News

Invitation: Balkan Rivers Tour, April 16 - May 20

 16.03.2016

We would like to invite to you to a very unusual protest action: led by former Slovenian Olympic athlete Rok Rozman, kayakers from all over Europe will paddle the most stunning Balkan rivers between April 16 and May 20. The so-called “Balkan Rivers Tour” is an activity against the dam tsunami which is threatening to destroy the unique river landscape on the Balkan Peninsula.

The Balkan River Story on Patagonia's blog

 16.03.2016

The famous outdoor outfitter Patagonia has just published an article about the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign on their global blog “The Cleanest Line”:  Save the Blue Heart of Europe: The Balkan Rivers story

Energy provider Verbund AG: Too much electricity in Europe – not the time for new hydropower plants

 10.03.2016

Europe’s biggest hydropower corporation, the Austrian Verbund AG, is complaining about too much electricity on the European market. Verbund Chairman Anzengruber says: “It is not the time for extensive new projects in the power plant sector over the next few years. That would not be clever in a time with too much energy”

Petition: Stop HPPs on Valbona River!

 09.02.2016

Another Albanian river at risk: the beautiful Valbona river is facing the construction of several planned hydropower plants along its course, not stopping at national parks and other strictly protected area - as so often the case. Local communities are protesting and need your help: please sign and share the petition addressed to Prime Minister Edi Rama!

Great cinema for wild rivers

 15.01.2016

For all river lovers: Between January 22 and 24, the first “River Film Festival Berlin” takes place in the Moviemento Cinema in the Kreuzberg district. Look forward to over 30 movies featuring breathtaking river landscapes as well as discussion forums with environmental activists who fight for the preservation of these valuable habitats. Dive in and discover the wonderful world of rivers!

Film Screening: The Vjosa Story in Tirana

 15.01.2016

On January 22, the documentary “The Vjosa Story” by our river ambassadors from Leeway Collective will be screened in Tirana, Albania. It is an incredible documentary about kayaking the Vjosa - one of the last wild rivers in Europe - from its source in Greece to its mouth into the Adriatic Sea in Albania. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch this amazing film on a big screen!

New hope for Balkan Rivers: World Bank drops funding for hydropower project in Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia

++ Other financiers must follow suit ++ The World Bank withdrew its funding for one of the two big hydropower projects inside MavrovoNational Park in Macedonia.  

Balkan Rivers in the GEO magazine: hydropower vs. nature protection

 17.12.2015

The December issue of the GEO magazine features an article about the Vjosa in Albania and the price of electricity. Here an online teaser. Sorry, as yet in German only!

Info graphics and photo story about Balkan Rivers

 15.12.2015

A new study that Bankwatch published on December 11 deals with European public funding and EU companies, which are fuelling a wave of hydropower development and endangering pristine river environments in the Balkans. It shows who is involved in financing hydropower projects in the region, both overall and inside of protected areas. Bankwatch produced a series of info graphics:

New Bankwatch study: European “green energy” funding for hydropower threatens pristine Balkan rivers

A wave of hydropower development fuelled by European public funding and EU companies is endangering pristine river environments in the Balkans, finds a new study by CEE Bankwatch Network released today.

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