Serbian Church in Montenegro Slams Planned Dams

The Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro said that it had formed a committee for the protection of nature and cultural and spiritual values of the Moraca River after the government revealed plans to build several hydropower plants there.

The Serbian Church - the largest faith group in Montenegro - said the planned power plants posed a threat to the river canyon and to a 13-century monastery, which is an important pilgrimage site.

It accused the government of granting a concession to Chinese and Turkish companies to build the plants without conducting a study on the likely negative impacts.

"It is not just about the threat to the Moraca monastery, which may result not only in the collapse of the site on which it is located ...  but ... could endanger the magnificent canyon with its genuine natural beauties," the Church said.

The government in November said it planned to grant a concession contract for the construction of a dozen hydropower plants on the Moraca river.

However, it denied the Church's allegations that it already reached a deal with Chinese and-and Turkish companies.

A Chinese company, Norinco, has offered to build five hydropower plants on the Moraca and three more on three of its tributaries, the Mrtvica, Sjevernica and Mala. All eight plants would have an annual production of 894.82 GWh. The Turkish company Bereket Energy would reportedly construct four more power plants.

However, the Economy Ministry in November declined to commit itself to any companies, noting that other companies from Turkey and Slovenia had also expressed an interest.

"The selection of the investors and further steps will depend on the offers we receive and how they will be assessed," the ministry said. ...