7.2.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 47/129 Wednesday 6 July 2022
78.
Calls on the government to speed up its work on the 2022-2030 energy strategy, in cooperation with civil society, with a particular focus on a sustainable and affordable energy supply, increased energy efficiency and the further diversification of energy sources in line with the Green Deal Agenda and the Paris Agreement; regrets the continued delay in the publication of the strategy; 79.
Reiterates its concern that the overwhelming majority of Kosovo’s energy is derived from coal and calls for the removal of all non-compliant coal subsidies, the decentralisation of energy production and a transition towards renewables; recognises the need to fully integrate the northern part of Kosovo into the country’s billing system; 80.
Encourages Kosovo to reform and open its energy market, including retail electricity, in order to allow choice for consumers and to break up the existing monopoly in the sector; welcomes the opening of a new district heating plant in Gjakova, financed by EU funds, which is the only plant in Kosovo operating using biomass, and which is expected to reduce pollution in the area by over 90 %; 81.
Expresses its deep concern at the quality of air in most of Kosovo’s urban areas; underlines, in particular, that Kosovo, in recent years, has been in breach of ceilings for air pollutants that pose severe threats to the health of Kosovo citizens; calls on Kosovo to stick to its national emission reduction plan, which complies with the requirements of the Industrial Emissions Directive (9); 82.
Stresses the need for a healthy environment and the protection of water resources and ecosystems, with a particular focus on rivers for the development of agriculture and the strengthening of food and water security; commends the efforts to improve the quality of water basin management and the related permits; welcomes the Kosovo Supreme Court’s verdict suspending the water permit of a hydropower plant in Shtërpca; calls for all dam projects inside protected areas to be stopped, including future Natura 2000 sites (Emerald); 83.
Stresses the need for improvements in waste management, in particular in waste separation and recycling, as well as the need to introduce circular economy measures in order to reduce waste; 84.
Reiterates its call to implement sustainable public transport and mobility policies and address long-standing infrastructure deficiencies; welcomes plans for the modernisation of railways with loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and EU grants; 85.
Welcomes the adoption of the EUR 3,2 billion Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans and calls on Kosovo to make effective use of it; welcomes the ongoing preparation of five flagship projects on energy, infrastructure and clean water and air, including the Pristina-Merdare section of the ‘Peace Highway’ and the preparation for new investments in the water supply and wastewater treatment; 86.
Welcomes the operations undertaken by Kosovo Police in cooperation with EULEX to disrupt illegal logging throughout Kosovo; encourages the relevant authorities and law enforcement agencies in the north and south of the country to increase their cooperation in order to combat this and other crimes; o o
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87.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and to the President, the Government and Parliament of Kosovo.
(9)
Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) (OJ L 334, 17.12.2010, p. 17).