# Environmental and labor protests in Montenegro

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/environmental-and-labor-protests-in-montenegro
> Updated: 2026-08-23T06:17:54.000Z. Sources: 19. Developments: 2.

In Montenegro, residents and activists have organized demonstrations to address environmental and labor concerns. On 29 July 2026, protesters in Podgorica demanded protection for the Zeta River, citing contamination from industrial waste, illegal cement plants, stone quarries, and untreated sewage. During the rally, activists presented bottled water to Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and Minister Vladimir Joković, with activist Vuk Iković warning that continued inaction could lead citizens to “radicalise” their response.

By late August, the focus shifted to labor disputes in Bar. On 23 August 2026, former employees of the Primorka food factory held a protest in the city center, blocking traffic for approximately 30 minutes. The workers are demanding unpaid wages, severance pay, and pensions that have been owed for over 15 years. Organizers, including Edin Begzić, have requested urgent meetings with Prime Minister Spajić and Chief Special State Prosecutor Vladimir Novović to clarify why the Prosecutor's Office has not acted on criminal complaints despite extensive evidence being provided.

The Civil Movement URA has expressed support for the workers, characterizing their struggle as a “heavy burden of the past” that must be resolved to build a just society. Protesters have threatened to escalate to daily protests and blockades of the Bar–Ulcinj highway, specifically near the Meksiko primary school roundabout, if their demands are not met.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: Primorka former workers protest in Bar over unpaid wages

Former Primorka factory workers in Bar, Montenegro, protested and blocked traffic to demand unpaid wages and pensions, threatening daily road blockades if the government fails to act.

19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/protests-announced-by-primorka-workers-and-environmental-activists

### 2026-07-29: Zeta River Pollution Protest in Montenegro

Spuž and Danilovgrad residents protested in Podgorica, presenting polluted Zeta River water to officials and demanding urgent action against industrial waste and a broken sewage plant.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zeta-river-pollution-protest-in-montenegro

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Cite as: Environmental and labor protests in Montenegro. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/environmental-and-labor-protests-in-montenegro