Prishtina, 12 November 2020 – Following the news broadcasted in media as to the issuance of environmental permits to the Company “Kelkos Energy”, Ministry of Economy and Environment issues this clarification for the public, in order to clarify which environmental permits have been issued and for which hydro power plants.

 

It should be made clear that Minister Blerim Kuçi in today’s morning has not been informed of this issue, and therefore his statement that no permit has been issued was based on the information available.

 

In the Ministry of Economy and Environment, the process for issuance of environmental permits does not imply directly the minister in the process, as the administrative procedure for these documents takes place between departments and Commission for Environmental Permits, and concludes in the Office of the Secretary General of the Ministry.

 

Find below a clarification from the Commission for Environmental Permits, showing the process to which two environmental permits for the Company have been subject. This clarifies that the company has failed to obtain the third environmental permit, as the Commission concluded that the conditions have not been fulfilled yet.

 

Full process clarification

 

Company “Kelkos Energy” has attached to the request for environmental permit the environmental consent for three hydro power plants.

 

Separate application forms for three hydro power plants have been attached to the request for environmental permit, as well as the environmental permit fee has been paid for three hydro power plants separately.

 

The Company has attached the use permits for the “HPP– Belaja” and “HPP– Deçani”, Certificate of Legalization for construction of the pipeline, intake and electric cables, and also the water permit for “HPP– Belaja” and “HPP– Deçani”, for approval of the fulfilment of water conditions foreseen in previous water permits for each HPP separately.

 

For Hydro Power Plants HPP “Belaja” and HPP “Deçani”, the Company managed to provide the entire documentation required in compliance with the Administrative Instruction for Environmental Permits 07/2017, whereas with regards to the HPP- “Lumëbardhi II”, the company did not manage to fulfil the criteria according to the Administrative Instruction 07/207 on Environmental Permits, as it failed to obtain the water exploitation permits and water use permits.

 

Also, the Commission for Environmental Permits, when conducting the field visit, concluded that the area where the works for HPP “Belaja” and HPP “Deçani” took place have been rehabilitated, whereas the area where works for HPP “Lumëbardhi II” have taken place have not been rehabilitated; therefore, the Response dated 12.10.2020 remains in force.