The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is closer to a decision to withdraw of a funding the hydropower plant “Boskov most” near Debar in Macedonia, due to strong opposition of activists for environmental protection.
EBRD has officially announced that the drafting of “new” studies is underway and until its completion there will be no activities.
“Because of the fierce reactions of environment experts and the concerned wider public the works in the field are very difficult and there is likely to give up”, according to the EBRD statement.
Construction of hydropower plant “Boskov most” in Macedonia has caused a lot of controversy in recent years. In the international field, it is conducted a petition against its construction, which has been signed so far by more than 100,000 people who want to protect the National Park Mavrovo.
The whole thing came to the Council of Europe, which has already worked the analysis whether “Boskov most” and “Lukovo polje” violate the Convention on the environment protection.
On the other hand, the Electric Power Industry of Macedonia (ELEM) plans to receive 117 GWh of electricity from the hydropower plant “Boskov most”, accounting 10 percent of the current electricity production from hydropower plants in the country.
Of the required 84 MEUR needed to build the dam 33 meters high, it is planned that EBRD provides 65 MEUR.
