A breath of fresh air: Countering the nexus of air pollution and corruption in the Western Balkans

Security is not limited to hard political and military issues. It also manifests itself in the air we breathe. The simple act of breathing clean air has a tremendous impact on our everyday lives but can all too often be taken for granted.

This is something that citizens in many large cities in the Western Balkans would never take for granted. Bad air quality is a constant in their lives, especially during the winter months. While media reports have singled out Skopje as the most polluted city in Europe, many cities across South-Eastern Europe struggle with high levels of pollution.

This pollution does not come out of thin air. Among the factors aggravating air quality, the influence of corruption is undeniable. In fact, corruption tends to decrease environmental quality by reducing the positive effect of clean energy consumption and increasing the effect of fossil fuel consumption.

The OSCE has a long-standing engagement to address environmental pollution and corruption across the Western Balkans region. Partnerships with the authorities in Podgorica, Prishtinë/Priština, Sarajevo, Skopje, and Tirana provide vivid examples of our efforts to counter the impact of environmental degradation and corruption.

Corruption in the form of lax law-enforcement can also lead to environmental degradation. Other examples include the over-exploitation of natural resources, deforestation and toxic waste dumping that are not investigated, often undertaken via illegal actions that aim to reduce costs. In fact, environmental crimes are rarely investigated, and perpetrators are too rarely held to account.

One example that exemplifies existing systemic corruption is the use of Mazut, a heavy, low quality fuel oil that contains high-density sulphur. In North Macedonia, this type of fuel is widely used by local industries, including state owned companies and the government. Investigative Reporting Lab Macedonia’s (IRL) report shows that many state-owned facilities and private businesses used fuel produced from various types of waste imported from other European countries. The import of this fuel, which is then sold at high prices, offers large profits to the business interests behind them. These businesses often benefit from legal loopholes, lack of inspection controls, technical inconsistencies and passive authorities.

Systemic corruption enables fraudulent business models and prevents the enforcement of existing laws and regulations. It discourages foreign investments, as investors deem possible impeding legal actions as risky. It is also detrimental to the economic growth of a country. For example, the systemic use of Mazot and its pervasiveness in industrial activity can be seen as discouraging factor when it comes to modernizing the energy sector, due to the vast changes and costs both private and state-owned companies would incur.

The public rarely hears about energy frauds when they are not investigated. To counter this, civil society and environmental education are vital in raising public awareness about the environmental risk and the underlying corruption associated with energy fraud.

Preventing these crimes should be at the top of our priorities. After all, air pollution is not only an environmental issue, but also a health risk. The European Environment Agency estimates that exposure to particulate matter was linked to 3,400 premature deaths and the cumulative loss of 33,900 years of life in North Macedonia in 2019. Based on the State Statistical Office, 5.8% of all deaths in 2020 were due to respiratory illnesses.

The OSCE is helping to tackle this challenge. As an example, in 2021 the Mission to Skopje supported the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in conducting a study of major corruption risks in this area, which produced 34 recommendations for changes in legislation and rules that would reduce the threat of corruption.

The Mission also supports the Aarhus Centre in North Macedonia, which works to promote the public’s rights to access environmental information, and participate in decision-making on environmental policy.

Finally, making sure that these crimes are investigated and go through trial is essential. The OSCE is helping achieve this by monitoring and assessing existing legal procedures and the institutional ability of the relevant judicial and state authorities. More transparency will help preventing future crime, and lead to more of these crimes being reported to the authorities. You can find out more about our trial monitoring efforts across the Western Balkans here. 

Together, these are just some of the ways that the OSCE is helping bring in a breath of fresh air.