Over 100 participants unite at the Balkan Rivers Summit 2024 in Podgorica © Solutions4You

Under the banner “Uniting Voices for the Blue Heart of Europe” this year’s Balkan River Summit brought together over 100 international river conservation experts, scientists and activists in Podgorica, Montenegro. The event aimed at uniting river defenders to protect the valuable Balkan rivers and to speak out against the imminent and systematic threat the rivers are facing.

Destruction at the river Sutjeska © Vladimir Topić

New threats to the Sutjeska and Jabušnica rivers are emerging, as construction of a new hydropower plant threatens the ecosystem of Sutjeska National Park. Concerns over outdated permits and environmental impacts have sparked protests urging authorities to halt these destructive activities. Join the fight!

Do you have a story to tell or experiences to share? Pitch your fight for river protection and present at the Balkan River Summit 2024! Find all the information about different contribution formats, key themes, and contact details in the post.

With this visual action, the activists aim to draw attention to four dams illegally built within the national park © EcoZ

Activists from the NGO EcoZ and citizens from the region organised an unusual action on the mountain slope of Kosovo´s Sharr National Park. With this visual action, the activists aim to draw attention to four dams illegally built within the national park and raise awareness not only in Kosovo but across Europe and the world. We demand the removal of the dams within the Sharr National Park.

In the six Western Balkan states there are still untouched rivers and river sections that are ecologically very valuable; here the confluence of the Ljuta and Neretva in Bosnia-Herzegovina. © Joshua David Lim

A new report published by ClientEarth provides an interim assessment of how effectively six Western Balkan countries are safeguarding their rivers by incorporating key EU laws related to hydropower projects into their national legislation. The analysis reveals that there has been some progress. However, the report also highlights specific systemic failures to comply with the EU framework.

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