Montenegrin power plant feasible only with creative accounting
August 1, 2016
Just as everyone else was going on holiday, on Friday night the Montenegrin parliament approved two decisions laying the ground for the controversial Pljevlja II lignite power plant. But a look at the project documentation released by the government shows that the project’s economics only add up with some giant leaps of faith.
Balkan energy projects with Chinese involvement – state of play
July 31, 2016
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania all plan new lignite power plants during the next few years. In contrast, most EU countries are giving up building new coal plants and seven EU states are already coal-free. Since the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank have virtually halted lending for new coal power plants, most of them are due to be financed by Chinese state banks – ExIm Bank and the China Development Bank.
A ray of light for communities in Serbia’s coal heartland
July 22, 2016
For more than 50 years, the lignite mines in Serbia’s Kolubara basin have been expanding, effectively engulfing the few small communities living between them. For local residents, whose homes have quite literally been teetering on the brink of the mines, life has become unbearable. But a recent court ruling might be paving the way to a long overdue reprieve for residents who have been promised to be relocated.
Renewable energy in the Balkans: enough bad
July 20, 2016
Despite the commitments defined by the Energy Community Treaty, most of the investments in the energy sector in the Western Balkans are still directed to coal plants
Dans les Balkans, une vie sous le charbon
July 5, 2016
Malgré leur impact sur l’environnement, douze centrales sont en activité, réparties entre la Bosnie, la Serbie, le Monténégro, le Kosovo et la Macédoine. Dix-sept autres devraient être construites à l’horizon 2030.
Campaign update: environmental and health impacts of Serbian planned coal power plant Kostolac B3 discussed in court hearing
June 28, 2016
The possible cancellation of the Serbian government’s decision to construct a new 350 MW unit at the Kostolac B lignite power plant was discussed on June 23 at the national administrative court of Serbia.
Ostvarili smo veliku pobjedu i zaustavili Plomin C na ugljen
June 15, 2016
Nakon 5 godina kampanje protiv izgradnje štetne termoelektrane na uvozni ugljen Plomin C, ostvarili smo veliku pobjedu! Ministar gospodarstva Panenić izjavio je kako je realizacija ovog projekta zaustavljena. Sigurni smo kako nakon uvjerljivih argumenata protiv izgradnje te okolnosti koje su uslijedile, Vlada nije niti imala drugog izbora nego zaustaviti Plomin C, kažu u priopćenju Greenpeace, Zelena Istra, Zelena akcija i CCE – Bankwatch network.
Croatia to drop controversial coal plant project, confirms minister
June 14, 2016
The Croatian Minister for Economy, Tomislav Panenić, yesterday confirmed that the 500 MW Plomin C coal plant project has been stopped.
Household survey in Drmno shows negative impacts of Kostolac B3 project, Drmno mine
June 13, 2016
This sociological survey included 162 (or 65.9%) of the registered 246 households in Drmno, Serbia. It illustrates the bleak reality in the village where a large majority of households have health problems, cracks in houses and other negative impacts from the nearby lignite power plant and mine. The document is only available in Serbian. See also Bankwatch member CEKOR’s website [sr] for information on the survey.
Response to statements regarding CEKOR in the Serbian media
June 9, 2016
CEKOR, as a non-governmental watchdog organisation, has since 1999 strived to promote sustainable development in Serbia and has a strong track record in supporting local communities harmed by development projects to advocate for their rights.
