News

Albanian court halts hydropower projects on Shushica River – Victory for the Vjosa Wild River National Park and civil society

 13.12.2024

On 11 December 2024, a court in Tirana finally ended the threat of hydropower plants on the Shushica - one of the main tributaries of the Vjosa and part of the Vjosa Wild River National Park.

Kosovo violates international law

 18.11.2024

EcoZ, together with the NGOs Pishtarët, GAIA Kosovo, and Riverwatch, submitted a complaint to the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna/Austria against Kosovo regarding the hydropower plants in Sharr National Park. 

New study identifies crucial spawning sites for the endangered Huchen in Bosnia’s Upper Drina Basin

A recent study conducted by researchers from Austria’s Boku University provides crucial insights into the status and conservation needs of Danube salmon, or huchen, populations within Bosnia’s Upper Drina Basin. 

Victory for Nature: The Rzav River (BiH) Flows Free!

 10.10.2024

Thanks to the determination of local citizens the Government of the Republic of Srpska officially terminated concession contracts for two hydropower plants on the Black and White Rzav Rivers. This follows years of protests that successfully stopped the construction of seven small hydropower plants, ensuring the river’s protection.

100 People Unite to Protect Balkans' Wild Rivers and their defenders

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.

Urgent Action Needed to Protect the Sutjeska and Jabušnica Rivers

 02.10.2024

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 Concerns over outdated permits and environmental impacts have sparked protests urging authorities to halt these destructive activities.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!

Una River saved from illegal dam construction

 29.08.2024

Local communities and environmental NGOs are celebrating the news that Croatian state authorities have ordered all construction on the Una River to stop immediately.

Criminal complaint filed against Una River dam construction permits

 09.08.2024

In a significant step forward for nature protection, the Croatian authorities announced yesterday that they are taking legal action against the construction of a dam on the Una River within a protected area of environmental importance.

Join us to save Una "The One" from illegal damming

 30.07.2024

River protectors from across Europe are linking arms with the community of the Una Spring in Croatia this Friday to protest the construction of an illegal dam at the source of this unique river, “The One”. Join the protest!

Brave Women of Kruščica join forces with residents of the Shushica Valley in fight against water abstraction project

In a powerful display of solidarity and resistance, the Brave Women of Kruščica (BiH) visited the Shushica Valley in Albania to support the ongoing fight against the controversial water abstraction project. They formed a symbolic human chain together with locals across the Shushica.

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