The exploitation of lignite in the mine in Bistrica continues for a long time, despite the opposition of the locals. The authorities remained silent on their appeals, so they filed a joint criminal complaint against the concessionaire “Drvo-export” from Teslić. In addition to endangering the environment, the mine also caused landslides.
The lignite mine in Bistrica began to threaten private plots.
The huge landslide is 200 meters from the houses and 20 meters from the spring. Locals say that cracks appear every day and come dangerously close to houses.
Our interlocutor was the first to be hit, who sued the concessionaire “Drvo-export” due to a landslide on his field. He says that the owner offered him a large sum of money to sell him part of the plot. He refused it, because he will not endanger his neighbor, the road and the village.
VASKRSIJA ZRNIĆ, resident of Bistrica
“There is also a hot spring nearby, most likely it will also be in the abyss in 15 days, we don’t know who else to complain to. There have been various inspections, whoever comes, they say, is not our jurisdiction.”
The locals are outraged because the responsibility is being shifted from one to another and they are just being driven around in circles.
DANIJEL LAZIĆ, resident of Bistrica
“We see a coal dump behind, which has been there for two months, we don’t know why, but we know how dangerous, self-igniting coal is. We have two or three environmental catastrophes in the forecast.”
Due to the pollution of the environment, food and water, several locals filed a criminal complaint against “Drvo-export”. They claim that they also bring coal from the Bukova Kos location and grind it in Bistrica, although they do not have a license for exploitation.
ZORAN NINIĆ, applicant of the criminal report
“We asked for additional information from the Prosecutor’s Office, but they didn’t answer us. Obviously, since May, they are just buying time to devastate all of this, extract it, and collect it.”
In “Drvo-export” they deny the allegations of the locals from the criminal complaint.
MLADEN MARKOČEVIĆ, director of “Drvo-export” Teslić
“I have no comment on that. Those are rumours. We had controls, as far as we are concerned, we work in accordance with the law and that’s it.”
In the Inspectorate of Republika Srpska, they say that the geological inspector did not find any irregularities in the Bistrica mine, and that only geological research is ongoing in Bukova Kosa.
DUŠANKA NIKOLIC, spokesperson of the RS Inspectorate
“Last month, geological inspectors visited the location of Bukova Kos, where it was not determined that exploitation was being carried out, but that work on geological research was being carried out.”
It is interesting that the amendments to the Law on Geological Surveys have been proposed, according to which the consent of the local community or the opinion of the competent authority on the need to carry out an environmental impact assessment is no longer required.
Photo: Archive
