line with transparency principles, immediately upon its conclusion - they briefly responded to our questions.

We previously reported that the complaint was submitted to the Agency on February 24, stating that three out of four Board members - Igor Vojinović, Ilija Krejović and Slaviša Lučić - are in a conflict of interest.

The citizens who filed the complaint contacted Portal ETV, stating that Board members are not only „in kinship relations, but even more so in relationships of shared interests“.

- ...there is a clear intention that problems in the forestry sector are not meant to be resolved, but that interests are the only concern - they believe.

They confirmed our earlier information that Vojinović, Lučić, and Krejović are connected through kinship and godparent relationships.

- Slaviša Lučić and Ilija Krejović are owners and directors of private companies Institute of Forestry and „Taxus forest project“ and are engaged in forest planning. According to contracts over the past several years, they have collected 2,4 million euros from the state on that basis. And imagine, they are now supposed to manage forests on behalf of the state and sit on the board of a company that will cut those forests. If it weren’t sad, it would be funny - they told Portal ETV at the time.

They also stated that the appointment of Saša Bjeković to this body was not accidental.

- Bjeković is the alpha and omega of the Europe Now Movement in Pljevlja, and forests are significant for the so-called energy lobby in this town, as also mentioned by independent councilor Saša Ječmenica. By linking the Pljevlja Coal Mine and forestry, many „opportunities“ for various malpractices are opening up. According to our information, the plan is to engage surplus workers from the coal mine in the forestry sector, and by activating „Vektra Jakić“, to take over the exploitation of Pljevlja’s forests - our interlocutors from Pljevlja claim.

Portal ETV reported as early as February 28 on the conflict of interest within the Board of Directors of „Montenegro Forests“, as well as the fact that, out of five members, four are from Pljevlja.

- Igor Vojinović is the brother-in-law of Saša Bjeković, while Ilija Krejović is Vojinović’s best man. Additionally, Krejović is Lučić’s in-law, they married sisters, and Lučić is the godfather of Petar Knežević. Enough said. And if we also consider their business engagements in Montenegrin forestry, this is unacceptable - said the citizens from Pljevlja who contacted Portal ETV.

As of today, neither the Government nor Joković’s ministry has responded to the questions we sent regarding the criteria for selecting Board members and the conflict of interest within this body.