The Institute for Social Policies ‘Musine Kokalari’ opposes the behavior and statements of the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Liburn Aliu, specifically the institutional response to civic activism regarding the construction of hydropower plants in the Deçan Gorge, particularly in relation to the plan for the restoration of Zalli i Rupës, which is the most damaged area during this construction.
In recent weeks, the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure has published a concept plan for the rehabilitation of the Zalli i Rupës area, prepared by an expert contracted by the investor in Deçan, ‘Kelkos Energy’. Civil society activists, who have been engaged in protecting the Lumbardhi River since the beginning of the construction in this area, have reacted strongly against this document.
IPS “Musine Kokalari” considers that the language used by Minister Aliu in one of the television broadcasts in response to this reaction sends a harmful message to democracy and to activism for the public interest in general. Therefore, the least the Minister can do is to issue a public apology for the language used against the group “Pishtarët”, who have led the efforts to protect rivers in our country.
We also call for accountability regarding the inaccurate representation of the nature of the involvement of Dr. Christoph Hauer in the rehabilitation plan. Minister Aliu stated that he was appointed by the organization ‘Riverwatch’, but this was publicly refuted in an open letter addressed to the Minister by Mr. Ulrich Eichelmann, Director of ‘Riverwatch’. Mr. Eichelmann clarified that the expert in question was only recommended by ‘Riverwatch’, while in fact he was contracted by Kelkos Energy. At the same time, Mr. Eichelmann expressed high appreciation for the activists of the group ‘Pishtarët’.
Such irresponsible statements have also been made in the past by various ministers, with the only effect being the loss of credibility of the country’s institutions in relation to international organizations.
During this year, the Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy has published a research report on the Social Impact of Hydropower Plants in Deçan, where we identified a series of legal violations that have accompanied this process. These violations have resulted in the degradation of the area surrounding the Lumbardh River in Deçan and have made life more difficult for the residents of that area.
On the other hand, it has also been our recommendation that within the Environmental Impact Assessment process, the social impact dimension that hydropower plants have on the community be included as well.
We consider the inclusion of the community and civil society activists in Deçan in the rehabilitation process of the area to be a practical necessity, as these groups are most familiar with the damage caused in that region.
December 1, 2021