Eko Kvarner: LNG Terminal At Least 30km from the Shore

EKO Kvarner

The Eko Kvarner association believes that the decision of the Government of Croatia to establish a working group for the construction of LNG (liquid natural gas) is wise and sensible. According to Eko Kvarner, the establishment of the Working Group creates the necessary conditions for quality selection of location of the Terminal, provided that all activities of the LNG are fully transparent.

Eko Kvarner greeted the proposal to build LNG Terminal on the Croatian coast from the very beginning, since it would provide solution to many, energy related and environmental problems, but has insisted that the forced decision to select the Petro-chemical complex in Omisalj as location for the terminal is now well thought out, fully non-transparent and without an important consideration of the security aspects.

For that reason, Eko Kvarner demanded that all information relevant to the process of adoption of the decision are made available to the public, via the internet, with the exceptions of parts that may be classified as business or security secrets. The association points out that two LNG terminals are being prepared simultaneously (in Omisalj and near Trieste), which would significantly increase the traffic of ships with hazardous cargo in the area.

Eko Kvarner believes that the best solution would be a construction of a joint, off shore terminal (at least 30 km off the shore), if possible in the area that already has a high concentration of gas drilling platforms in the Adriatic. This would decrease the danger presented by the rising number of ships carrying dangerous cargo, both to the environment or the local population.

If the decision is made, after all, to build the LNG terminal on-land, Eko Kvarner shall insist that it is removed at least 8 kilometres from the nearest bigger settlement of similar facility.

According to the association, just like with the �Druzba Adria� project, the democratic principles of public participation, in force in the EU, have been neglected or violated. Therefore, Eko Kvarner again addressed the European Green Party for assistance and presentation of the case in front of the European Parliament.