Kosovo’s Top Court Suspends Hydropower Plant Water Permit

Kosovo's Supreme Court on Monday suspended the water permit of the Brezovica hydro-power plant in Shterpce/Strpce, making it impossible for the construction company to apply for a necessary environmental permit.

Two non-governmental organizations, Group for Legal and Political Studies, GLPS, and GAIA Kosovo, which had requested annulment of the water permits for the Brezovica hydro-power plant in court in February, on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, overturning an ealier decision of the Kosovo Court of Appeals.

The Court of Appeals previously decided not to suspend the work on the hydro-power plant, claiming suspension of work would be against the public interest.

However, the Supreme Court decided that the plaintiffs had provided enough evidence that the public would be damaged by the power plant and that suspension of permits is not against the public interest, neither does it cause substantial losses to the constructing company.

Arber Fetahu, from GLPS, on Monday said the Supreme Court ruling was a "very big win for the citizens of Shterpce because it means that with the suspension of the water permits for the Brezovica hydro power plant, the constructing company cannot apply for environmental permits, the issue of which is a precondition for the operation of the hydropower plant".

According to Fetahu, GAIA and GLPS only sued against the water permit of the Brezovica plant because it is the only one given "so far by the Ministry of Environment - even though for almost one year we have requested water permits for other hydro power plants in Shterpce, meaning the plants at Sharri, Shterpca, and Vica".

Fetahu said the human rights of the Shterpce/Strpce citizens were violated due to them not having been informed...