Serbian environmental group takes legal action against Linglong

Belgrade – A Serbian environmental group has filed a lawsuit against Chinese tire maker Linglong International Europe for carrying out construction work on its greenfield tire factory without permit.

Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI) has also pressed charges against contractor China Energy Engineering Group Tianjin Electric Power Construction Co. Ltd and private equity firm CRE International Ltd of Belgrade, RERI stated 5 Nov.

Linglong‘s project to establish a tire factory in Zrenjanin, Serbia has been the focus of a continuing dispute between local authorities and environmentalists challenging the approval process for the €800-million scheme.

In its latest legal challenge, RERI claimed that a site examination in July determined that the Chinese tire maker “was performing construction work contrary to the construction permit.”

The inspector, it said, ordered the investor to suspend works and requested modifications to the construction permit.

RERI also alleged that Linglong started the construction work without carrying out an environmental impact assessment study.

The group further claimed that Zrenjanin city authorities had “illegally prevented” people from participating in a 4 Oct public hearing on the ‘environmental impact assessment study for the project.

ERJ has contacted Linglong, requesting comment on this development.