Brussels, 20/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - A Natura 2000 network natural habitat in Romania that was threatened with destruction by plans for hydroelectric power stations, has finally been saved following a court ruling, WWF announced on 19 November.
This is a victory for WWF Romania, the Nature Association Transylvania and ordinary people over the Romanian Environment Ministry. Since 2014, environmentalists have been fighting tooth and nail for the Caras-Severin environment protection agency to reject small hydropower projects. In August 2014, the Natura 2000 coalition took the matter to court to prevent construction and operation of the power plants form harming aquatic fauna and damaging protected habitats. At the end of legal proceedings, the Timisoara appeal court rejected approvals for four power plants. “We welcome the fairness of the judiciary. We have shown that environmental legislation should always be respected and that it is not just on paper”, said Liviu Cioineag, Director of the Natura 2000 coalition. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *