PODGORICA — Animal protection activist Marta Darmanovic criticized Montenegro's animal infrastructure on June 30, 2026, during a heat wave in Podgorica. Her statements followed observations of unattended horses on the outskirts of the city without shelter, water, or food as temperatures reached nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Darmanovic noted that the location where the horses were observed was approximately 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) from the city center. She stated, "This is only 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) from the city center." The area is situated near an illegal dumpsite and several unregistered, improvised settlements. She added, "It is simply unbelievable that a country does not have a shelter for large animals, for confiscated horses, confiscated livestock, stray livestock and wild animals."

Extreme heat has affected the Balkans, with this regional heat wave breaking temperature records in other European countries. Temperatures in France during the week of June 30, 2026, were higher than those recorded during the 2003 heat wave, which was associated with 15,000 deaths in Europe. Authorities in the Balkans advised people to stay indoors and drink water.

Darmanovic asserted, "Montenegro has effectively legalized animal abuse because it has failed to provide even minimum infrastructure needed for the regulations to be enforced." Podgorica city authorities have established shelters for dogs and cats. Branko Kovacevic, head of Podgorica's Municipal Inspection Administration, stated that "Horses and some other abandoned domestic animals keep appearing." Kovacevic also indicated that his administration deals with the problem "As far as the law allows us, we deal with the problem," and stated that no party is officially responsible for providing water or food for the abandoned larger animals.

Why It Matters

Montenegro, with a population of 620,000 people, is seeking to join the European Union by 2028. Candidate nations for the EU must have laws regulating animal welfare in place to be eligible for membership. Activists point to potential gaps in Montenegro's animal welfare infrastructure as it pursues EU accession, particularly concerning large animals like horses and confiscated livestock, which do not have dedicated shelters.