Special equipment procured through 3 WATCH OUT project was presented on 13 October 2020 to the public. The event was held in Rogami, near Podgorica, with the presence of top officials of the Montenegrin natural hazards response system, the highest representatives of the Italian Embassy in Podgorica.  

"Today we celebrate the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, and it is an opportunity to point out that the responsibility of citizens and all entities in society is required to jointly contribute to risk reduction of natural and other disasters," said the Director of the Directorate for Emergency Situations in the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro Mirsad Mulić in his speech.

Fire protection and rescue equipment, water quality measurement, and water flow measurement tools and instruments were presented, as well as an unmanned air vehicle - a drone.

Mr Mulić said that this project is important for the protection and rescue system because of its clear contribution to strengthening the response capacity of the Ministry of the Interior to fires and floods, (...) Without organized and systematic action there is no effective response to natural and other disasters. , he pointed out.

The director of the Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro, Mr Luka Mitrović, announced that with this equipment, the system of monitoring and assessment of flood risks will be improved, and the latest information will be obtained in the hydrological system of the river Bojana and in the area of Skadar Lake. 

Mr. Dušan Raspopović on behalf of the Agency for Nature Protection and Environmental Protection thanked for the donation and pointed out that it is a clear step forward in control and analysis before and after possible catastrophes The drone will be used for control and prevention in the Skadar Lake National Park and the Lovcen National Park, and it will be of remarkable help during the control and analysis in the aftermath of wildfires.

Adviser to the Deputy Chief Negotiator in the Office for European Integration, Mr Bojan Vujović, especially thanked the EU for its continuous support in the improvement of the emergency response system. "Projects like this not only reinforce an adequate and timely response, but also show the solidarity of people and institutions across state boundaries. (...) Within cross-border cooperation, we can achieve tangible results that benefit the wider community, " Mr Vujović added.

Our three countries facing common natural hazards, gathered in a team, in order to improve the response to the challenges that lie ahead. Today, we had the opportunity to see how technical assistance can be useful. However, technology is only one part of the project together with building better capacities and capabilities to work together, said H.E. Mr. Luca Zelioli, Italian Ambassador to Montenegro.

"Due to the increasingly frequent phenomena of natural disasters, the European Union has taken measures. The EU has become the most prominent global advocate of the green agenda, fighting climate change and preventing and mitigating disasters. The EU also supports projects to mitigate the risk of natural disasters in Montenegro and has contributed to the "3 WATCH OUT" project with almost one million euros, improving both cross-border cooperation between the three countries and the response to the real needs of citizens in cross-border areas” is stated in the declaration from the EU Delegation.