BOJIĆ: WE ARE READY TO CHALLENGE REPOSITORY ON TRGOVSKA GORA

NOVI GRAD, APRIL 9 /SRNA/ - BiH is ready to challenge Croatia's plan to build a radioactive waste repository on Trgovska Gora in the municipality of Dvor, right on the border with BiH, said coordinator of the Expert and Legal Team Borislav Bojić at a session of the Novi Grad Municipal Assembly.

Bojić told councilors at a thematic session that Croatia is expected to soon publish an environmental impact assessment, and that all available capacities must therefore be mobilized to respond to this challenge.

He also reminded that the issue of Trgovska Gora will be discussed in May by delegations from BiH and Croatia at the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention in Geneva.

"Our preparations are underway because, in the meantime, Croatia has provided answers to 73 questions we submitted. We are getting ready to go to Geneva, and we have sufficient capacity to meet the challenge," Bojić said.

He stated that an application has been submitted under both the Aarhus Convention and other relevant commissions, and that a response is awaited.

"I am satisfied with the activities so far, especially with the fact that the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Savo Minić enabled the completion of laboratory analyses of the field research samples. A report will be prepared and presented at the Geological Institute in Zvornik," Bojić added.

He emphasized that, thanks to the Chairwoman of the Presidency of BiH Željka Cvijanović, the issue of Trgovska Gora has been on the agenda of the BiH Presidency twice a week for the past 90 days, which is very important given the upcoming activities.

"I am pleased that we have sufficient capacity to respond to what lies ahead, which will be a serious fight. I expect that we will have the support of local communities," Bojić said.

He stated that, due to the Trgovska Gora issue, two high-quality conferences were organized in Bihać and Banja Luka, from which materials have been processed and are ready for use in accordance with the Espoo Convention.

He expects that when the environmental impact study is published, it will also be made available to local communities in the Una River basin, so that discussions can be held in these local communities as well.

Croatia plans to store radioactive waste from the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, as well as existing institutional waste, at the Trgovska Gora site in the municipality of Dvor, right on the border with BiH.