Until we have protected environmentally valuable areas, basic standards, and regulations in the field of environmental protection, it is essential to halt geological explorations and the opening of new mines in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was the message emphasised by Vladimir Topić from the Center for Environment (CfE) and Zoran Poljašević from the Ecological Association “Ozrenski Studenac” Sočkovac during a meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, titled “The Balkans at a Crossroads: Mining Projects for Mineral Resources in BiH and the Countries of the Region.”
The meeting aimed to highlight the concerning mining and geological exploration projects in both the region and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with particular emphasis on environmental threats and human health risks. It was organised in collaboration with the European network of environmental organisations Friends of the Earth Europe, of which CfE is a member, the European Environmental Bureau, and the German foundation HBS—Heinrich Böll Stiftung. In addition to parliamentary representatives, the meeting was attended by representatives from other European organisations and institutions, as well as ecological associations from Serbia.
Many policies have been created in the European Union, and significant responsibility for these projects lies with European institutions. For this reason, the present parliamentarians were informed about the issues in BiH, such as local communities’ opposition to geological explorations, the lack of public participation in environmental processes, and the negative impact of opening new mines on the environment, particularly on unique natural areas like the Majevica and Ozren mountains, the Pliva River valley, Trstionica, Kupres, Čajniče, and others.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country already grappling with numerous problems related to existing mines and the pollution they cause, along with inadequate inspection controls and insufficient legal regulations, pushing forward new mining projects, especially in areas rich in water resources, agricultural land, and forests, is extremely dangerous.
“We must not allow the realisation of all these projects and the opening of new mines because even the existing ones are causing significant pollution. We must not miss the opportunity to create new nature parks and national parks, as Bosnia and Herzegovina undoubtedly has much more natural value than the mere 3% of its territory that is officially protected. We must not allow water and fertile land to be replaced by mines and put the health of the population at risk. Bosnia and Herzegovina must not become a mining colony!” said Vladimir Topić.
Notable cases highlighted include the lithium mining project in Majevica, which threatens to displace the local population and endanger the environment through the extraction of lithium and magnesium ores, as well as hinder the creation of the Majevica Nature Park and sustainable development in the area. Also mentioned were the mines in Vareš and Olovo, which are already causing problems and have led to numerous irregularities, including pollution of the Bukovica and Bioštica rivers, endangering water supplies in certain places, illegal logging with no accountability, and the conversion of forest land into construction land.
Zoran Poljašević specifically presented the problems related to geological explorations in Ozren, the irregularities that have already occurred, and the potential threat to this area in the future if geological explorations and mining continue.
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country with high levels of corruption, very weak environmental standards, and poorly regulated environmental laws, with a small percentage of protected areas, these projects threaten to create additional pressures in this area, leading to pollution and risks to human health, as well as further displacement of the population and destruction of highly valuable nature. There are still many exploration sites planned for mining mineral resources, which will mainly benefit highly developed countries and their energy transitions, all at the expense of small and underdeveloped states. We must prevent this,” concluded Topić.
