In Brezovica, EcoZ together with activists from Kosovo have unveiled the initiative to protect the Sharri National Park from the negative effects that hydropower plants have in that area.
Although promises have been made to protect nature, we still have four hydroelectric plants illegally inside the Park, built in violation of the Laws for the Protection of National Parks.
EcoZ, in cooperation with Riverwatch, local NGOs, and environmental activists, is advocating to remove the structures that are threatening the human right to drinking water, risking of many animal and plant species for healing, medicinal, and essential for life of humans.
About Hydropower Plants/DAMs
During the construction of Hydropower plants in this Sharri National Park, major legal violations have been identified that endanger not only the natural environment but also the lives of the local community.
Complications:
Illegal interventions in the protected areas of the National Park- Hydropower plants (4) are built inside the Sharri National Park, without respecting Nature Protection Laws.
This directly violates the National Law Nr. 0/L-233 for Nature Protection, which prohibits the economic pursuit of natural resources - in this case, water in the National Parks, causing serious damage to the lives of the community and ecosystems which are the home of endangered species in the park.
The hydropower plants that are located in the Park:
HC Sharri + SHK Viça + SHK Shtrpca + SHK Brezovica.
There is a lack of adequate environmental impact reports in all hydropower plants.
Local residents from the Shtërpce area have had more than 80 protests over the years. Their voice was ignored by the government and no action was taken in this cause for 3 years (2021-2024)
Sharri Park covers 1100 km2 in Kosovo and 500 km2 in North Macedonia, but the difference is in the number of hydropower plants. While the 7 hydropower plants that exist in the Park have been removed, in Kosovo the granting of environmental permits for it continues.
We will stand close to community of this area and protect the blue heart of the Park.
The letters are on the slope of Sharr in case you think of visiting the mountains these days.
