A coalition of international and Bosnian scientists, together with leading environmental NGOs, reveal evidence linking the mass mortality of fish and other aquatic life on the affected stretch of the upper Neretva on September 12, 2025, to operational practices at the Ulog Hydropower Plant.

A devastating ecological disaster has struck the upper Neretva River on September 12. Just downstream of the newly built Ulog hydropower plant, local fishermen discovered a 7-kilometer stretch of river filled with dead fish.

Thanks to the determination of local citizens the Government of the Republic of Srpska officially terminated concession contracts for two hydropower plants on the Black and White Rzav Rivers. This follows years of protests that successfully stopped the construction of seven small hydropower plants, ensuring the river’s protection.

This spring, a team of scientists from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna traveled to Bosnia-Herzegovina, specifically to the Neretva and Drina rivers. Both rivers are under extreme threat from hydropower development. The aim of the research weeks was to record the spawning populations of Softmouth Trout and Huchen.

Neretva Science Week 2023 took place from May 30th to June 7th. A diverse team of 70 scientists from 17 countries gathered in small town Ulog, to contribute to the conservation of the Neretva river system. They were accompanied by photographers, activists, and artists. 

From May 30th to June 7th 2023, a diverse team of scientists will visit the Neretva River to contriubte to the conservation of this river as knowledgeable experts and scietists. We now call for interested journalists and scientists to exress their interest in participating.

On November 11th, about 3000 people enjoyed a great concert, great atmosphere and strong messages for the freedom of rivers by musicians Darko Rundek & Ekipa and Cane and Partibrejkers in Banja Luka.

Belgian-based company Green Invest and its subsidiary in BiH, BUK d.o.o filed defamation lawsuits against two young Bosnian female activists, who have spoken out publicly about the environmental impact of the hydropower plants on the Kasindolska river. Today, 140 organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, numerous  European countries and USA sent an open letter to the diplomatic representatives of Belgium and the Head of EU Delegation in BiH.

The German development bank KfW has today confirmed that it has dropped plans to finance the controversial Janjići hydropower plant on the river Bosna in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The plant would entail a 16 m high dam and would flood a picturesque section of the river with a series of rapids upstream from Zenica.

At the urging of nature conservation organizations, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention took another look at various projects in the Balkans at its most recent meeting. These include an airport in the middle of the Narta Lagoon in the Vjosa delta in Albania or a series of hydropower plants along the Neretva in Bosnia-Herzegovina.