The Kosovar Minister for Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure informed the public via Facebook about the presentation of a concept for the area Zalli I Rupes. In this post, Riverwatch is mentioned and it might give the impression, that Riverwatch has been part of a process towards re-opening of the hydropower plants in the region and that we have given a “green light” for this. This is not the case.

Today biologist Slameršek was awarded the Wolfgang Staab Nature Conservation Prize 2021 for her outstanding commitment to nature of European value. This prize is awarded annually and is endowed with 20,000 Euros – financed by the Wolfgang Staab Nature Conservation Fund of the Schweisfurth Foundation.

After a decade of efforts to protect the Vjosa River in Albania, this petition will gather the voices of all supporters and demand an action that will make a real change: Proclaiming Vjosa as a National Park. Sign the petition and share it with your friends so that we join our efforts to protect what nature took centuries to create.

Last week, Kosovo's Supreme Court ruled that three KELKOS hydropower plants near the village of Deçan must be shut down pending a final court decision. Moreover, KELAG withdraws complaint against two activists.

We joined together with 300 organizations from around the world to call on our global leaders to protect rivers and stop funding hydropower projects as false solutions to the climate crisis. Hydropower is neither green nor climate-neutral and has let to an alarming loss of freshwater biodiversity.

The 2nd edition of the European Rivers Summit, held in Lisbon, has been postponed to November 18-20,2021 due to COVID19. There are still open spots so REGISTER NOW and join activists and specialists to share knowledge, network and talk about rivers protection, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. To get all further updates on the European Rivers Summit (ERS) Lisbon 2020 go to https://riverssummit.org/

Under the slogan "Lets defend the Balkan Rivers", activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia Sarajevo met in Sarajevo on Saturday, July 3, to decide on a pan-Balkan alliance for the protection of the rivers in the region. From now on, the various organizations want to work more closely together, because the issues are the same in all countries

On Wednesday evening, Maida Bilal received the renowned 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize on behalf of the “brave women of Kruščica”. The prize is endowed with 200,000 USD.  The Jury justified their decision on the grounds that hydropower is not green, and is one of the greatest threats to wild rivers and the people living along their banks. Maida Bilal and the other women fought for one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe - and won.