Balkans

The briefing analyses the old Regulation on the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) (2007-2013) and compares it with the new proposal (2014-2020), with a specific focus on environmental protection and transparency/partnership principle. Since the regulation is not strong enough in neither of these two areas, we provide amendments to the regulation's articles. The briefing is a useful tool for advocating for better environmental protection and improvement of the public participation in decision making in the Western Balkan countries.

Montenegro's Network for Affirmation of NGO Sector (MANS) is being heavily criticised by the government because of its advocacy on electricity prices. Bankwatch sent this letter of support to Montenegro's prime minister.

The letter complains about the EU's negligence of its shareholder role in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and its lack of scrutiny of two recently approved projects that are set to contravene EU principles and standards: the Ombla hyrdopower plant in Croatia and the Boskov Most HPP in Macedonia.

For many years TES 6 has been surrounded by rumours of corruption. In February 2012 the Slovene State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption published a report stating that acts of corruption could have influenced the awarding of the contract to French company ALSTOM and that the law on the state guarantee itself was initially drafted by employees of HSE, the owner of the Sostanj power complex.

Slovene NGO Focus Association for Sustainable Development has translated the report to English. (The original report (in Slovenian language) is available for download here (pdf).)