At the location of the former Cerkezovac barracks, in the municipality of Dvor, the removal of structures has begun as preparation for the construction of a center for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant. These works have caused great attention and concern in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and this topic has once again sparked a series of objections.
This location near Trgovska Gora on the border of Croatia and BiH has caused great concern, objections, and reactions from the BiH public, which has been opposing this project for years. The Green Team Association emphasizes that BiH should have reacted much earlier and more decisively when it comes to this problem.
“It is about the fact that Croatia so far, in these past 25 years, what they have done now is definitely the most serious step towards building a nuclear facility on Trgovska Gora, right on the border with BiH, which would serve for storing low and medium-level radioactive waste from the Krsko nuclear power plant. We also have to mention other hazardous waste that would arrive there from the entire territory of Croatia,” said Mario Crnkovic, Association “Green Team” Novi Grad.
That a great danger is coming from neighboring Croatia is also pointed out by Vojadin from the Nature Park Novi Grad.
“I have to emphasize that this is a great danger that hangs over the entire area, especially Novi Grad, Kostajnica, Kozarska Dubica, and Krupa na Uni,” said Vujadin Pilipovic, acting director of the Public Institution Nature Park Una Novi Grad.
Jasmin Emric, member of the BiH Parliament, says that Croatia is ignoring the objections of BiH and continues with the works, which is why BiH must use all legal mechanisms to prevent the construction of this disposal site.
“Croatia has ignored all our objections, all our reactions. There was no understanding from the Republic of Croatia in a bilateral sense of everything that the representatives of BiH presented as proof that this is an unacceptable project for the citizens living in the northwestern part of BiH. Croatia does not accept BiH as an affected party,” says Jasmin Emric, member of the BiH Parliament.
The BiH expert team in charge of the Trgovska Gora issue emphasizes that BiH opposed the demolition of structures at the Cerkezovac location and that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations sent a protest note to Croatia demanding an immediate cessation of these activities.
“What we believe is that this demolition activity actually represents the first step towards the construction of the first facilities, which is absolutely unacceptable from the point of view of international law and the international obligations of the Republic of Croatia. Since the cross-border environmental impact study has still not been conducted, and BiH has still not been included in the given process, we absolutely believe that no activity towards the construction of the facilities themselves is allowed,” said Nemanja Galic, member of the BiH Expert Team in charge of the Trgovska Gora issue.
From the Croatian Fund for Waste Disposal, they explained that the removal of structures does not mean the start of construction, but rather the preparation of the terrain and the remediation of the location. They say that the final decision on the construction of the center will depend on the results of the Environmental Impact Study, which is being prepared and will be available to the public during the planned public hearings. This topic continues to provoke numerous reactions and concerns in BiH, and the public is calling for greater transparency and responsibility in the further process, especially those living near the border area where the construction of the radioactive waste disposal center is potentially planned.
