By: C. R.
SDS MP Karmen Furman spoke at the press conference about the project of building wind farms that impact Pohorje as one of the most preserved natural areas in Slovenia.
As stated by MP Karmen Furman, the project that is currently causing justified concern among the residents of Pohorje municipalities, especially the municipality of Slovenska Bistrica, would completely destroy and degrade this area, which is among other things also part of the protected Nature 2000 area. The project is proposed by the investor Energija na Veter, planning the construction of 56 wind turbines in the area of Bistriško Pohorje, specifically in the areas of Trije Kralji, Areh, and Rogla.
MP Furman emphasised: “From the perspective of nature conservation, this is an entirely unacceptable project that interferes with and destroys part of the Pohorje nature that our ancestors co-created over the centuries. The intention of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning to even assist the investor in expediting such a project is completely unreasonable.”
“The project is practically opposed by everyone living in the environment where the wind turbines would be installed,” warned Karmen Furman. “The municipal council of the municipality of Slovenska Bistrica has already discussed the wind turbine construction project on Pohorje twice this year, where the councillors emphatically rejected the project both times. Similarly, the councillors in the municipality of Ruše have also expressed opposition to the project.”
Despite the strong opposition from residents and experts, who clearly indicate that such interventions are unacceptable for Pohorje as they would destroy one of the most valuable natural and water protection areas in Slovenia, the relevant Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning continues with the procedure. The parliamentary group of the Slovenian Democratic Party has filed a request for an extraordinary session of the Committee on Infrastructure.
“We expect the government, which came to power with slogans about respecting expertise and collaborating with civil society, to move from words to actions in this case and stop the project, which is strongly opposed by both experts and civil society,” concluded MP Karmen Furman at the press conference.