Заштитувајте ги реките и планините

The document analyzes environmental mobilization in the Balkans, specifically focusing on the protection of the Vjosa River in Albania and the Jadar Valley in Serbia. It compares the grassroots, campaign-led approach in Albania, which led to the creation of a national park, with the mass protests and political integration seen in Serbia, which forced the withdrawal of mining permits. The text also highlights the European Union's inconsistent support, noting its strong backing for river conservation versus its more cautious approach to lithium mining due to the EU's energy transition needs.

• Protests against hydropower plants on the Vjosa River in Albania led to the river being declared a national park in March 2023, protecting it from further construction activities.
• Mass protests in Serbia between September 2021 and February 2022 against the Anglo-Australian corporation Rio Tinto's lithium mining project in the Jadar Valley resulted in the Serbian Prime Minister withdrawing exploration permits in January 2022.
• The Vjosa River movement utilized a long-term social campaign strategy led by non-profits like EcoAlbania and Riverwatch, partly to avoid the violence associated with previous anti-government protests in 2011.
• The Jadar protests in Serbia were characterized by mass physical demonstrations and strategic road blockades, which were influenced by the suppression of civil society under President Aleksandar Vučić and the involvement of political parties.
• Environmental activism in Serbia led to the emergence of new political forces, specifically the 'Moramo' coalition, which later merged into the green-left party 'Zajedno', winning 13 seats in the National Assembly.
• The European Union showed inconsistent engagement: it strongly supported the protection of the Vjosa River in line with its 2030 biodiversity strategy, but was more reserved regarding the Jadar lithium project due to the EU's need for raw materials for its energy transition and electric vehicle goals.
• Previous environmental successes in the region include the withdrawal of World Bank and EBRD funding for hydropower plants in Mavrovo National Park, North Macedonia, following a petition with over 100,000 signatures.
• In Bor, eastern Serbia, protests against the Chinese mining corporation Zijin forced the government to hold the company accountable for air pollution, where sulfur dioxide levels exceeded 2,000 micrograms per cubic meter against a limit of 350.

APA

Besliu, R. (2024). Заштитувајте ги реките и планините. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/%d0%b7%d0%b0%d1%88%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%98%d1%9c%d0%b8-%d1%98%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b8%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0/

Chicago

Besliu, Raluca. Заштитувајте ги реките и планините. Green European Journal, 2024. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/%d0%b7%d0%b0%d1%88%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%98%d1%9c%d0%b8-%d1%98%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b8%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Besliu |first1=Raluca |title=Заштитувајте ги реките и планините |publisher=Green European Journal |date=24 May 2024 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/%d0%b7%d0%b0%d1%88%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%98%d1%9c%d0%b8-%d1%98%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b8%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{besliu2024, author = {Besliu, Raluca}, title = {{Заштитувајте ги реките и планините}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/%d0%b7%d0%b0%d1%88%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%98%d1%9c%d0%b8-%d1%98%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b8%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }