Enforcing legal protection for pollution victims in Central Bosnia
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Description: The aim of the project was to strengthen civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina in involvement in environmental decision-making and functioning legal instruments for the protection of victims of industrial pollution, specifically in the Zenica-Doboj canton, one of the most polluted places in Europe.
SECTOR (OECD): Human rights
Budget in CZK: 1 524 450 Kč
Implementer: Arnika - the Center for Community Mobilization and Support
Funding organization/s: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Partner organization/s: Eko Forum Zenica
Web links: www. english.arnika.org/bosnia-and-herzegovina www.eko.ba www.ekoforumzenica.ba
Social networks: www.facebook.com/arnika.org www.facebook.com/ekoforumzenica
Contact - implementer: Zuzana Vachůnová/ [email protected]/ +420 604 360 199 Samir Lemeš/ [email protected]/ + 387 61 805 562
Contact - gestor: Zuzana Vachůnová/ [email protected]/ +420 604 360 199
Detailed description: The project was focused on the Zenica-Doboj canton, one of the places with the worst polluted environment in Europe. In the city of Zenica itself, which has a population of 150,000, the steelworks of the multinational concern Arcelor Mittal is operating. It employs more than 2,500 people, is also the largest source of air pollution in the country and is constantly postponing investment in environmental measures. According to medical statistics, the incidence of cancer, respiratory diseases and DNA damage in children is increased in Zenica. Public involvement in environmental decision-making is insufficient. Although Bosnia ratified the Aarhus Convention on the Right to Information and Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making in 2008, citizens' awareness of legal instruments is low, as well as active public participation. The project aimed to: 1) To raise public legal awareness through round tables with representatives of authorities, the public and the media and by providing consultations to citizens, associations and municipalities. 2) To define the weak points of the legislation regulating industrial pollution through the elaboration of an analysis of laws and a case study of the Mittal steelworks. 3) To create legal instruments for the protection of pollution victims.
Results to date: 1) A network of representatives of nine villages affected by the operation of the steel plant was created 2) Samples of hen's eggs from domestic farms were taken and analysis for the content of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants was performed – ENG, BCS 3) Two workshops, one conference and almost thirty meetings in communities around the steel plant were organized 4) Lawsuits against new environmental permits for the steel plant were submitted 5) Criminal charges against steelworks managers and the former Minister of the Environment for inaction leading to illegal environmental damage were filed
Project identifier: 9/2015/02
COUNTRY/EMBASSY: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nation-wide project: Selected regions
Project location: Zenica
Project status: Completed