2 minutes agoEnvironment ministry indicted for continuing environmental plant permits in Decan
Periskopi(an hour ago)
(an hour ago)The Centre for Strategic Judicial Cases, Fisheries, EcoZ and Rheh have filed indictments at the Administrative Court in Pristina against the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning (MMPH), for continuing environmental permits for the Decani and Bella plants, published on 16 June.
The indictment relates to the procedure for continuing environmental permits for hydropower plants in Decani. The Judiciary Case Centre in reporting the indictment has said that this case is not only a case for two environmental permits, but has to do with the way institutions make decisions and whether the voice of citizens is being taken into consideration.
Through this indictment, organisations demand that the court cancel environmental permits for HC Bella and HC Decani and return the procedure to public discussion. They require the ministry to hold a new public consultation, making all relevant documents and information available at the right time and rationally showing how citizen comments and evidence were taken into account before making the decision.
For years, citizens and civil society organisations demanded that the public have the right to participate in procedures for environmental permits. This requirement arose after the launch of permits for hydropower plants in Lumbardh, Decani, in 2020. These requests were supported by today's Environment Minister at the time as deputy and then chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Environment”, said the communique.
The organisations explain that based on the 2025 Administrative Guide for Environmental Permissions, public discussion on environmental permits for hydropower plants in Decani should be implemented.
“Trusting in this right, organisations and activists delivered comments, technical analysis and evidence that raised serious issues regarding the procedure. Similarly, the public was not given timely access to relevant documents and information, making a thorough and informed participation impossible. While the ministry was aware that the process was not under law, it continued with the issuance of environmental permits for HC Decani and HC Bella without responding and taking into consideration comments and evidence handed down by the public”, it is said in the response of organisations.
The Centre for Strategic Judicial Cases is the platform founded by the Group for Political Jury Studies (GLPS).
