EBRD Annual Meeting 2019

Empowering communities to be heard. Protecting whistleblowers and pushing back against the threat of violence, intimidation and attacks on free speech and assembly. Preserving the environment.

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Transition

A phase out from fossil fuels is inevitable in all countries where the EBRD operates, and the bank should be listen, support, and then follow through with investments to realise this vision.

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Nenskra,
Georgia

Given the complexity of the Nenskra project and its immense impact on indigenous Svan communities and the country’s fiscal stability, the EBRD should take responsibility and not provide financial support until the project is properly assessed.

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EPS/Kostolac,
Serbia

“Restructuring” EPS is more about perpetuating non-compliance, building new coal units and expanding lignite mines. Read Bankwatch’s request to the EBRD concerning the outcomes of the EPS compliance review.

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Krapska Reka,
N. Macedonia

The case shows the importance of consulting all stakeholders before a loan contract is signed – even for Category B projects, as they may have equally destructive impacts on the environment, biodiversity and local communities.

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Hydropower,
the Balkans

The cautious approach to hydropower in the Balkans should be applied to other regions that also struggle to implement the EBRD and EU standards. The EBRD should protect the pristine ecological status of rivers and the rights of communities.

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Kheledula,
Georgia

Failing to acknowledge the Lower Svaneti Lalkhor, the violations to Georgian legislation and the bank’s own policies will deteriorate the livelihoods of the indigenous Svans and the potential for alternative development and tourism in the villages.

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Namakhvani,
Georgia

The EBRD should ensure the close examination of the project and its documents before it officially enters into pipeline, as it is likely to have a considerable effect on local communities and biodiversity.

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LATEST UPDATES

Monitoring what matters: Public participation as a systemic issue for the EBRD

Publication | 11 December, 2025

Information on public participation practices reported by the EBRD is lacking. This briefing illustrates the importance of regular and effective monitoring of project-level participation to inform the EBRD’s corrective actions and enhance management strategies.

More than just a few bad apples: If public engagement matters, why isn’t the EBRD tracking it?

Story | 11 December, 2025

Civil society organisations and accountability mechanisms have repeatedly highlighted EBRD-financed projects in which the people affected have been marginalised, consultations have been superficial, and grievances have been ignored. These are not isolated missteps or the work of a few bad apples, but rather recurring problems that result in serious harm to people and the environment. Our latest research identifies 38 such cases, raising a pressing question: How can the EBRD ensure meaningful public participation if it doesn’t identify and learn from its failures?

Replicability gone wrong: Demolition of cultural heritage and environmental risks at EBRD project in Kazakhstan

Blog entry | 8 December, 2025

For years, concerns have been raised about the Almaty International Airport Extension Project which is being financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Locals question the inadequate protection of cultural heritage and a lack of public participation and access to information. To address this, a formal complaint was recently filed with the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM), and the outcome of a compliance review is pending.