The Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) annulled the urban planning permit for the construction of the “Poklecani” wind power plant in Posusje, according to a statement from the environmental organization “Aarhus Center.”
The court determined that in issuing the urban planning permit, the FBiH Ministry of Spatial Planning committed procedural and legal errors, and the decision was annulled and returned for reconsideration.
The planned wind farm is located near the Blidinje Nature Park in western Herzegovina, and during the planning phase, it provoked opposition from environmental organizations, since the authorities, using a decree the government itself adopted, approved the construction without a prior environmental impact study.
Iva Milicevic, a representative of an informal group of citizens from the village of Poklecani, challenged the issuance of the urban planning permit for the wind power plant, and the court ruled on her request.
“Although the Ministry of Spatial Planning of the West Herzegovina Canton (WHC) issued a positive opinion with the condition that all necessary documents and consents for environmental protection be obtained, the plaintiff opposed the construction due to its negative impacts on the environment, cultural-historical heritage, and human rights,” the statement said.
It is added that the court found that the initial decision, which granted consent to the public company Elektroprivreda HZ HB from Mostar, contained “numerous conditions related to environmental protection, infrastructure safety, and other technical and administrative provisions.”
“However, the court concluded that the consent issuing procedure was unlawful and irregular in certain segments, which justified its annulment,” the statement emphasized.
The Aarhus Center in BiH explains that the construction of the wind power plant on Mount Stitar, “in the immediate vicinity of a protected area, caused fear of negative impacts on biodiversity and the local economy.”
“Green energy is important and necessary, but it must not come at the cost of destroying natural resources, forests, protected landscapes, and especially drinking water,” emphasized Iva Milicevic, Nezavisne writes.
