After a series of unverified and one-sided media reports about the fate of the Poklečani wind farm in the municipality of Posušje, the verdict of the Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina reveals a completely different legal reality than the one imposed on the public.

While many media presented this outcome as a historic victory due to the alleged destruction of heritage and ecocide, the facts suggest that the public has once again become the victim of a fabricated narrative.

The Supreme Court annulled the urban planning permit on the grounds that it had been granted prematurely, based on the environmental decision that had not yet been provided with a finality clause, and the objections that the planned construction of the wind farm in question infringed the right to private life, family and home in the sense of Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, this court evaluated as unfounded in their entirety.

While the public is being manipulated and creating the impression that the project is being stopped due to the destruction of nature and the lack of environmental permit and other similar sensations, the truth remains that not a single word dedicated to these issues can be found in this verdict of the Supreme Court. The final legal epilogue of this verdict exposes a deep gap between the actual facts and the imposed narrative.

Namely, the Public Company ˮElektroprivreda HZ HBˮ joint-stock company Mostar possesses all the necessary documentation prescribed by the positive legal regulations in the field of environmental protection in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whereby all its activities are further aligned with the requirements and procedures of international financial institutions, based on the highest environmental and social protection standards.

Therefore, the question arises as to in whose interest is it to slow down the project that enables the annual generation of 436 GWh of electricity? That is energy that can supply over 100,000 households with average consumption. This is a major energy investment worthy of the attention of the entire region, and its implementation gives energy independence to the entire local area. Energy independence is the foundation of controlling one’s own future.

It should be emphasized that the investor is a public electricity company – a public supplier that provides its customers with a secure and reliable supply of electricity at prices that are among the lowest in Europe, unlike other investors who do not have the obligation to supply the local population with energy. Without such facilities, it is impossible to maintain electricity prices this low.

A half of the permanent concession fee that will be paid to the Municipality of Posušje belongs to the local community on whose territory the wind power plant is being built.

Allegations about the harmful impact of the wind farm on the environment and water are completely unfounded. Thousands of such facilities have been built across Europe, on land and at sea. The real challenges of the local community are the existing infrastructure problems, such as the lack of sewerage system, and it is precisely this kind of project that makes it possible to solve them through revenues from the concession fee.

Therefore, the Poklečani wind farm is not a problem, but an opportunity to solve existing environmental problems.