Legal and practical tools for protecting the rivers of the Western Balkans and their people

Presentations

River Keepers
Miloš Orlić | Coalition for the Protection of the Rivers of BiH 

Legislation on ecologically acceptable flow in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ratko Pilipović| CZZS

Ecologically acceptable flow in the selected EU countries: presentation of an analysis
Zuzana Vachůnová | Arnika- Citizenś Support Centre

Hydro-ecological status of river systems in function of landscape diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prof. dr. sc. Muriz Spahić

Monitoring and information tools used to protect the quantity and quality of waters
RNDr. Josef Fuksa, CSc. | T. G. Masaryk water Research Institute

Acces to environmental informations in internet age
Martin Skalsky| Arnika- Citizenś Support Centre

Park of Nature “Una”
Dragan Kovačević, dipl. inž. šumarstva|Republic Institute for the Protection of the Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of RS

What is Natura 2000 good for?
Vlastík Karlík| Arnika, Czech Republic

State of the rivers in Montenegro and CSOs actions to protect them
Milija Čabarkapa| Montenegro

Pirot HPP - an example of bad practice and commitments for future action
Dušan Mitić| Serbia

Why it is demanded a moratorium for construction of HPP in Albania?
Lavdosh Ferruni| Albania

Use of Advocacy Tools to Tackle Air Pollution and to Wage the War Against the “Hydro-Mafia”
Arijanit Xhaferi North Macedonia

Civil Rights Defenders
Ena Bavčić

Why should North macedonia implement Water as a basic human right in the Constitution and centralize the water governance in one body?
Eugenija Krstevska

The Natur Conservancy,
Protecting nature. Preserving life.

Hydropower and rivers in EaP countries: the Ecosystem Services
Challenges: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine
Ruslan Havryliuk, Ilya Trombitsky, Aram Gabrielyan, Elchin Sultanov

Speakers

Miloš Orlič
Coordinator of the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of BiH and Energy and Climate Changes Program Assistant, Center for Environment (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Miloš Orlić graduated in Journalism and communicology studies on Faculty of political science of the university of Banja Luka. His experiences are wide-ranging, so he worked as a journalist, project manager, content creator, social media manager, WordPress designer, copywriter, and TV host. He is an activist in the Center for Environment since 2015, but at the beginning of 2019 started to work as Energy and Climate Changes Program Assistant.

Viktor Bjelić
Vice-president, Center for Environment (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Viktor Bjelić is one of the founders of the Center for Environment who for many years worked on various projects, programs and activities, both professionally and through volunteer engagement. He is the initiator of the founding and he is coordinator of the Aarhus Center in Banja Luka and the network of Aarhus Centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the Center for Environment, Victor works as a project coordinator and performs the function of vice-president of the organization. He is one of the initiators of the Coalition for the Protection of the Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Djordje Stefanović
WWF Adria | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Djordje Stefanović graduated at the Law School of the University of Sarajevo in 1986. Over the years, he has been deeply involved in several projects aimed to setting up and improvement of the BiH environmental legislation - drafting, implementation and enforcement. He was engaged as an expert in work related to BiH acceptance of the Aarhus Convention. He's currently working as a WWf Adria Freshwater Program Policy Officer/Project Manager on projects related to the river protection in SEE Region.

Ratko Pilipović
Lawyer, Center for Environment (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ratko Pilopović has been working in Center for Environment since 2012, being engaged in various programs as in Energy and Climate program, Biodiversity and Protected areas program or in the work of the Aarhus center Banja Luka. He is working on procedures connected with the Law on of freedom to access to information, the Law on environment and other component laws that serve to protect nature. Presenting: Legislation on ecologically acceptable flow in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Muriz Spahić, prof.dr.sc
President of the Association of Geographers of Bosnia and Herzegovina| This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Muriz Spahić is the doctor of geographical sciences. Scientific area of research includes: physical geography and environmental protection, from which he published one monograph and six university textbooks. Author of over 75 scientific anicles, author and coauthor of several textbooks of geography in primary and secondary schools. Responsible researcher and participant in several scientific prestige projects. President of the Association of Geographers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, editor of the scientific journal Acta Geographica Bosniae et Herzegovinae. Presenting: Hydro-ecological status of river systems in function of landscape diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Irma Popović Durmović
WWF Adria (Croatia) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Irma Popović Dujmović has a background in biology-ecology which she  graduated in University of Zagreb. Since 2002 she has been working as a professional in CSOs and since 2011 for WWF Adria. Her main focus is hydropower development and sustainable use of river resources. In last few years she has been advocating and lobbying for conservation of free flowing rivers, durable protection of rivers, cancelling of subsidies for sHPPs and sustainable water resources management in the Adria region. Presenting: Systematic approach to conservation of Western Balkans rivers

Zuzana Vachůnová
Coordinator of activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Arnika (Czech republic) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Zuzana Vachůnová graduated in environmental studies at the Masaryk University of Brno and since 2013 she has been working in the NGO  and public sector in the Czech republic and abroad. She was coordinating the networks of the Czech ecological NGOs and worked as a political advisor for the Green and Pirate party. From the year 2016 she has been working in Arnika - Center for Citizens' Support as a coordinator of projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing mainly on public participation and support of civic society. Presenting: Ecologically acceptable flow in the selected EU  countries: presentation of an analysis           

Martin Skalský
Chairman, expert on public participation, Arnika (Czech republic) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Martin Skalsky was involved in environmental activism since 1993; he has worked in Children of the Earth, Auto*Mat and CEE Bankwatch Network. In 1997, he became a member of the Citizens Support Centre. In 2001, he was one of the founders of Arnika. His main focus is access to information, public participation in decision making, and organizing campaigns for a better environment. In 2007-2014 he was a deputy of Prague 6. Besides activities in the Czech Republic, he is involved in projects in countries of the Western Balkans and former Soviet Union. Presenting: Access to information on constructions on rivers in Europe 

Vlastimil Karlík
Expert on nature protection, Arnika (Czech republic) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Vlastimil Karlik joined environmental movement in 1997. He is a co-founder of Arnika association, and had been the coordinator of Arnika´s Nature Conservation Programme till 2005. Currently he is a secretary and project manager in NGO Coalition for Rivers, while still working for Arnika association as a consultant. His fields of interest are especially Natura 2000 implementation and river restoration. Presenting: Why we need Natura 2000: experience in the EU and benefits for nature protection; Natura 2000 as a tool for nature protection

Josef K. Fuksa, T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute (Czech republic) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Josef K. Fuksa graduated in Hydrobiology at the Charles University Prague in 1968. Since the year 1989 he works with the T.G. Masaryk Water Research Institute Prague. Last years he is involved mainly in development of water quality in rivers and its controlling factors. He served as the Chairman of the Czech Ramsar Committee. Presenting: Monitoring and information tools used to protect the quantity and quality of waters 

Pippa Gallop
Research Coordinator, CEE Bankwatch Network (Croatia) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pippa Gallop works as a Bankwatch research coordinator, with specialization in coal and hydropower in the Western Balkans. Bankwatch is a non - governmental organization focused on the prevention of negative environmental and social impacts of European funding for development. Pippa is based in Zagreb, Croatia. Presenting: Current trends in financing the Western Balkan hydropower boom

Milija Čabarkapa
WWF Adria (Montenegro) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Milija Cabarkapa is a specialist of environmental protection. Currently he is working in WWF Adria. With experience of more than 5 years in environmental protection he is trying to protect natural resources in Montenegro and Adria region and ensure sustainable development. Presenting: State of the rivers in Montenegro and CSOs actions to protect them

Ena Bavčić
Programme Officer, Civil Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Representative of Civil Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an independent Documentarist with an MA in Human Rights and Democracy in SEE. Experience in research, advocacy, monitoring and reporting about human rights violations, programme and project management, results based management and fundraising. Presenting: The safety of the environmental activists

Evgenija Krstevska
An independent lawyer (North Macedonia) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Evgenija Krstevska is an activist, environmental lawyer and PhD student in international relations and conflict management. For the past few years she has been working on protecting water rights and on water conflicts management. Presenting: Why should North Macedonia implement water as a basic human right in the Constitution and centralize the water governance in one body? 

Arijanit Xhaferi
Eco Guerilla (North Macedonia)
Arijanit Xhaferi is one of the co-founders and president of Eco Guerilla, an environmental and political pressure organization in Tetovo. He is a public figure in North Macedonia and often talks in media about air pollution, environmental issues, and introduces and recommends necessary measures to the local and central authorities. He is one of the most vocal activists regarding environmental issues and human rights. Presenting: Use of advocacy tools to tackle air pollution and to wage the war against the “hydro-mafia”

Lavdosh Ferruni
Organic Agriculture Association (Albania) | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lavdosh Ferruni is an executive director of Organic Agriculture Association and since 2011 a certified environmental expert. He has a background in agrarian economist. He has been a head of organization department in huge agricultural enterprise before the 90  ́s and simultaneously a lecturer at University. For 4 years he worked as a head expert in projects of World Bank and USAID in Albania. In 1997 he initiated the foundation of Organic Agriculture Association. Since 2013 he has been distinguished activist and expert on river ecosystems all over the country. Presenting: Why it is demanded a moratorium for construction of HPP in Albania

Ana Colovic Lesoska
Executive director at Eko-svest and a project coordinator at CEE Bankwatch network (North Macedonia)  | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ana  Colovic Lesoska joined Bankwatch in 2001 and has focused on transport and energy infrastructure projects in North Macedonia and the Balkan region. After 5 years of campaigning she managed to prevent the construction of two large hydropower plant projects in the Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia and protect the reproductive core area of the fragile population of the endangered Balkan lynx for which she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2019. Presenting: Using international legal tools in campaigning - The case of Mavrovo NP, North Macedonia

Declaration

PREAMBLE

Respecting the principles of sustainable development that have arisen from the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Conference, the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Aichi biodiversity targets;

Considering that the Aarhus Convention gives us legal grounds for exercising our democratic rights and that these rights have been further endorsed by national laws in the field of the environment and water management in all Western Balkan countries;

Aware that the effects of climate change are evident in the Western Balkans, and that water and water dependent ecosystems are among the most important, but also the most sensitive natural resources;

Noting that the plans for the use of water resources of the Western Balkans for the purpose of electricity generation have been adopted, and concessions granted, as well as other water acts and environmental permits, without adequate public participation in such decisions;

Noting that the majority of studies on environmental impact assessment have been conducted very unsatisfactorily out of negligence or intentionally on the interests of private investors;

Noting that the legislation and its application in the field of environmentally acceptable flow are incomplete or not adequately implemented in accordance with the principles of the EU Water Framework Directive, causing major negative consequences for water bodies, the surrounding biodiversity and local communities;

Agreeing on the fact that rivers and their valleys and canyons represent a significant natural resource and potential for the sustainable and responsible development,

Considering that today's generations have an obligation, when making decisions regarding the future, to assume and respect the interests and needs of future generations;

The Conference participants and civil society representatives, aware of our own responsibility, are ready and willing to put our capacity into dialogue with relevant public bodies to audit and improve strategies/plans/programmes/laws that have, or may have, an environmental impact, including the processes of creating and monitoring the implementation of new public environmental policies.

We, participants at the Conference and environmental organizations, gathered around the idea of ​​river protection and responsible water resource management, agreed upon the following:

DECLARATION ON THE PROTECTION OF THE WESTERN BALKANS RIVERS

Hydropower is presented as clean energy, but the construction and use of hydropower causes permanent damage to the environment and the destruction of river-dependent ecosystems. The environmental damage caused by small hydropower plants is paid by electricity consumers through a fee for renewable energy sources in their electricity bills, and only the reduction of transmission losses between producers and consumers eliminates the need for additional exploitation of natural resources.

The conference participants and civil society organizations support the initiative to contact the relevant public authorities for environmental protection, water management and energy with a request to conduct a revision of all the strategies/plans/programmes/laws that have been adopted and other policy documents that directly and indirectly affect the sustainable management of our rivers.

In the repeated proceedings, a good quality strategic environmental assessment must be organised in accordance with the national regulations and SEA Directive.

We demand from governments to:

Impose a moratorium on the construction of hydropower plants and suspend all further work/projects on our rivers until a complete revision of the procedures for adopting strategies/plans/programmes and other policy documents at all decision-making levels has been completed;

Stop immediately any public subsidies (feed-in tariffs) to energy production from small hydropower plants and that Western Balkan countries, with the support of the European Union, redirect investments in genuinely renewable energy sources and planning to meet energy needs, based on a broad and extensive public debate with binding conclusions;

Improve enforcement of the law including fines for legal violations;

Start and/or accelerate the process of the implementation and use of EU standards as set in the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive, Water Framework Directive, Environmental Liability and the EIA and SEA Directives; improving capacity of judges related to EU Environmental Acquis.

Widen the space for public participation in decision-making related to rivers and water at the early stages of planning, and take public opinion into account with due diligence;

Expand the existing, and establish new protected areas including areas of water bodies intended to protect natural species and sensitive habitats, expanding the effective network of protected areas with ecological corridors to bring the Western Balkans countries closer to the European NATURA 2000 and Emerald network;

Adopt and implement regulations on environmentally acceptable flow, with a methodology for determining this flow based on a scientific basis, to establish a system of automatic monitoring of watercourses status and to ensure that monitoring data are available in real time as a prerequisite for more adequate inspection and civil control.

Support sport, traditional use of the rivers and tourism to support sustainable development of local communities, aiming to create more jobs and generate more revenue.

Nurture public appreciation for our rivers and surrounding ecosystems through improved education for children and general public.

“The Declaration on the Protection of Western Balkan Rivers” has been made on 28th November 2019, by participants in the International River Conference on “Legal and practical tools for protecting the rivers of the Western Balkans and their people” today. The Conference was organised by Arnika (Czech Republic), the Center for Environment (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and WWF Adria thanks to financial support from the European Union, the Transition Promotion Programme of the Czech Republic, the Global Greengrants Fund and the Heinrich-Böll Stiftung.

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