Imagine Montenegro has a gold mine right under its nose, and nobody is using it! Brownfield sites, aka abandoned industrial zones, are not just ruins to forget but a golden opportunity for sustainable development and saving our economy. At a recent roundtable hosted by Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), experts made it clear: brownfield is better than greenfield! Why? Because the infrastructure already exists, investments happen faster, and the environmental impact is way less.
EPCG owns key brownfield locations, like the halls of the former steelworks in Nikšić, which could become hubs for green projects and sustainable industry. The REIND BBG project, worth nearly €2.4 million and funded by the EU through the Interreg Danube program, brings together 17 partners from seven countries, led by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. The goal? Smart use of already industrialized spaces instead of expanding into untouched nature.
But let’s be real — how many times have we heard about great projects that end up gathering dust on paper? EPCG and partners have already taken concrete steps: workshops, experience exchange, defining implementation models. This sounds like the start of Montenegro’s industrial renaissance, but the question remains — will politics and business finally get that brownfield is not just an option but a necessity?
If we don’t use this chance, we’ll stay stuck in the past while other countries rush toward a green, sustainable future. And us? We’ll keep staring at empty halls and decayed industry. So next time you hear about development, remember brownfield — maybe it’s the key we all missed.
And hey, if you know any funny or bizarre abandoned industrial zones in your area, drop a comment — let’s laugh or wonder together what’s going on with our space!
