Serious violations in the issuance of concessions for small hydropower plants, which calls into question the plants’ legality were found in a North Macedonia State Audit Office report published Monday. The tendering commissions have not conducted the legally required concession studies or preliminary environmental impact assessments. The competent ministry’s data on applications for such permits is incomplete, as is the data on the permits issued. All of the plants received permits without the legally required site inspections being done. “The State Audit Office report confirms what we have been repeating for years: that the procedure for construction of small hydropower plants neglects legal obligations for environmental protection.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 23, 2021 12:29 UTC