Eight non-governmental organizations delivered today Open letter to Prime Minister of Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, regarding the granted concessions for the construction of small hydro-power plants in the National Park Sutjeska.
The letter was sent ahead of the following organizations: Association for Research and Conservation of Biodiversity, Eco-Action, Arbor Magna, Ornithological Society Our Birds, Society of Students of Biology and the Center for Environment, as well as two international NGO network, Friends of the Earth Europe and CEEweb for Biodiversity .
The letter is addressed on International Day of action for rivers and fight against hydro-power plants (March 14). Every year since 1997, thousands of people around the world lift their voices to celebrate the world’s rivers along with those who are actively fighting for their protection, demanding a fair and sustainable management of rivers.
In a letter to Prime Minister is argumentatively listed 15 reasons why to oppose the assigning of concessions. If construction of hydro-power plants would be realised in the National Park Sutjeska, it would be a serious violation of EU and international laws and directives we are obliged to respect, such as the Habitats Directive, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Bern Convention and others.
Nataša Crnković from Center for Environment emphasizes: “This decision is shameful and shows disregard of responsible authorities to preserve the little territory that is declared under protection. Implementation of this decision would cause the permanent negative impact on our most valuable protected area”.
Despite the scientific data on the high rate of endemism, exceptional value geo- and biodiversiy of canyon ecosystems, current and potential opportunities for exploitation of the canyons for the purposes of tourism, the relevant authorities see rivers Sutjeska, Hrčavka and Jabušnica only as hydro potention to create less than 15 MW of electricity. Murmur of legendary rivers will wither and they will be converted into a series of artificial reservoirs, which after a couple of decades will be filled with sediments and remain as monuments of the arrogance of our generation.
In the letter to the Prime Minister we are seeking decisive moves in this regard, bearing in mind the obligations of the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina to EU legislation and international agreements in the field of environment and sustainable energy. Also, the Prime Minister is required to initiate the revision of Government decision on approval for the construction of small hydro-power plants in National Park Sutjeska.
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