Criminal complaint – Prilpenica/Përlepnicë River

This week, we submitted a criminal complaint against the inspector for the protection of waters and one of the companies which was engaged in the project “Cleaning of rivers”, financed by the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure.

Unfortunately, environmental crimes in Kosovo are committed by different actors, including institutions which are supposed to protect the environment and nature. Last year, after we discovered the presence of excavators inside the Prilpenica/Përlepnicë river, we informed and warned all of the institutions in charge that the destruction was happening and that it must be stopped. After many emails and even visits to the Ministry, the inspectorate visited the crime scene a month and a half later, when the damage and destruction were completed. Local authorities were bypassed so the company could complete the work assigned. The decision on preliminary protection of the River and Hoxha’s stone, issued in May 2024 by the same Ministry, was completely ignored.

The company was rewarded with cca 200.000 EUR for “cleaning” of cca 8km of the riverbed from sediments, rocks, riparian vegetation and its natural shape. In total 2.000.000 EUR was given to the project “Cleaning of rivers” for different rivers and streams all around Kosovo. Such practices have nothing to do with cleaning or flood protection. On the contrary, they increase the risks of floods downstream, cause habitat loss, reduce water quality, and increase erosion.

According to the Law on Nature, any activity that may damage the characteristics and natural values of the area is prohibited. By the Law on Inspectorate of Environment, Water, Nature, Spatial Planning, and Construction, environmental inspectors, are obligated to: Prevent and interrupt activities causing damage to nature and the environment; Prohibit the development of activities contrary to the legislation on nature protection; Take immediate measures to suspend works that are in contradiction with the legal provisions on nature protection.

The company was given sufficient time to finish the work they were contracted for, and our calls for protection and implementation of the Law were ignored. We had no other option than to file a complaint in line with the crimes committed, due to different reasons:

The damage done is irreversible
Local NGO was ignored
Local authorities were bypassed
Decision on preliminary protection was ignored completely
The project of ‘cleaning rivers’ is promoted as successful and beneficial for nature and people
Someone should be, at some point, accountable for that
The destruction of the protected river was financed by public money
FInally, it was done in our village

It is sad that the institutions in charge of nature protection are complicit in the destruction of protected areas. Nature protection should not be just a formality, it requires strategic decision, involvement of local community and science based management.

Rivers are living ecosystems, not just channels filled with water ready to be exploited for human needs and regulated and dredged. Around Prilpenica/Përlepnicë river, in the part above the lake, there are no human settlements, there was no trash, so no reasons for cleaning or flood regulation.