Over 300 people block bridge on Neretvica: Ready to give their lives for the river!

(Patria) - "Neretvica is, like all our rivers, our sacred treasure that we will never give you! Investors should not come, because they will not get through,” said the residents of the Neretvica valley who, together with representatives of the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and numerous other associations, blocked the passage over the bridge on this river early this morning in the village of Parsovići in the Konjic municipality.  
The bridge blockade, which lasted from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., was organized due to the announcement that work would begin on the construction of the small hydropower plants (SHPP) Gorovnik ušće and Srijanski Most. 

These are two of the planned 15 SHPPs on the Neretvica River. Over 300 citizens, gathered today on the Neretvica, clearly stated that they will not allow the implementation of these projects.
“Don't come back and don't harass us or yourselves! There are 20 young men here who have signed that they are ready to give their lives for the river. In half an hour we will gather 200 people to block the passage for the machines!”, Sead Hakalović, president of the Coordination Committee for the Protection of the Neretvica, told the investors and their partners.

The residents proved that they can gather over a hundred people in a short time. After the machines and the investor did not show up, the gathered citizens dispersed around 12:30 p.m. However, only half an hour after the blockade ended, Edhem Bičakčić, a former politician who is a consultant for the investor Elektroprivreda BiH on the SHPP project on the Neretvica, and also the owner of the company in charge of procuring machinery, appeared in Parsovići. The residents stopped him and within 15 minutes, over a hundred citizens gathered again, expressing their views and telling him not to return.

Although he initially denied any connection to the project, Bičakčić eventually admitted that his company Bičakčić DOO has a contract with Elektroprivreda BiH for the procurement of machinery. 

At today's protests, the residents were supported by members of the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of BiH from Sarajevo, Kruščica, Fojnica, Foča and Banja Luka, who once again called for solidarity and joint action in the fight against the destruction of rivers in BiH.

“I came from Foča to support these people here who are protesting and protecting this river, this beauty, the Neretvica. On this occasion, I say that we in Foča will not give up our river Bjelava and will not allow the construction of SHPPs on it!”, said Miloš Vujičić from Foča.

Amir Variščić from the environmental protection association Zeleni Neretva from Konjic emphasized that they are united with the residents and other environmental organizations in this fight. 

“We demand a revision of the issuance of concessions and environmental permits for these SHPP projects!”, said Variščić.

Representatives of the Coalition once again reminded that the dry riverbeds where SHPPs have been built prove that the obligation of minimum ecological flow is just a dead letter on paper.

“We demand a moratorium on construction and the abolition of incentives for small hydropower plants!”, they said from the Coalition.

At the beginning of this year, mass protests were already held on the Neretvica, after which the residents were promised that a thematic session of the municipal council would be held, where decisions about the fate of this area would be made democratically and with respect for the will of the people who oppose the construction of SHPPs. This session is still awaited, and the residents expect the councilors to support them in their fight.