Bern Convention

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

The complaint was submitted in 2022 by an individual on behalf of a consortium of Earth Thrive, EkoKrajiste, Kings College Legal Clinic, Balkanka Association, Mlavska Vojska and Čuvari Homolja and Earth Law Centre. The complaint alleges that the expansion of mining activities in Bosilegrad and Homolje Mt region would endanger species protected under Appendix II and III of the Bern Convention, including the Semicollared flycatcher and the Balkan Lynx, and entire ecosystems: Important Bird Areas, Prime Butterfly Areas, preliminary IPA-Important Plant Areas, and candidate NATURA 2000/Emerald Network sites and Ramsar sites by way of an interconnected ecosystem.

According to the complainant, at the core of the complaint there is the failure to provide appropriate and necessary legislative and administrative protection measures for the wild flora and fauna species in Serbia. In the co-complainants’ opinion, Serbia’s weak EIA process makes it extremely difficult for the public to fully review environmental impacts and participate in the decision-making processes. The expansion of the existing mining activities would critically endanger the ecosystem due to water, air and soil pollution, heap-leaching, pit dewatering (and sedimentation ponds), different types of waste (including potentially the formation of Acid Mine Drainage), potential cyanide use, fumes or gases (including mercury vapours), acid rock drainage, non-mineral wastes (packaging, used oil, batteries, medical waste, sewage), noise, deforestation, and soil removal.

After discussing the new complaint for the first time in Spring 2023, the Bureau decided to consider this as a complaint on stand-by.

 Key Timeline

• 2022 - Case registration

 Other countries possibly concerned

• N/A

 Other international organisations involved

• N/A

 Documents

Complaint form

Regular reports to the Bureau and/or Standing Committee

Please note that all reports received by a Party during one calendar year are included in one single report for that year. Some older reports are not available in digital form.

Other information / documents