OBSTACLES TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENERGY DECISION-MAKING IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE
OBSTACLES TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENERGY DECISION-MAKING IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

Summary/Abstract: Public participation sets a system of checks and balances, facilitates sustainable development and equitable wealth distribution and safeguards healthy environment. By having access to information, by participating in energy projects that affect their environment, and by having access to justice, citizens increase the accountability and transparency of decisions taken by their governments, companies and intergovernmental institutions. This paper will give a comparative overview of obstacles to public participation in three energy projects in three states of Southeast Europe, namely Bulgaria, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The presumptions among investors and state bureaucrats is that publics are either not interested or not educated enough to participate in highly technical policy-making, or even that greater participation would lead to inefficiency and chaos. EU approximation of Southeast European countries implies strengthening of legislative provisions for public participation, but not their implementation in energy decision-making. Environmental organizations of Southeast Europe lack local experience and expertise, at the same time having the prevailing attitude of governments as opponents, rather than partners. Governments see environmental NGOs as an unproductive or even counterproductive part of the society, due to the post-socialist political culture that stands no critique; higher public (state) interest; or corruption bonded to energy projects. Low public awareness about energy projects and environment contributes to incompliance of competent authorities. Relations between energy projects and participatory democracy are complex to the extent that the list of obstacles can hardly be exhaustive. Publics have a recognized right to participate in energy decision-making, which gives impetus to exploring and mitigating these obstacles.

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