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Bosnia: Drina rivers attracts private HPP investors

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It is planned to build 14 mini hydro power plants on the river Drina and its tributaries. Opposition demands to talk to investors and contractors.
Municipality president Radisav Mašić informed 9 oposition assembly members about the construction of mini hydro power plants on Ćehotina, Gozva, Bistrica, Oteša, Krupica, Jabušnica, Sutjeska i Hrčavka in the municipality hall, because they remained persistent in their demand for the extraordinary session regarding the construction of 14 HPP on Drina tributaries.
If a third of assembly members demands an extraordinary session, there are no reasons not to please them – said Branimir Radović, secretary of the Foča municipality assembly, which consists of 25 members.
Concessions are given by the Government of RS, and we encounter many problems in the field that are caused to citizens by mini hydro power plants constructors. We want to stop that and determin clearly who has what obligations and holds what responsibilities. That is why we demand a meeting with the representatives of investors, contractors, local government and other stake holders in order to clarify all issues to the citizens – says Izet Spahić, SDA, one of the Foča opposition members of the assembly.
If we add three planned hydro power plants on Drina, Buk, Bijela, Foča and Paunci, to the 14 mini HPP, Foča will look like Philipines, an island country, crossed by rivers and lakes all over.
So far in the territory of Foča municipality only one mini HPP “Oteša – B-O-2” has been built. Only HPPs on Sutjeska and Hrčavka are questionable, because the zoning plans of NP “Sutjeska” are not adopted yet. But I have nothing against holding an extraordinary session of the Foča municipality assembly regarding the construction of hydro power plants in this area – said Mašić.
It appears that current government in Foča SNSD-SDS is not willing to argue, because when the 30th session finished it was not determined when the extraordinary session would be held, who will prepare the information for the session and HPP owners. It is even more complicated since the concessions for all HPPs were given by the Government of RS and not the local Government of Foča. It is left to the local authorities to set terms to MHPP constructors only regarding the location. Foča will have this authority only when approving the request to construct MHPP on the rivers Krupica and Jabušnica.
Nice and useful
The concession reimbursement based on the produced electric power would bring tenths of thousands of KM to the local budget every year. Without the lake there will be no extra money in the budget and without the budget there will be no investment in the communal infrastructure and capital investment. It is always god to join nice and useful and to make arrangements before the work starts as it is suggested by the opposition in order to avoid any possible disagreements during construction or after it, like it happened regarding the construction of three MHPP on the river Govza.

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