EU helps tackle air pollution in Kosovo with €76.4 million

As part of his first visit to Kosovo, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell will launch a major EU-financed project to improve the environmental performance of the “Kosovo B” thermal power plant, Kosovo’s largest electricity generator.

The project will significantly lower emissions, contribute to a reliable and clean energy supply and improve the health and well-being of the population. More specifically, this project will reduce air pollution in Kosovo, lowering the emission of harmful dust by 35 times and nitrogen oxides by 4 times, bringing it in line with EU standards.

High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell commented: “Air pollution is one of the most acute environmental problems affecting the Western Balkans, including Kosovo. With this investment, the EU is providing a concrete contribution to improve the environment in Kosovo and the region, as well as to improve the health and well-being of people. The European Green Deal is a deal for all of us in Europe, Kosovo included. With this project, we want to take the first step in this direction. We hope and expect that our determination will be matched by that of Kosovo’s policymakers.”

€76.4 million in EU funding will be provided for filters on the Kosovo B power plant, through the Commission’s Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA). The EU has been supporting and will continue, as part of the Green Deal ambition, to support a number of actions to improve the environment, to increase energy efficiency measures and to make greater use of clean energy and renewables.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 30 January 2020