„Bjelava“ Foča citizen association is organizing a protest against constructing small hydropower plants on the rivers Bjelava, Mala Bjelava, and Velika Bjelava, on Friday, August 7 in Bukovica, the Association has stated.

The announcement adds that residents of Foča wish to express their dissatisfaction with current and planned construction activities of multiple hydropower plants on rivers in Foča municipality.

The Association states that the residents are particularly worried about the construction work on Velika Bjelava river in the past month, which is happening, as they say, without concession, outside of the region of geological exploration, as well as without a permit or water agreement.

They explain that, in spite of many requests and the proof about the illegality of Bjelava river basin construction activities, local institution, supervising inspectorates, and Ministry of Energy and Mining of RS have all refused to put a stop to the construction.

-We believe that during the concession process Item 3 of the Call was not fulfilled. This item states that the service provider must consider the opinion of the Foča Municipality and company „Izvor“ from June 20, 2016 and March 17, 2017, in drafting the feasibility study. This company, which objected to the construction work on small hydropower plants, due to endangering of the city water supply, never received the investor feasibility study, it is stated.

They also indicate that the investor visited the location in March of current year, during the Covid-19 restrictions and began construction on small hydropower plants without the necessary permits on rivers Bjelava, Velika and Mala Bjelava, at a time when locals were prevented from protesting.

The meeting point is at „Bukovica“ restaurant at 10 am.