The Vjosa is by far not the only river in Albania threatened by hydropower. At the Qarishte river in central Albania, residents are faced with the dire consequences of the Rapuni dam. Read this webstory by CEE Bankwatch Network.

The Defileul Jiului National Park (Romania) is at risk and requires your help. This petition aims to end the destruction of what should be – according to legal requirement – the most protected water bodies in the river network of Romania due to illegal hydropower development. Read more about the spectacular Defileul Jiului National Park and its ongoing devastation and SIGN THE PETITION!

In April, about 30 scientists paparticipated in one week of research on the previously almost unexplored Vjosa river in Albania. All experts were amazed by the complexity and sheer size of the river system and every expertise found something at the Vjosa – species, habitat types, dynamic river processes – that has been long lost on all regulated rivers in central Europe. Watch this 3-minute video about the Scientists for Vjosa week, featuring stunning drone footage of the extensive Vjosa river landscape.

Read below Bankwatch's blog post about local opposition against a dam on the Vrbas in Bosnia-Herzegovina that, if build, would further devastate already endangered fish habitat. This river stretch is also a critical habitat for the endangered and protected Huchen, a fish species particularly vulnerable to dam construction.

Taking matters into hand: this 14-meter girl is smashing the already broken and obsolete dam on the Bašćica River in Bosina and Herzegovina with a hammer. For days this picture has been circulating in social media, leaving people to wonder who was behind this ingenious protest action. On Tuesday, the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has lifted the mystery.

The German magazine Der Spiegel just published an insightful multi-media story about the Vjosa Science Buster Week in April – including stunning photo and video material: The last Blue Wonder of Europe. Check it out (sorry, so far in German only)!

++ 20,000 people at this year's event on Drina River in Serbia ++ NGO's protested against damming the globally most important Huchen (Danube Salmon) River ++ At this year’s event, NGOs in cooperation with angling (fishing) associations protested against hydropower plans for the first time in the 24-year history of the regatta.

The scientists from the Natural History Museum Vienna who joined the Vjosa Science Week in April authored an article about the fight for the Vjosa for the summer edition of the Universum Magazine. Apart from stunning photos, the article also offers insight into Albania’s history as well as into its natural and cultural treasures. DOWNLOAD the article as PDF (sorry, in German only)

The ZDF planet e documentary “Hydropower Madness - The destruction of rivers in the Balkans” about the dam craze putting these rivers at risk received the documentary award of the International Wlodzimierz Puchalski Nature Film Festival Lodz. Congratulations to Birgit Hermes from the ZDF!

Ö1 also participated in our Vjosa Science Week in April. Today at 19:05, the first part about this activity will be aired: http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20170706/480492 If you miss it, you can listen to it on demand for 7 days! The second part will be broadcasted next Thursday (July 13)  at 09:05 (rerun at 22:08) http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20170713/481999