Comply or Close: Eight years of deadly legal breaches by Western Balkan coal plants

Report    |    23 June 2026

This report exposes the systematic, deadly breaches of air pollution limits by coal-fired power plants in the Western Balkans – eight years after new pollution standards entered force. 

In 2025, total sulphur dioxide emissions from the coal plants included in the National Emissions Reduction Plans (NERPs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia were 6.6 times as high as allowed – the highest breach since 2018.  Dust and NOx emissions were also higher than allowed by the plans. 

Despite eight years of breaches of their Energy Community Treaty commitments, national authorities have not fined a single plant operator for these breaches. None of the power plants that have exhausted their allowed operating hours before becoming compliant with emission limits have been formally closed. Taking action to reduce pollution is therefore imperative and long overdue. 

The report contains updated emissions data, country profiles (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) and policy recommendations. 

This publication is also available in Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Serbian.

Check the Comply or Close page for more information.