Sanela Klarić: Instead of a solution for river protection, Đapo says the Government is powerless

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Three months ago, the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted a Conclusion on the suspension of small hydropower plant construction. The Conclusion has not been respected at lower levels of government, and the Federation Government itself does not intend to deal with this issue further.

Sanela Klarić, a representative of Our Party in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, reacted to this: “It should be reminded that the Conclusion referred to a three-month construction ban. During those three months, a systemic, long-term sustainable solution should have been found to protect the rivers. Today, the relevant minister, Edita Đapo, informs us that a systemic solution is needed to implement the Conclusion, as well as political will and desire.”

“We knew all of that three months ago, and that is precisely why the Conclusion was adopted. The FBiH Government is expected to be the driver of change and to put pressure on lower levels of government to respect the solutions adopted by the Government. With her statement, Minister Đapo has effectively said that the Government is powerless to protect the rivers. However, the Government does not want to do it. The excuse that lower levels of government are not respecting the Conclusion could stand if the same parties that are in the FBiH Government were not in power at those lower levels, at least in the places where we have problems with the construction of mini hydropower plants,” Klarić adds.

As she says, “that is why this topic, although in this specific case it relates to the Federal level of government, is very important in connection with the upcoming local elections.”

“The obstacles to river protection at the local level must also disappear from the scene. In addition to the controversial Conclusion, I remind you that the Declaration on River Protection was adopted on the same day. It will be decided on October 1st in the House of Peoples. This will also be a test for the current government regarding how serious its intentions are when it comes to river protection,” concluded the federal representative from Our Party.