The impressions of the scientific head of the Vjosa research week in April – Dr. Fritz Schiemer – were published on Patagonia’s Blog “The Cleanest Line”. The blog post explains why the Vjosa is so valuable from a scientific point of view and features stunning photos as well as video, showing the scientists at work.

A hill with a water pipe of the Ternove hydropower project. They show how the construction is completely inadequate to avoid landslides. © Petr Hlobil

HPPs are popping up in Albania like bunkers in Hoxha’s time – with little regard for people and nature, just like in the “old days”. Only that it is not Hoxha, but the EBRD and other international donors financing the loss of nature and livelihoods, while priding themselves with their alleged environmental standards. Read Bankwatch’s blog post...

Residents bravely definding their river © Center for Environment

The brave citizens of Kruščica in Bosnia and Herzegovina are determined to defend their river against HPP developments, literally, as they tried to prevent developers moving their equipment to the projected site. On August 24, riot police violently removed peaceful anti-hydropower protesters who were standing up for their right to drinking water and healthy environment, causing serious injury to several people

Jiu River in Jiu Gorge © Calin Dejeu

The Defileul Jiului National Park is at risk and requires your help. This petition aims to end the destruction of what should be – according to legal requirement – the most protected water bodies in the river network of Romania due to illegal hydropower development. Read more about the spectacular Defileul Jiului National Park and its ongoing devastation and SIGN THE PETITION!

In April, about 30 scientists paparticipated in one week of research on the previously almost unexplored Vjosa river in Albania. All experts were amazed by the complexity and sheer size of the river system and every expertise found species, habitat types, dynamic river processes, that have been long lost on all regulated rivers in central Europe. Watch this 3-minute video, featuring stunning drone footage of the extensive Vjosa river landscape.

Freedom to the rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina © Dinno Kasalo

Taking matters into hand: this 14-meter girl is smashing the already broken and obsolete dam on the Bašćica River in Bosina and Herzegovina with a hammer. For days this picture has been circulating in social media, leaving people to wonder who was behind this ingenious protest action. On Tuesday, the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has lifted the mystery.

Riverwatch (Ulrich Eichelmann and Cornelia Wieser) at the Drina Regatta, protesting dam projects in the name of the threatened Huchen. © Nataša Crnković

++ 20,000 people at this year's event on Drina River in Serbia ++ NGO's protested against damming the globally most important Huchen (Danube Salmon) River ++ At this year’s event, NGOs in cooperation with angling (fishing) associations protested against hydropower plans for the first time in the 24-year history of the regatta.

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