We invite you to join our next webinar on January 31st (6pm MET) to learn about the results of the 50 scientists that joined the Neretva Science Week in summer 2022 and how their science contributes to the protection of this highly intact river system. Please REGISTER HERE to join this webinar.
Belgian-based company Green Invest and its subsidiary in BiH, BUK d.o.o filed defamation lawsuits against two young Bosnian female activists, who have spoken out publicly about the environmental impact of the hydropower plants on the Kasindolska river. Today, 140 organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, numerous European countries and USA sent an open letter to the diplomatic representatives of Belgium and the Head of EU Delegation in BiH.
The first findings of the expedition were summarized in this report, to provide some very preliminary impressions, highlights and an overview from each of the specialty groups of what was done during this impressively international and collaborative effort. The data collected will be analysed in much more detail over the next months and a more detailed final report is expected by the end of the year 2022.
The German development bank KfW has today confirmed that it has dropped plans to finance the controversial Janjići hydropower plant on the river Bosna in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The plant would entail a 16 m high dam and would flood a picturesque section of the river with a series of rapids upstream from Zenica.
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.
++ NGOs submit a complaint to the Bern Convention against Bosnia and Herzegovina for permitting dam-building on the pristine upper Neretva ++ A related complaint was submitted to the Energy Community Secretariat in August for failure to protect the pristine upper stretches of the river Neretva from eight planned hydropower projects. ++
++ Parliament imposes construction freeze for hydropower projects ++ Tuesday night, the Parliament of the Federation of BiH decided on a moratorium on all new small hydropower projects in the country. This means that no more new plants will be approved, and projects that have already been approved will be audited to see whether or not their approval was legally admissible.
++ Residents block illegal construction of hydropower plants in Bosnia and Herzegovina ++ From 7 am, about two dozen people prevented workers from reaching the construction site despite the ban on assembly and Corona-related curfew. Unable to resume their works, they eventually left.
++ Investors exploit the corona crisis for illegal construction of hydropower plants ++ Unique rivers in the Balkans at risk! ++ While Europe is in lockdown, investors are increasingly taking advantage of the unusual situation to build controversial hydropower projects in secret.
