More than 800 citizens of Sanski Most signed a petition against coal exploitation

(Patria) - The citizens' initiative "Life on Coal", which fights against coal exploitation in Sanski Most, harmful to the environment and citizens' lives, today submitted a petition to the Municipality with more than 800 citizens' signatures.

The petition calls for an urgent reaction from the competent institutions to resolve the challenges faced by residents due to coal exploitation in Sanski Most.

Namely, by signing the petition, citizens demand that a thematic session be held or that the issue of problems caused by the operation of the lignite mine, i.e., exploitation that is already, by all accounts, exceeding the scope of the concession agreement, be included as an agenda item at the next session of the Municipal Council, and that the benefits and damages of this exploitation for the municipality and local population be reviewed.

Furthermore, citizens demand that municipal services request the competent cantonal and federal institutions to address this problem as soon as possible, as it is no longer just a problem of the mine's location, but of the entire municipality.

- Citizens of Sanski Most have suffered the consequences of coal exploitation for too long. It is time to take concrete steps to protect our environment and the well-being of our community - stated the representative of the initiative "Life on Coal", Faruk Beširević.

By signing the petition, citizens want to address several problems arising from coal exploitation, including land and air pollution, endangering milk production and livestock farming, destruction of residents' private plots, disruption of residents' daily activities, and impact on the overall quality of life.

The problem arose when a Decision on the transfer of concession to a private company from Posušje was illegally made, without the consent of the original concession holder, Rudnik Kamengrad, which is why the Supreme Court of FBiH annulled the decision and returned the case to the Federal Ministry for further proceedings.

The initiative "Life on Coal" demands that the competent cantonal and federal authorities address this problem as a matter of urgency and implement measures that protect the interests of the citizens of Sanski Most.

In addition, it is necessary to request the Federal Ministry of Energy and Mining to act on the verdict of the Supreme Court of FBiH regarding the Decision on the transfer of concession.

Furthermore, they demand that the work of the competent inspectorates be influenced, i.e., their faster and more diligent action.