The long-standing battle to protect the Lower Sava River in Slovenia has reached a critical tipping point. 

Despite her status as a "nature guardian," Andreja Slameršek has become the target of retaliatory litigation by the energy sector for exposing irregularities in environmental studies of the Mokrice Hydroelectric Power Plant in Slovenia. In response, activists and legal experts have launched a collective front to protect both the Stupčanica River's biodiversity and the right to public participation.

Two brand-new studies for the revitalization of the Sava River and its floodplain have been published presented to key stakeholders from 19 to 22 September as part of the Sava Parks II - Freedom for Sava project: „Sava river restoration from Brežice to Rugvica“ and „Sava.Restore – Connecting the Floodplains for a Healthy Alluvial Forests”

Recently, the Administrative Court of the Republic of Slovenia invalidated the environmental permit of the Mokrice HPP on Sava river. The projected hydropower plant cannot be constructed – for the time being, the Sava is safe. The lawsuit against the project was filed by the Slovenian Native fish Society (DPRS) in December 2018. In its recent decision, the Court pointed to a number of procedural and substantive irregularities.

The Sava is one of the most interesting and complex rivers in Europe and the longest river in Slovenia. 12 hydropower projects are planned on the Sava in Slovenia alone. A new local initiative is taking action against the planned HPP Mokrice. “NE JEZimo SAVE  - Stop HPP Mokrice” stands up against the irreversible destruction of the river at their doorstep.

Nominated for World Heritage Site status, Lonjsko Polje in Croatia is a 50 000 hectares stretch of floodplain in the Posavina region, between the Sava River and Mt Moslavačka Gora. Situated along Lonja River, a Sava tributary that gives the park its name, this huge retention basin is famed for the diversity of its flora and fauna. Watch this video portraying the beauty and diversity of the Lonjsko Polje:

++ Opportunities for and threats to one of the most valuable rivers of Europe ++ Unique potential for natural flood control identified ++ Today, one of the last living rivers of Central Europe received valuable attention in Brussels. Nature conservation foundation EuroNatur and the European Association of Wetlands International made the Sava River an issue in the European Parliament.

++ Threats and opportunities for one of the most valuable rivers of Europe ++ Flood protection approach developed ++ World Wetlands Day on February 2 ++ On the occasion of this year’s World Wetland Day on February 2, the environmental organisations Riverwatch and EuroNatur today present the “White Book Sava” – a comprehensive work about one of the ecologically most valuable but least known rivers of Europe.

++ Grand kayak tour to save the Balkan Rivers starts today ++  Today, about 150 paddler are opening the Balkan Rivers Tour on the Sava river in Slovenia. Led by former Slovenian Olympic athlete Rok Rozman, kayakers from all over Europe will paddle the most stunning and most threatened rivers in the Balkans over the next 35 days. This is without par in Europe. With this tour, they are taking a clear stance against the imminent dam tsunami.

++ Hydropower project in Slovenia violates domestic and international legislation and threatens rare flora and fauna ++ International and Slovenian NGOs call on the Minister of Environment to reject the project – NGOs prepare EU complaint ++