News - Stara Planina

Civil disobedience: Activists remove pipes of illegal hydropower plant in Serbia!

 17.08.2020

On Saturday, August 15th, hundreds of people from all over Serbia came to the village of Rakita with spades and mattocks to destroy illegal pipes of the Zvonce hydropower plant in their beloved Rakitska river. The investor laid the pipes illegally, but authorities didn’t act, so the people took matters into their own hands: “If the State is not doing its job and respecting the rule of law, we will do it for them!” was the motto of the action.

Award for Stara Planina activists!

 17.12.2019

Last Friday, the Serbian citizen activist group “Let´s Defend Rivers of Stara Planina” received a special honor: at the National Theater in Belgrade, they were awarded the “Most Exeptional Team Award 2019” at the Extraordinary People Event. The group has been fighting against dozens hydropower development int the nature park Stara Planina for years and has stopped many.

Manu Chao in Stara Planina!

 23.10.2019

Prominent support: After being approached by Stara Planina activists at a concert in Niš, reggae legend Manu Chao spontaneously visited Topli Do on the next day to play a song on the bridge and demonstrate his solidarity with the movement resisting hydropower projects in the region. Our rivers concern us all and all over the world, people defend their rivers against destruction by hydropower, fighting the same fight. We must stand together! Me gusta

Stara Planina Union of Local Communities declares “state of emergency” over SHPPs

 12.09.2019

In Stara Planina Nature Park, Serbia, the battle between local communities and SHPP investors has reached a new level. The Union of Local Communities (SMZSP) declared a state of emergency due to non-compliance with Serbian laws. The SMZSP has organized a 24/7 solidarity watch in Topli Do to prevent illegal construction and protect the law.  The Union has also called on President Vučic to finally act against illegal construction and in favour of strictly protected species, threatened by the construction.

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