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Western High Speed Diameter: strategic risks of a strategic project

Briefing | 19 May, 2008 | Download PDF

The Western High Speed Diameter (WHSD) is a 46 kilometre toll motorway, part of the IX Pan-European Transport Corridor linking St. Petersburg with Scandinavia. The road has been presented as a strategic investment priority for St. Petersburg by the Russian authorities and international financiers as it is going to be the first public-private partnership in Russia as well as the first toll road in Russia. Yet there are serious doubts that the WHSD will make St. Petersburg a better place.

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Who wants it? Who needs it? The Vlora coastal terminal, Albania

Briefing | 19 May, 2008 | Download PDF

The terminal is to be located inside the industry park near a thermo-power plant which has already received lending support from the EBRD, European Investment Bank and the World Banks International Development Association.

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Environmental activity of the LUKOIL Company in Komi

Briefing | 19 May, 2008 | Download PDF

In May 2007 the LUKOIL Company signed a USD 300 million loan contract with the EBRD and other multilateral banks to finance an environmental security scheme of the LUKOIL group subsidiaries. The borrowed funds were supposed to be used for implementing environmental projects by a number of company divisions including LUKOIL Komi LLC. The loan is believed to help decrease the volume of associated gas, reduce water consumption and pollutant content in sewage, arrange waste management and reconstruct industrial pipelines.

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Introduction of cyanide leaching at the Chelopech gold and copper mine

Briefing | 19 May, 2008 | Download PDF

The Chelopech Mining project is separated in two parts: Phase 1 focusing on environmental improvements; and Phase 2 proposing the expansion of metals production through the introduction of cyanide leaching technology. EBRD approved a USD 10 million loan for Phase 1 in 2004. Phase 2 has been under review since 2005, and there has been no progress due to the blocking of the project by the Bulgarian Ministry for the Environment and Waters at the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) stage in March 2006.

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EBRD water projects in Georgia

Briefing | 19 May, 2008 | Download PDF

Since Georgias independence in the early 1990s, due to financial constraints maintenance and repair works at most of the water utilities have been neglected. In order to improve the situation in the water sector, several Georgian city councils have approached the EBRD for financing. While some of the aims of the projects should be welcomed, the decision-making processes, implementation of the projects and the lack of public consultation has caused concerns about the outcomes of the projects.

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