Ministry of Environment Holds Public Debate on New Environmental Permit for USJE Cement Plant

The Ministry of Environment held a public debate as part of the procedure for issuing a new integrated environmental A permit for the USJE Cement Plant, a document that will define the conditions under which the company will conduct its activity over the next seven years.

Representatives of institutions, the company, the professional community, environmental organizations, as well as interested citizens attended the session and were given the opportunity to present their positions and suggestions regarding the draft permit.

Although the Ministry of Environment stated that the new operating criteria for the company have been aligned with European directives, this did not convince representatives of the civic initiative “Stop Usje,” who demanded that the company not be granted the ecological A permit for the next seven-year period, from 2027 to 2034.

“So far, everything we have submitted as proposals and our remarks has not been implemented. Even though every day we hear that everything will be in line with European standards, that does not appear in any document. We want to see it in writing, and the concerns remain the same as before: the pollution limit, and the aspect of monitoring and publishing the level of pollution,” said Marija Manolco from the Civic Initiative “Stop USJE.”

On the other hand, the Ministry of Environment repeated that the procedure for obtaining the operating permit is being carried out in line with European directives.

“The new operating permit they will receive will be based on the new conditions arising from the new control law, and the purpose of this debate is to increase transparency in the granting of the license. We have also spoken with the civic initiative ‘Stop USJE,’ and during the next week we will receive them at the ministry, but we can guarantee that the new requirements are in line with European directives,” stressed Besa Tateshi from the Ministry of Environment.

Company representatives also said that USJE, throughout all its years of operation, has operated according to the required standards and that it will continue in the same way under the new, stricter principles.

“We follow all the publications, but I can say that TITAN USJE is working with the highest responsibility and in a transparent manner, which is why we are here, to hear all their concerns and to give an explanation for those concerns, but I strongly believe that the problem lies in misunderstanding, and I believe that through dialogue we will increase trust,” said Natasha Bakreska, environmental manager at the USJE cement factory.

/rtm2