Citizens and eco-activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered on Saturday in Konjic to protest the construction of the Ulog hydroelectric power plant in the Republika Srpska. Regardless of the rain, a large number of citizens of Konjic gathered at the Town Square in the fight for the preservation of the Neretva and its tributaries.
Their request, as well as the request of the organizers, gathered around the Coalition for the Protection of the Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is to prevent the construction of the HPP “Ulog” in the upper reaches of the beautiful Neretva river in Herzegovina.
But not only that, they point out the problems that the construction could cause to rivers and the entire living world, pointing out that, in addition to “Ulog”, the plan is to build 36 smaller HPPs.
Some citizens think that they are late with the fight for preservation, but they hope that this meeting will still have an impact, as it did in previous years, when several environmental, activist movements united against the construction of as many as 93 hydropower plants.
Numerous citizens had the opportunity to sign a letter for the preservation of the Neretva and its tributaries, which will be forwarded to the competent institutions.
The protest was organized by the Coalition for the Protection of the Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zelena Neretva Konjic and Pusti me da tečem, and it was already supported by numerous organizations and individuals.
The reason for the protest is the continuation of the construction of the hydropower plant “Ulog” on the Neretva river, despite the resistance of the local population, the academic community and Bosnia and Herzegovina. to the public.
“Despite the resistance of the local population, the academic community and the BiH public, the construction of the ‘Ulog’ hydroelectric power plant continues, which threatens the entire upper course of the Neretva. The consequences for the river and the living world are already visible. But this is not the only threat to the survival of the Neretva and its tributaries. if we don’t start, 36 more hydropower plants will be built in the basin of the Herzegovinian beauty. At one time, as many as 93 hydropower plants were planned to be built, but local communities and activist groups prevented the construction of dozens of HPPs with determined long-term struggles. Brave guardians of Buna, Neretvica, Doljanka, Drežanka and others of Herzegovinian rivers have shown that we can stop force by fighting. It is up to us now to fight for the Neretva as well. We refuse to be remembered as a generation that did not fight for one of the most valuable rivers of this country. That is why we are gathering in Konjic on 11/11 of this year , at a large protest meeting that will mark a turning point in the battle for Neretva,” announced the organizers of the protest.
