EU Ombudsman launches probe into assessment of priority gas projects at EU’s doorstep
May 10, 2021
The European Commission’s oversight of the sustainability assessments of priority-labelled gas infrastructure projects in the Western Balkans will be investigated by the European Ombudsman, following a Bankwatch complaint about their climate footprint.
The cracks of Shuakhevi
May 5, 2021
Water is leaking out of Shuakhevi hydropower plant’s recently reopened dam again. With three international financial institutions involved, who’s responsible for the safety of this USD 420 million project?
Žalbe na kontroverzni projekt autoceste u BiH pokrenule istragu EBRD-a
April 28, 2021
Lokalno stanovništvo južno od Mostara se boji da bi ih projekt autoceste koji finansira Evropska banka za …
Complaints on controversial motorway project in Bosnia and Herzegovina trigger EBRD inquiry as forced expropriations begin in South Mostar
April 27, 2021
Local residents south of Mostar fear they could be uprooted by a motorway project financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). With forced expropriations underway, the Bank’s accountability mechanism has now announced it will investigate these concerns.
Left jobless after eviction from Vinca landfill, Roma begin negotiations with Belgrade after complaint to the EBRD
April 22, 2021
The EBRD’s accountability mechanism has launched a problem-solving initiative to negotiate issues of affordable housing, access to education and income generation for the Roma families that were evicted from the Vinča landfill. In the two years since the eviction, these issues were not addressed, so the EBRD’s mediators will facilitate a problem-solving process between this vulnerable group and the city of Belgrade.
A case study on the Beli Kamen and Komalj hydropower plants on the Crni Rzav and Ribnica Rivers in Serbia
April 22, 2021
The small hydropower plants Beli Kamen and Komalj are built on the Crni Rzav and Ribnica Rivers of the Drina basin in western Serbia. Both plants are interconnected, as they use water from the same intakes and were financed by the European Investment B
Scientific studies reveal river ‘sickness’ from small hydropower plants in Serbia
April 21, 2021
Projects financed by the EIB through secretive intermediary banks destroy 10 km of supposedly protected rivers for only 2 MW of energy.
Energetska zajednica: očuvanje okoliša i biološke raznolikosti pretvorilo se u „mrtvo slovo na papiru“
April 21, 2021
Hrvatska, Albanija, Bugarska, Bosna i Hercegovina, Sjeverna Makedonija, Crna Gora, Rumunjska i Srbija potpisnice su ugovora o osnivanju …
District heating in the Western Balkans – we need clean, modern heating that works for everyone, for the long term
April 20, 2021
Heating in the region is still largely based on fossil fuels or wood, the district heating networks are in dire condition, and in poorly insulated buildings winter is not as cosy as it could be. Authorities across the Western Balkans need to pay much more attention to planning and implementing clean and modern heating solutions.
NGOs expect Energy Community infringement procedure on Montenegrin coal plant
April 19, 2021
Montenegro has recently confirmed that its highly polluting Pljevlja coal plant has exceeded its allowed operating hours under the Energy Community Treaty, yet no moves have been made to close the plant. This threatens to create a worrying precedent if not tackled.