Rebellion grows over damage to Una River

Members of the Una Serb Association from the source of Croatia’s Una River said they and locals were still on standby, awaiting official responses about illegal construction at the river’s headwaters.

– During yesterday’s protest we were joined by our supportive council and county representatives. Their presence highlighted the seriousness of the situation and reinforced our common fight to protect this important natural resource. We thank everyone for their support. The protest will continue until we receive an official answer and a solution, the association said.

Applications are pouring in

They denied some media reports and pointed out that construction of the Una hydroelectric power plant has not yet been officially stopped.

Yesterday, they learned through the report of journalist Goran Latković that the State Inspectorate of the Republic of Croatia has filed criminal proceedings against the officials who issued the permit for the site of the hydroelectric power plant for alleged abuse of power and authority. In addition, the Environmental Inspectorate issued a misdemeanor order for failure to comply with the environmental impact assessment procedure before the amendment of the site permit. The Inspectorate also asked the Institute for Environment and Nature Protection and the Ministry to determine whether the construction of the hydroelectric power plant on the Una River has harmful consequences for nature, given that the work is carried out in the Natura 2000 area. Ecological Network.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially on the right bank of the Una River, citizens living along the border with the Republic of Croatia once again experienced an absurd situation, which reminded them of the issue of the nuclear waste disposal site in Targovska Gora on the Una River.

– Una has never been so threatened! The upper reaches are under attack and have already been partially destroyed by an investor who, for a few euros, destroyed Una and built a small hydroelectric plant. From the beginning it was known that they did not have all the necessary documents, but blinded by money, they did not want to stop. And this is not the only such harmful project they are planning! The rest of the river is threatened by radioactive waste from the Krško nuclear power plant and a whole range of other hazardous wastes from Croatia. In the coming months, the Una River needs civic responsibility more than ever! Later it will be too late! Support the people who defend the Una spring with their bodies every day, visit them and become part of the defenders! When the time comes we will definitely be more severe in the streets and in international courts for radioactive and other hazardous wastes, declares the Novigrad Green Team Association.

Mario Crnković was also a member of the expert group in the Bosnian Tgovska Gora case and actively participated in the defense of the Una and its source hydroelectric power station case.

The country turned a blind eye

– When institutions do not fulfill their duties, it is the citizens’ responsibility to inform them immediately, and not wait for elections. It is obvious that they are helping the investor, who is destroying Una with his excavator. It is incredible that even after so much time and public information, there was a serious negligence on the part of the so-called file investor, and no one officially banned the works, but citizens had to defend Una with their bodies. For me, this is a classic example of citizens defending their country’s position, and the state, which exists because of citizens and the Constitution, turned a blind eye and waited for the citizens’ rebellion to pass. Crkovic said that the rebellion will not pass, it will grow stronger day by day, as the attacks on the Una are getting stronger day by day.

Far from it, there are no other issues when it comes to protecting Una, he added.

– The quantities are too many, but hitting the Una River springs with excavators of private investors and hitting the river with radioactive waste from the Krško nuclear power plant are red lines that cannot be crossed, Crčković concluded.

Fakhruddin Bender