Zora dairy factory collapse leaves millions in Montenegro unaccounted for

The Zora dairy factory in Berane, Montenegro, has become a symbol of a failed multi-million euro investment. Originally launched in 2002 with approximately 10 million euros in funding from the Government of Luxembourg, the project was intended to revolutionize the local dairy sector by producing UHT long-life milk in tetrapaks and employing over 100 workers.

Despite the significant capital injection and the transfer of 99.05% of the factory's shares to the Montenegrin government, the enterprise collapsed. Former cooperators and local farmers report that the project failed to support livestock production as promised, instead negatively impacting the regional agricultural economy.

To date, no official explanation has been provided regarding the disappearance of funds or the specific circumstances surrounding the factory's transformation and privatization. Legal initiatives to investigate the management and the eventual downfall of the company have reportedly yielded no results, and the passage of time has made it increasingly difficult to hold former leadership accountable.