Action Alerts Archive: Skopje Bypass
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Bypass the problematic Skopje Bypass in Macedonia
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| St. Atanasij Church in the village of Volkovo. Skopje Bypass should cross its property. |
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering giving a loan to the government of Macedonia to build the western section of a bypass around the Macedonian capital, Skopje. However, this road will seriously affect the lives of people living along the planned route, and no proper alternatives to the government's route, nicknamed the "Road of Death" by opponents, were respected.
The western arm of the highway would be built only 20 metres from a drinking water reservoir, without adequate guarantees that the water will not be contaminated. Prime agricultural land (some residents' only source of income) will be taken out of operation, even though the road could be built on nearby state-owned land. Also, an overpass will be built very near two orthodox churches and a local cemetery, threatening to disrupt religious services, and an elementary school would be located less than 200 metres from the road, raising concerns about asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
An alternative route proposed by villagers was rejected without proper study. The EBRD must not endorse the Macedonian government's refusal to take into account options that could have less impact on local residents and their immediate environment.
You can help by sending the letter below to the EBRD's Transport Director Riccardo Puliti <pulitir@ebrd.com>, urging him to reconsider the investment in the current version of the Skopje Bypass project.
To get more information on the environmental and social drawbacks of the Skopje Bypass, visit our website at: http://www.bankwatch.org/issues/transport/mainbypass.html. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your help on this issue.
Yours sincerely,
the Bankwatch team
Sample letter
Riccardo Puliti Transport
Director European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square London
UK
pulitir@ebrd.com
Dear Director Puliti:
I am writing you to express my support of the residents of the villages of Volkovo and Orman regarding the Skopje Bypass in Macedonia, whose lives will be drastically affected if the road is built as proposed.
The EBRD is currently considering providing the Macedonian government a loan for this project. I am asking you to not grant a loan while some of the road's potential impacts remain unaddressed.
Most importantly, the Macedonian government ignored proposed alternatives when approving the current route. Also ignored were the protests of local residents who fear that the road will affect their way of life.
The negative impacts are the following:
The water reservoir A regional water reservoir, built in 1989 solely with donations from the local population, provides the people from four settlements (Volkovo, Orman, Stopanski Dvor and Kisela Jabuka) with drinking water. The bypass would be constructed about 20 metres from the reservoir, raising concerns that the water may be contaminated during the construction or operation of the bypass.
Churches and cemeteries The bypass would cut through the properties of two Orthodox Churches, St. Atanasij and St. Paraskeva, both of which are places of gathering for the people and are cultural monuments of great value. Both churches were built on the ruins of ancient churches that existed centuries ago. According to the project's independent reviewer, this is the most significant concern, and will have the highest negative impact. However, the maps for the bypass do not show the churches or the burial land, which is an unacceptable error. The locals and the priest are highly concerned that the highway will produce a lot of noise and will disrupt their religious procedures. Furthermore, an overpass will pass above one of the local cemeteries, disturbing the peaceful rest of the settlements' departed residents. People's right to practice their religion undisturbed is a basic human rights. The local residents feel that the proposed route will destroy their cultural heritage, which may be lost to future generations. Agricultural land The highway will destroy first class agricultural land. For some of the local residents, agricultural output from their lands is their sole source of income, and they cannot afford to lose of this income. If they lose their livelihood, the social impacts will be extremely negative.
For these reasons I would like to ask the EBRD to carefully consider its involvement in this project, and to not fund the bypass until an alternative route has been thoroughly studied. Under its own mandate, the EBRD pledges to protect and promote human rights and the environment.
Thank you for your understanding of the problem and we truly believe that you will make the right decision.
Yours sincerely,
Links
Proaktiva, Macedonia Eco-sense,
Macedonia |
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