Residents of Livno, Tomislavgrad and Kupres, located in Canton 10 of Bosnia and Herzegovina, have launched a petition seeking to stop the further construction of solar and wind power plants in these municipalities.
Numerous citizens’ initiatives in Livno, Tomislavgrad and Kupres have joined forces in a campaign against the further development of wind and solar power projects. They argue that these energy projects are destroying the area’s natural beauty, harming the environment and providing no benefits to local communities. Canton 10 is part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the two entities making up BiH. The other is called the Republic of Srpska.
The coalition of citizens’ initiatives, including Zaštitimo izvore Mandeka, Spasimo naš kraj, Udruga Dinarica, Centar za građansku suradnju Livno, citizens’ assemblies from numerous local communities, Mladi Buškog blata, Udruga Mladi za Kupres, and other local hiking and hunting associations, has put forward five demands.
Residents call for a five-year moratorium on new permits
The group is calling for a five-year moratorium on the issuance of new permits and on the construction of renewable energy plants until ongoing court proceedings are resolved and water sources are protected. They also demand the preparation of a clear strategy defining where and to what extent such projects may be developed, as well as amendments to spatial plans and the removal of all disputed project locations.
In addition, they are seeking stricter oversight of the construction and operation of power plants, along with mandatory site restoration after facilities cease operations. The final demand is to annul disputed concession agreements, which the activists claim threaten private property, tourism and family-run farms.
The petition will be open for signatures from August 4 to August 31 in Livno and Tomislavgrad.
Canton 10 has more wind turbines than Switzerland, residents claim
In a joint statement, the citizens’ initiatives said that the areas of Tušnica, Jelovača, Ivovik and Šujica have already suffered permanent damage. They also claim that Canton 10 now has more wind turbines than Switzerland, while at the same time lacking sufficient funding for decent salaries for doctors and child benefits.
According to the citizens’ initiatives, 13 more wind farms and 12 solar power plants are planned in Tomislavgrad, raising further concerns among residents. They argue that new projects planned in Livno and Kupres could threaten local tourism and agriculture.
The activists also noted that, under the new cantonal regulation, concession fees range from 2% to 10%, which, they argue, leaves considerable room for non-transparent decision-making.
The residents had requested that the minimum concession fee for renewable energy projects be set at 15%, but the authorities retained the minimum rate of 2%. They also criticized the authorities for failing to respond to questions regarding disputed concessions and for appointing a new concessions commission without a public recruitment process.
