In the area of the municipality of Vares, geological research and preparatory works for opening a chromium mine have been carried out in recent months. There was no reaction to warnings from environmentalists that the works were taking place despite the fact that, according to a decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), it is forbidden to carry out the conversion of forest land use. The first rulings have also arrived following lawsuits by environmentalists, who insist that the concession contract, concluded between the company Vareski Minerali and the Ministry of Economy of Zenica-Doboj Canton (ZDC), be published.
Following a lawsuit by the Aarhus Center BiH, the Cantonal Court in Zenica decided that the Ministry of Economy of ZDC, in response to the request for access to the concession contract for the exploration and exploitation of chromium at the Tribija and Dubostica sites, could not apply exceptions in a blanket manner, invoking protection of privacy and the commercial interests of the concessionaire, without serious analysis and conducting a public interest test.
“The ruling states that the concession contract cannot be exempted and that excuses cannot be used that it concerns confidential information, because this information is important for all citizens so they can know what is happening in their area,” emphasizes Emina Veljovic, Executive Director of the Aarhus Center in BiH.
In the repeated procedure, the Ministry of Economy should eliminate the illegalities established by the ruling and make a new, lawful decision on the request of environmental associations for access to information. To our inquiry about when environmentalists will be allowed access to the contract, we received only a brief response.
“Given that, in accordance with the instructions from the Judgment, the Ministry is acting within the prescribed deadlines in the case upon the Request of the Aarhus Center BiH, and that the procedure in question has not been completed, we are not in a position to provide information relating to the specific case,” stated the Ministry of Economy of ZDC.
Environmentalists claim that the chromium mine project violates the Law on the Prohibition of Conversion of State Forest Land. Preparatory works were halted on two occasions, and before the Cantonal Court, environmentalists also challenged the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management, and Forestry of ZDC, which approved the conversion of forest land and the right of easement for access roads for the purpose of research.
“The allocation of forest land and its conversion are unconstitutional. The Government of ZDC is not competent for such matters, and there are decisions of the Constitutional Court. Those decisions and their rulings have again been sent to the Constitutional Court,” states Davor Supukovic, Secretary of the Citizens’ Association Fojnicani Maglaj.
Representatives of 50 environmental associations and civil society organizations previously also requested from the Cantonal Government the annulment of the concession for research and opening of the chromium mine in Dubostica and Tribija near Vares, because they believe it could lead to devastation of nature and endangerment of the Krivaja River basin, as well as the health of the population.
“We will lose, just through mining testing alone, without even opening the mine, several hundred hectares in the Dubostica area, and a concession is planned over 3.200 hectares, that is a huge area,” said Dalibor Balian, professor at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Sarajevo.
“There are many such environmental problems. We will probably be forced to call all people of ZDC to a large protest in Zenica, in front of the Government, because we do not see another way to point out these problems to the Government,” Supukovic added.
Whether, in the end, the demands of environmentalists for the final public publication of the concession contract and the undertaking of concrete steps will be met is still not known. Until then, it is clear that they must continue the fight before the courts, Federalna writes.
