On the occasion of the issuance of the Decision on conditions for nature protection – Project “Jadar”, 32 civil society organizations dealing with nature protection call on the Government of Serbia and the Ministry of Environmental Protection to take responsibility and take measures to sanction those responsible in the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia for the non-transparent and illegitimate process of issuing nature protection conditions for the “Jadar” project.
REQUEST FOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR IRREGULAR ISSUANCE OF CONDITIONS FOR NATURE PROTECTION – JADAR PROJECT
The decision on nature protection conditions for determining the scope and content of the environmental impact assessment study of the “Jadar” lithium and pine deposit underground exploitation project was issued on August 21, 2024 at the request of the Rio Sava company, and by the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia, an expert institution that carries out the activity of protecting and improving Serbia’s natural heritage.
After the publication of information by the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS), the public was given confirmation of suspicions that the nature protection conditions for the “Jadar” Project were drawn up outside the standards, that they were changed and adopted without the consent of the experts employed at the Institute, that they are in line with the interests of the company and to the detriment of nature and the citizens of Serbia.
Good management of the environment and the preservation of Serbia’s natural resources rest on the quality work of institutions, the application of laws, compliance with procedures, the use of scientific data and expert opinions.
Understanding the complexity of procedures in approving projects, we believe that the main task of the Institute is to, through the issuance of a decision on nature protection conditions, present in detail all knowledge about the presence of natural values in a given area, without lump-sum selection of “some of the most important species”, to assess possible impacts and to propose protection measures. The principles of prevention and precaution and the principle of preservation of natural values, which are defined by the Law on Environmental Protection, require that natural values be identified and stated, as well as that any possible impact on them be assessed, in accordance with the best knowledge of the profession and without any compromises.
The fact that the management of the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia does not respect the knowledge and opinions of its employees is worrying, and because of political decisions, it is collapsing practices that have been developed for years, thus greatly endangering the nature of Serbia and its citizens.
We believe that nature protection is one of the priorities of our society, and that the institutions responsible for nature protection must be the greatest fighters and advocates for the preservation of natural resources.
The Jadar project, which carries very high risks for the nature and the citizens of Serbia, stimulates corruption through such actions and practices and further erodes citizens’ trust in institutions.
So that this way of creating conditions for nature protection would not become a common practice, which can have serious and tragic consequences, we request:
- urgent protection of the Institute’s experts who opposed the way the decision was made from any potential criminal and disciplinary procedures, as well as from potential mobbing by superiors;
- the resignation of the director of the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia;
- sanctioning the authorities in the Ministry of Environmental Protection;
- revision and amendment of the legal framework for issuing nature protection conditions and internal acts of the Institute, which will ensure the consistent application of expert knowledge and prevent the influence of other interests when drafting decisions on nature protection conditions, as soon as possible.
Signatory organizations:
Young Researchers of Serbia
White Heron 1166
Belgrade Open School
CEKOR – Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development
Modern Skills Center
Center for Civic Action
Center for the Improvement of the Environment
Stara Planina Society
Eco center
Eco club Green signs
Ecological movement “Framework of Life”
European movement in Serbia-Valjevo
GM Optimist
Environmental protection engineers
iRevolution
Ornithological Action League
Local response
Media and Reform Center Niš
National Environmental Association
Organization for Political Ecology Polekol
Novi Sad Mountaineers’ Movement
The Movement of the Highlanders of Vojvodina
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PROACTIVE
Ekomar Association
Association of citizens “Novi put”
South Morava-Lalinac Association
Journalists’ Association EKO VEST
Forest Protection Association, Novi Sad
UNECOP
Green List of Serbia
Green key