The Nature Protection Inspection of the State Inspectorate of Croatia initiated an administrative proceeding against the investor of the hydroelectric power plant on the Una river, in which the investor was prohibited from carrying out activities and works on the construction of a small hydroelectric power plant in the area of the Natura 2000 ecological network – “HR 2001069 Kanjon Una”.
As stated by the State Inspectorate of Croatia, the works were carried out without an assessment of acceptability for the area of the ecological network.
In carrying out the examination procedure, the nature protection inspection of the State Inspectorate, in accordance with Article 13 of the Law on Nature Protection, requested an opinion from the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition as an expert-analytical body for nature protection affairs in the Republic of Croatia to determine whether the construction of the small hydroelectric power plant, with a power of 160 kW, “Una mill”, has damaged the characteristics of the target habitat type, i.e. whether the habitats of native species have been damaged and whether it has caused adverse consequences for nature, the statement explains.
“Following the request of the nature protection inspection of the State Inspectorate, the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection submitted to the State Inspectorate a report stating that the works carried out had a harmful impact on nature, and stating that further negative impact cannot be ruled out implementation of interventions both on the objectives of conservation and the integrity of the area of the ecological network as well as on biodiversity in its entirety,” the Inspectorate concludes in a statement.
