The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska (RS) has suspended the process of issuing an environmental permit for coal exploitation at the Bukova Kosa deposit near Prijedor. This follows a lawsuit filed by the Center for Environment, which challenged the Ministry’s earlier decision to exempt the project from requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Center argues that an EIA is critical given the area’s dense population and rich agricultural, water, and cultural resources. A favorable court ruling could require a full environmental study before any permit is issued, with the Ministry retaining the right to reject inadequate assessments. The Center has also appealed to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, citing restricted public participation in concession decisions.
The final outcome may be determined by the Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile, Bukova Kosa residents have protested multiple times, expressing serious concerns over the project’s potential health and environmental impacts.
