Jeta Xharra and Dajana Berisha, two of the founders of the Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development, KOSID, have been presented with the “For the Good” prize, an award handed out annually by a group of activists, which rewards citizens that make contributions to improve any aspect of life in Kosovo.
The duo were awarded the prize for their contribution to green and sustainable development in Kosovo, both as a result of KOSID’s work in fighting the construction of the “Kosova e Re” power plant, as well as the victory achieved by the citizens of Obilic who won an ‘unfair relocation’ case against the World Bank with a lawsuit prepared by KOSID.
The World Bank inspection team, invited to visit Kosovo by KOSID, concluded that the organization had violated its own rules, as well as fundamental human rights, when assisting the Kosovo government in displacing the local population in Obilic.
KOSID have repeatedly advocated for the World Bank not to finance the construction of a third coal-based power plant and were rewarded in October last year when the World Bank decided to withdraw funding for the project on the grounds that the costs of investment in renewable resources were lower than in coal.
The process of convincing the World Bank to withdraw from the power plant financing was achieved after seven years of tireless efforts through the presentation of scientific facts, investigative journalism and civic activism.
Both the previous Kosovo government, which dissolved in August 2019, and power generation company ContourGlobal have continued to seek funds to build the coal-based power plant after the World Bank withdrew from the project, on the grounds that the “power plant is a cheaper alternative” to securing electricity in Kosovo. However, many studies conclude that, in fact, alternative energy is not more expensive than fossil fuels.
One of the alternatives for financing the construction of this power plant that has been mentioned by the Kosovo government is the US Overseas Investment Corporation (OPIC), to which KOSID has sent three letters since February 2019, arguing why a third coal-based power plant is not the most sustainable option for Kosovo.
In a speech given before the For the Good prize was awarded, the host of the award ceremony criticized the previous government for its decision to commit to a third coal based power plant, describing it as “one more reason that makes us unstoppable in our fight against coal.”
