Pešter Plateau pastoral traditions bridge Montenegro and Serbia

Herdsmen from the Bihor region of Montenegro and various municipalities in Serbia, including Sjenica, Tutin, and Novi Pazar, have shared the Pešter Plateau pastures for centuries. The high-altitude area is valued for its medicinal herbs and suitability for livestock.

Hajrudin Diljo Šabotić, a prominent herdsman from the village of Tucanje in Montenegro, has moved his family to the Pešter pastures for 44 years. Despite the lack of an official border crossing, Šabotić maintains his practice through permits issued by Montenegrin authorities, allowing him to cross into Serbian territory to graze his sheep, cows, goats, and horses.

Šabotić notes that while political borders exist on paper, the local pastoral community operates as a single unit, united by shared traditions and the geography of the plateau.