VIPOTNIK: CROATIA'S ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES ON TRGOVSKA GORA

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 2 /SRNA/ - The Minister for Spatial Planning, Construction and Ecology of Republika Srpska Bojan Vipotnik told SRNA that all activities carried out by Croatia at the Čerkezovac site on Trgovska Gora are illegal, that they are being conducted without the consent of Republika Srpska, i.e., BiH, and that this violates the provisions of the Espoo Convention.

Vipotnik emphasized that a hearing of the parties before the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention in Geneva is scheduled for May, and that Croatia will have to explain to international institutions, primarily the Secretariat, dealing with procedures in a transboundary context and environmental impact, why it is acting without the consent of Republika Srpska, i.e., BiH. He emphasized that the Croatian side will also have to explain the situation related to land leveling on Trgovska Gora, emphasizing that, to his knowledge, this is being carried out without a construction permit. The minister added that he is not surprised that the Croatian side, namely the so-called Radioactive Waste Management Center, is carrying out any works without a key document, an environmental impact assessment study. "The Croatian ministry responsible for environmental protection announced at the end of last month that they still do not have an environmental impact assessment study. Since October last year, we have been hearing their claims that the study is completed, that additions are being made, and that work is ongoing," he stressed. Vipotnik stated that there is also a statement by the director of the Radioactive Waste Management Center saying that they would “adjust” the study to make it acceptable, which, he added, means that Croatia is knowingly violating the provisions of the Espoo Convention. He emphasized that representatives of Republika Srpska, i.e., BiH, will present all of this at the upcoming hearing in Geneva. Vipotnik also said that part of the strategy of the institutions of Republika Srpska, i.e., BiH, which will be presented in Geneva, will be presented at a special session of the Novi Grad Municipal Assembly scheduled for April 9. Land leveling is underway on Trgovska Gora, where the construction of a radioactive waste repository is planned, and eight structures have so far been demolished at the site, the Croatian Fund for Financing the Decommissioning and Disposal of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant told SRNA. The Fund stated that a request to initiate an environmental impact assessment procedure related to the establishment of the radioactive waste repository at the Čerkezovac site on Trgovska Gora will soon be submitted to Croatia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition.