A coalition of Russian environmental organisations
has appealed to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, to halt the participation of European financial institutions, including the
EBRD and
EIB, in motorway projects in Russia.
The coalition in defence of the forests of Moscow region called on the EU to withdraw its support for the projects until the rights of local residents were taken into account. The forest coalition includes
WWF Russia,
Greenpeace Russia, the
Biodiversity Conservation Center, the
Russian Birds Conservation Union, the
Social-Ecological Union, and the
Movement to Defend Khimki Forest.
The coalition pointed out that almost all major motorway projects currently under construction or planned in the near future in Russia have been "carried out without taking into account the principles of sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity, or public opinion." The coalition noted the continued violations of human rights that environmental campaigners have been subjected to in connection with the motorway projects.
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