1.0Bankwatchhttps://bankwatch.blogactiv.euSven Haertig-Tokarzhttps://bankwatch.blogactiv.eu/author/bankwatch/<strong>Two reports by the Serbian Center for Investigative Journalism take stock of the problems surrounding the planned Kostolac B3 lignite power plant, including a recent court decision that cancelled the project's Environmental Impact Assessment.</strong>   <em>by Sven Haertig-Tokarz, cross-posted from the <a href="http://bankwatch.org/news-media/blog">Bankwatch blog</a></em>   Bankwatch has reported time and again about controversies in the <a href="http://bankwatch.org/campaign/coal/Serbia">Serbian coal sector</a>. While the <a href="http://bankwatch.org/our-work/projects/kolubara-lignite-mine-serbia">Kolubara lignite mine</a> has been the most visible in the past, Chinese-backed plans for a <a href="http://bankwatch.org/our-work/projects/kostolac-lignite-power-plant-serbia">new unit at the Kostolac lignite power plant</a> have increasingly come under scrutiny for a possible breach of <a href="http://bankwatch.org/news-media/for-journalists/press-releases/illegal-coal-subsidies-could-cost-south-east-european-coun">state-aid rules</a> and <a href="http://bankwatch.org/news-media/blog/campaign-update-kostolac-b3-lignite-plant-loan-agreement-bypasses-public-debate-and-">undemocratic decision-making over a loan agreement</a> with the China Export-Import Bank among others. The most recent confirmation of the government’s preference for murky waters is a court decision from June nullifying the Environmental Impact Assessment for failing to inform and consult neighbouring Romania about the potential transboundary impacts of the Kostolac B3 lignite unit – an obligation that is part of the international Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention). In the end of July, the <a href="https://www.cins.rs/">Serbian Center for Investigative Journalism</a> (CINS) took a close look at the Kostolac B3 lignite power plant. The two resulting articles offer an overview of the range of issues surrounding the project. See them here: <a href="https://www.cins.rs/srpski/research_stories/article/kostolac-chinese-loan-serb-rule-breaking">Kostolac: Chinese loan, Serb rule-breaking</a> - July 21 <a href="https://www.cins.rs/srpski/research_stories/article/serbia-promisses-clean-while-investing-into-dirty-energy">Serbia promisses clean, while investing into dirty energy</a> - July 22   <h4>More materials about Balkan Coal investments</h4> <a href="http://bankwatch.blogactiv.eu/files/2016/08/BalkanCoal-wide.png"><img class="wp-image-921 aligncenter" src="http://bankwatch.blogactiv.eu/files/2016/08/BalkanCoal-wide-300x40.png" alt="BalkanCoal-wide" width="500" height="67" /></a> <strong><a href="http://bankwatch.org/campaign/coal">See our campaign section >></a></strong>     <em>Image: The existing two units at the Kostolac lignite power plant. Plans for a Chinese-backed third unit are subject to many controversies. (Image (c) by Serbian Center for Investigative Journalism CINS)</em>richhttps://bankwatch.blogactiv.eu/files/2016/08/Kostolac-CINS-feature-150x150.jpg150150