Environmentalists: NO for the promotion of Macedonia as a mining country
About fifty civil society organizations and institutions from the environment sector demand a meeting with the competent institutions and guarantees for the environmental parameters in the proposal - the strategy for mining 2025-2045, which is being prepared for adoption. The request was submitted to the Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozinovska, and to the Prime Minister of Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, reports MKD.mk.
The following were present at the press: Liliana Popovska from Green Institute, Kostadin Ristomanov from Eco Dolina - Novo Selo, Gjorgi Tanushev from Zdrava Kotlina - Strumica, Dejan Andonov from IKS Institute for Communication Studies, Dejan Dimitrovski from Zelenite from Gazi Baba and a representative from Go Green.
Environmentalists start from their mission to protect the environment, biodiversity and human health and demand careful and sustainable consumption of mineral resources.
Analyzing the draft strategy, environmentalists determined that the text is in conflict with a number of laws and strategies aligned with international regulations in the fields of agriculture, tourism and the environment, which are guided by the preservation of water, soil and air, as a defense against climate change. Environmentalists demand that the mining strategy be based on specific environmental principles and principles.
Environmentalists demand compliance with state strategic documents on environment, climate change, tourism, agriculture and rural development, energy, based on which infrastructure, subsidies and businesses have been invested in for decades.
"There must also be continuity in the strategic documents for industrial policy aligned with EU policies, i.e. development of applied research and production of sustainable, organic and specialized high-tech products and services. "Development of sustainable and authentic industries such as: organic wine and food, eco-steel, ecological construction, creative industries, information and communication technologies, medical equipment and services, authentic tourism and other industries," the ecologists demand.
Environmentalists say NO to a "mining-centric concept" and the promotion of Macedonia as a "mining country", because it is in conflict with all Macedonian and European strategic documents on green energy, circular economy, green infrastructure, environmental protection and climate action. Uncontrolled mining expansion would threaten all other economic sectors and would nullify all investments in Macedonia as a touristic and agricultural country with the production of healthy food and wine. Given the country's size, topography, and hydrologic network, potential environmental disasters can extend across the entire state.
Environmentalists are against mines in protected areas and areas that are in the phase of protection (Kožuf, Ogražden, Belasica, Jakupica, Jablanica). They are against mines 5 km from the settlement or from a protected area, because polluting industry is prohibited at that distance.
They call for the closure of coal mining, and the final alignment of energy workers, miners and environmentalists, in terms of climate plans.
Environmentalists demand that a broad discussion be opened in society about this important strategic document for Macedonia, so that it is adopted through a transparent procedure and with the involvement of all stakeholders, by including all relevant remarks and suggestions.