UNDP issues public call for co-financing EV chargers in Montenegro

State and local government institutions and public services in Montenegro have a deadline until May 7 to apply for co-financing the purchase and installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. A total of EUR 60,000 is available as part of the project Development of Low Carbon Tourism in Montenegro, implemented by the United Nations Development Program […]

There is no life without water, and small hydropower plants would extinguish it on Stara Planina

Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta has been fighting against the construction of run-of-river small hydropower plants (SHPPs) on Mt. Stara Planina (the Balkan mountain range) since 2016. Growing up, Jovanović witnessed much better hydrological days of the rivers and streams of Stara Planina, which have since been hurt by climate change and investors’ plans to build SHPPs. […]

Dimitrovgrad municipality proposes ban on SHPPs on its territory

The Municipal Council of Dimitrovgrad in eastern Serbia has adopted a decision to propose the expulsion of all potential locations for the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPPs) from the local spatial plan, Južne vesti reported. The 1987 cadastre for SHPPs envisages the construction of 12 facilities in the Dimitrovgrad municipality and although none have […]

Environmental protection fee in Serbia now calculated based on pollutant emissions

The Serbian government has adopted a decree on criteria for determining activities impacting the environment based on pollutant emissions. The decree envisages calculating the environmental protection fee based on pollutant emissions instead of as a percentage of revenues. The environmental protection fee, also known as the eco tax, for legal entities and entrepreneurs is determined […]

News April 23, 2019

Republika Srpska terminates 7 concessions for small hydropower plants

The Government of Republika Srpska (RS) has canceled 7 concession agreements for the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPPs), including many on the Vrbanja River, Capital.ba reported. This is the second recent case in the wider region for concession contracts for hydropower projects to be terminated, after Albania’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy decided after a […]

Bulgaria: the drive for full liberalization of the energy market and the upcoming changes

Authors: Dimitar Zwiatkow (Partner), Maria Harizanova (Associate), at Pavlov and Partners Law Firm in cooperation with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH The electricity market in Bulgaria is undergoing certain major changes, including the introduction of new rules for renewable energy producers, the abolition of the electricity export tariff, and market coupling projects, which will also affect the […]