Thousands of kilometers of rivers have been damaged in recent years in the Balkans due to the increase in dams and small power plants, as well as excessive sediment extraction, according to a report by the non-governmental organizations “River Watch“ and “Euronature“ (Euronatur), published today and quoted by Agence France-Presse, BTA reported.
The report notes that the Balkans have some of the cleanest and wildest rivers in Europe, which are crucial for the continent's biodiversity and are its "blue heart", warning that this valuable resource is increasingly threatened by the growth of infrastructure projects in the region.
In recent years, the Balkans have witnessed the flourishing of small, generously subsidized hydroelectric power plants, and the region often falls within the reach of investors who have come to exploit this reliable and renewable energy source, AFP notes. According to a 2024 report by the two organizations, there are about 1,800 such plants in the Balkans and over 3,000 projects for the construction of such facilities.
In their latest report, which includes the study of over 83,000 km of rivers, the two organizations focus mainly on the so-called semi-natural rivers (watercourses with a nearly intact flow and natural floodplains). These nearly intact rivers accounted for 30 percent of the region's watercourses in 2012, and in 2025 their share fell to just 23 percent - a process that the report defines as a “sad loss of 2,450 kilometers of watercourses“.
The report indicates that the loss of these vital rivers for environmental protection is particularly noticeable in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania - According to the organizations, the share of intact rivers in Bosnia decreased by 23 percent between 2012 and 2025, and in Albania, almost natural river sections fell from 68 percent in 2012 to just 40 percent in 2025.
Despite the negative trends, the report notes that in 2023 the Albanian government granted the Vjosa River - one of the last wild rivers in Europe - the status of a “national park”, which allowed “nearly 40 planned dams to be successfully blocked”. Such legal victories have helped save a total of about 200 km of large watercourses and 700 km of small rivers in recent years, the report also indicates.