Kosovo: Two important steps to strengthen environmental protection and public participation

In April 2026, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning introduced stronger requirements for hydropower operators to respect ecological flows and install water-flow monitoring equipment. Operators will be required to install water-flow monitoring equipment and/or ensure that rivers maintain the minimum flow needed to sustain aquatic life and natural ecosystems.

Later in July, following findings that several consultations lacked timely and complete information or meaningful public participation, the Ministry suspended and reviewed affected Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures and called for consultations to be repeated where necessary.

The Ministry based both decisions on findings from the Blue Heart campaign, which exposed failures to maintain minimum ecological river flows and ensure meaningful public participation, while reaffirming the legal obligations of hydropower operators.