Kolubara mining waste causes landslide, wrecks homes in Serbia

June 6, 2013

Belgrade -- A landslide caused by mining operations at Kolubara lignite mines in Serbia is advancing towards the village Junkovac in the Serbian Lazarevac municipality, threatening to engulf parts of it; two houses and a road have been destroyed already, and tens of other homes are at risk.

A hill near Junkovac started sliding down over the weekend because of pressure from mining overburden dumped in its vicinity.

Kolubara mines, the largest lignite complex in Serbia, are operated by state energy company EPS. According to locals and Serbian media, overburden from two fields, B and C (see attached map), has been dumped in the vicinity of Junkovac, seemingly without proper care for the potential negative consequences over the surrounding environment and localities.

Since the weekend, EPS employees have been trying to stop the landslide, but have so far only succeeded in slowing it down. A state inspector has been on the ground as well and state authorities declared they would look into company practices. Yet, according to a CEKOR representative on the ground, people in Jankovac are very scared and do not yet see clear alternatives for moving out of the area.

“Most likely, this destruction is happening because of negligent practices by EPS, which dumped overburden in a careless way without securing against the risk of spills,” says Zvezdan Kalmar from CEKOR. “And now people’s lives and livelihoods are at risk. We have called on the Serbian Ombudsman to come and see the situation on the ground. The people in Junkovac need urgent help.”

Some of the mining operations in Field C of Kolubara have been financially supported by both the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and by German state development bank KfW. Bankwatch and CEKOR are now calling on the two institutions take responsibility for the consequences of mining operations they have supported in the past.

“The EBRD and KfW must insist that EPS takes action fast to offer alternatives and compensation for the people affected by these negligent mining practices,” says Kalmar. “The EBRD, which has supported EPS with several loans in the past, must ask that proper impact assessments are conducted by the company for all operations and that serious mitigation plans are in place for any potential negative effects such as those we are seeing today. If the EBRD really wants to exercise positive pressure on EPS’ practices, the emergency this week is where to begin.”

Notes for the editors:

Photos from Kolubara, available for print: