Foča citizens satisfied with RS MoI's reaction regarding illegal construction of small hydropower plants on Bjelava

(Patria) - Regarding the statement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RS on the submitted report against individuals from Foča concerning the illegal construction of small hydropower plants, the citizens' association "Bjelava" expresses satisfaction with the activities undertaken by the competent institutions. Such a report confirms the validity of our previous claims and indications of numerous illegal actions since the commencement of construction work on small hydropower plants in the Bjelava river basin.

"We hope that this activity by the RS MoI will prompt other republican and municipal institutions to perform their duties responsibly and in accordance with the law. All these activities by the RS MoI have given additional significance to the civic initiative in acting against illegal actions occurring in our environment.

We are witnesses that in the past activities, citizens have not been protected by the Mayor of the Municipality and the Municipal Assembly of Foča, although they were elected to represent the interests of all citizens and the local community. Their (in)action has shown that they represent the interests of individuals. This is supported by the inability to hold a session of the Assembly, and subsequently the Collegium, due to a lack of quorum, where one of the agenda items was the construction of small hydropower plants in the Bjelava river basin.

It is particularly concerning that at the Collegium preceding the cancelled session, on the initiative of the Mayor and with the consent of the majority of present members, an agenda was adopted with a proposal for a decision to grant a servitude for the installation of pipelines for small hydropower plants on municipal land in the Bjelava river basin, without regard to numerous reports of illegal actions since the commencement of work in the Bjelava river basin.

Given all of the above and the new situation regarding the report that the RS MoI has submitted to the District Public Prosecutor's Office in Trebinje, we request that the Municipal Assembly of Foča convene a regular, scheduled session with the already proposed agenda as soon as possible.

We hereby remind that, since they did not express their stance at the session, we request a position on this issue from all those who are supposed to represent the citizens. For this reason, we have provided Information and a request for a statement to all parties, all councilor clubs, and all councilors in the current convocation of the Municipal Assembly regarding the construction of small hydropower plants on the Bjelava and other rivers in the municipality of Foča, and we await their responses," the statement said.