{"id":14128,"date":"2025-06-24T20:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T19:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reri.org.rs\/reri-and-bankwatch-cee-panel-discussion-rule-of-law-is-a-prerequisite-for-a-sustainable-just-and-inclusive-energy-transition-in-the-western-balkans\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T10:29:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T09:29:49","slug":"reri-and-bankwatch-cee-panel-discussion-rule-of-law-is-a-prerequisite-for-a-sustainable-just-and-inclusive-energy-transition-in-the-western-balkans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reri.org.rs\/en\/reri-and-bankwatch-cee-panel-discussion-rule-of-law-is-a-prerequisite-for-a-sustainable-just-and-inclusive-energy-transition-in-the-western-balkans\/","title":{"rendered":"RERI and Bankwatch CEE panel discussion: Rule of law is a prerequisite for a sustainable, just, and inclusive energy transition in the Western Balkans"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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On 27 June, RERI and the Bankwatch CEE network presented reports on the challenges of the energy transition in the Western Balkans during a panel discussion titled \u201cBeyond the Smoke Screen: The Western Balkans\u2019 Path to Compliance with the EU depollution legislation as part of the Green Agenda.\u201d The event marked the launch of Bankwatch CEE\u2019s seventh report <\/span>\u201cComply or Close: Seven years of deadly legal breaches by Western Balkan coal plants\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/span>, alongside RERI\u2019s report on the application of rule of law standards in the energy transition in the Western Balkans<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

The panel brought together civil society representatives and experts working on energy transition and climate policy from both the European Union and the Western Balkans to discuss the urgent need for consistent application of EU standards embodied in the principle \u201cFundamentals First\u201d in the Western Balkans energy transition.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mirko Popovi\u0107, Programme Director at RERI, emphasised that:<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u201cRespect for the rule of law principles is essential for fulfilling the obligations under the Treaty Establishing Energy Community and achieving pollution reduction targets in the Western Balkans. Governments in the region must take responsibility for pollution and violations of citizens\u2019 rights, while judicial authorities must ensure polluters are held accountable. Moreover, it is crucial that national parliaments are involved in monitoring the implementation of the Treaty Establishing Energy Community, as the executive cannot oversee itself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pippa Gallop, Southeast Europe Energy Policy Officer at Bankwatch CEE, highlighted:<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cEU enlargement is back on the agenda, but the harsh reality is that Western Balkan governments show little concern for people\u2019s health or the environment. Instead of a robust response to these chronic violations, the European Commission recently designated Serbia\u2019s Jadar lithium mine as a \u2018strategic\u2019 project, effectively rewarding the regime\u2019s failure to uphold the rule of law. This must change\u2014and swiftly.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The panel also featured insights on the state of the rule of law, energy transition, and progress in aligning with EU standards from Peter Vajda, Senior Environmental Adviser at the Energy Community Secretariat and Martijn Quinn, Deputy Head of Unit Regional and Bilateral Environmental Cooperation, DG ENVI, European Commission.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Panel discussion was organised within the project \u201cFundamentals First \u2013 Improving the Rule of Law and inclusiveness in the Western Balkans Energy Transition\u201d with support from the Open Society Foundation for the Western Balkans, as part of\u00a0 <\/span>Ignita<\/span><\/a> \u2013 a regional civil society cooperation initiative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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External Links:<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Western Balkan governments still complicit in deadly coal pollution \u2013 new report<\/span><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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RERI\u2019s assessment report: Governing the Green Shift: Rule of Law and Energy Reform in the Western Balkans<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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