State will decide if nickel will be researched or exploited in some area in the future, not local authorities. This is planned in the draft of the new law for geological research and mining. This innovation is introduced because municipalities had asked for it- it was explained in the Ministry. Still major issues and challenges for investors in mining projects will remain on the lower levels and only way to ensure projects realization will remain on local level circles with great number of stakeholders.
The Company “Srbija nikl” will continue its research in Vrnjacka Banja, Trstenik and Topola municipalities. This company submitted a request for work on Mokra Gora territory but it still waits an answer from the Mining Ministry.
Power to make decisions and give approvals for the nickel research is being taking away from local authorities that were against it, with this new law- Dragoslav Bozovic, Chairman of “Srbija nikl” announced. Termination of the job without previous announcement is also being disabled.
28 of 123 municipalities have already declared that they were not capable of giving approvals and mining work performance during the last year while this low was being enforced- it was stressed in the ministry. Only 9 of the rest 95 local authorities confirmed that they will take over this business.
-Those are Bojnik, Vladicin Han, Vrnjacka Banja, Medvedja, Pozega, Raska, Surdulica, Topola I Sabac- Minister of Mining, Milan Bacevic said.
-The only reason for suggestion that local authorities should not be responsible for these jobs in the draft of the law for geological research is that they have given up this business on their own.
Defense of exploitation environmental influence estimation study is still public in municipalities where it is placed. We suggested predicted innovation only because of faster and more efficient procedure.
Consent of municipal administration for urbanism is still required for exploitation approval request in preliminary version of law draft, according to Minister’s words.
Source Serbia Energy/Ministry of Mining
