Are Balkan Countries Safeguarding Their Rivers? - A Legal Analysis

This report provides an interim evaluation of the extent to which the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia are protecting their rivers by transposing and implementing key EU directives relevant to hydropower projects.

Following a comprehensive legal analysis, the authors conclude that although the six states, all of which are striving for EU membership, have made some progress in transposing binding EU Directives into national legislation, there are still serious systematic shortcomings to comply with the EU environmental legal framework. This can be observed for instance in the poor quality of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for many hydropower projects, such as those on Vjosa in Albania or Komarnica in Montenegro. Another significant problem is the lack of political will to effectively enforce existing laws.

By providing detailed recommendations on how to address these systematic failures, the report serves as a practical guide for decision-makers and nature conservation organizations.

This publication was produced by Client Earth in cooperation with EuroNatur and Riverwatch.

Full Report: Are Balkan Countries Safeguarding Their Rivers? -  A Legal Analysis  

Executive Summary: Are Balkan Countries Safeguarding Their Rivers? - A Legal Analysis