The majority of Western Balkan countries rely on thermal power plants and many of the new plants which are being built do not comply with the newly approved EU standards for environment protection, the Independent Balkan News Agency reported.

Almost none of the new power plants planned to be built in Western Balkans will not meet the latest standards against pollution approved by the European Union, the new analysis by CEE Bankwatch Network says.

“Of course, the drafters of the project are delaying their projects by making revisions and taking measures to adapt them with the new standards, but by not doing them now, they will pay later”, said Pippa Gallop, research coordinator of Bankwatch.

“The extra costs that the new standards will bring are a warning for governments that coal will soon become an unusable source of energy”, Gallop said.

Meanwhile, the EU has introduced a new standard called BREF LCP on 28 April of this year.

This standard stipulates better techniques to control pollution of air, water and land and also the limits of gas emission.

The majority of governments in Western Balkans have already passed legislations, stating that the EU standard will be used as a basis for the permits given for the construction of new thermal power plants and these standards are expected to be implemented as soon as they come into force in the EU.