There is a plan to reconstruct part of the Street Ivana Milutinovića in Nikšić, from the Square to the Tourist Organization, to allow for truck traffic, although in 1986 this type of vehicles was forbidden to cross through this street due to safety reasons and to avoid pollution. The reconstruction plan included cutting down 50 half a century old linden trees, known as a symbol of Nikšić. The residents of the street together with numerous NGOs and public figures were determined to save the trees. More than 2000 people signed the petition, while the tenants of the street in a symbolical act planted a new linden tree to show they will not give up on saving the standing trees. The citizens pointed out that the plan included reducing the pedestrian pavements width reduction to only 1.5 meters, which was inconsistent with all European standards. The NGO "Ozone" warned that the expansion of the street would increase the risk for the children of the Ivana Milutinovića street kindergarten. In addition to numerous negative effects on environment and health and safety, the opponents of the project pointed out that the decisions of the public interest were made without the compliance with the law and public hearings, as the project decision was made on Friday, 6 July 2012 at 3 PM and its realization was planned for the next day at 6 AM. The political party The Positive Montenegro also joined the defence of the trees, emphasizing that lindens in Ivana Milutinović did not block the traffic and even if that was the case it could be sorted out by clipping tree crowns where necessary. The citizens consulted Inspectorate of Construction, Transportation, Environment and Spatial Planning, Nikšić Municipality. Finally, the project was stopped. |