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In Bosnia and Herzegovina, local NGOs and many committed citizens have achieved partial success against the degradation of their rivers: The Parliament of the Federation has decided a moratorium on all new small hydropower plants in the country!

The campaign "Save the Blue Heart of Europe", launched by Riverwatch and Euronatur and supported by us, is working for the preservation of the last natural European rivers in the Balkans.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, more hydropower plants are currently being built and planned than anywhere else in Europe. Recently, new concessions were awarded almost daily. The approximately 100 existing hydroelectric power plants cause dried up riverbeds over large parts of the year as well as social conflicts.
 
The decision of the Parliament to stop construction is the result of ongoing protests throughout the country against the construction of hydroelectric power plants, most of which are built illegally and subsequently approved. Such practices were even intensified during the Corona lockdown, but came to public attention despite the curfew. The government's change of course now provides that no new power plants will be approved. The legality of construction activities already underway is to be examined. 

This is a huge success, especially for the many environmental activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina! It is only because of their relentless resistance to river degradation that this decision has come about.  

For more information please click here: "Save the Blue Heart of Europe"  

25.June, 2020