Who we are
Origin and Purpose of the
Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) Movement
and why the site was named
Nova Stara Planina (New Balkan Mountains)
The movement to defend the rivers on Stara planina (Balkan Mountains) began back in the late 1980s when the residents of Temska and other villages opposed the plan to divert water from the Toplodolska River to the Zavojsko Lake.
In 2017, the Ministry retook the initiative to put the river in a tube. As a response, the people who would later found the Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) movement staged a performance titled “River Prayer” at the river of Temištica. The performance attracted significant public attention and informed the general population of this issue.
At the beginning of 2018, a Facebook group was formed with the aim of spreading awareness of the harmful consequences of small hydropower plants. Until December 2019, the group gathered over 85,000 members. Since then, the number of members has been continually growing. As a result, the group has become a significant channel for sharing opinions, experiences and all kinds of relevant information.
In April 2019, we created another FB page, in which we published the most important information. Until December of the same year, the page reached around 8,500 followers. The Nova Stara planina website sprung from the DRSP movement. Nova Stara planina is also the formal name of the organisation represented by Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta, which was founded for the official and institutional fight through specific river defence projects.
The primary aim of the Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) movement (DRSP) is for the construction of small derivative hydropower plants (SHPPs) to be banned , not just at Stara planina but also throughout the entire territory of Serbia, because of extremely harmful impact they have on natural resources, as well as the quality of life of the local population.
Also, we advocate the use of solar and wind power and biomass energy for electricity production. The FB group with the same name is the place to discuss possible solutions and actions, share news, express attitudes and expert analyses and comment on various ideas and suggestions.
- Solar power
- Wind power
- Biomass energy
The main activities of the group include collecting documentation, evidence and photographs, as well as seeking information of public importance regarding SHPPs from relevant institutions.
There is a significant amount of information on how certain regulations were disregarded during construction and the institutions that turned a blind eye to this. Many legal actions have been taken, and DRSP is also dedicated to providing support and information to other cities and groups in the struggle to prevent the SHPP construction.
Many people who don’t even know one another are taking part in this action. Even though they are at different locations, they all have common aims. Also, many of them remain away from the public eye but are actively engaged in river protection.
Participation of DRSP in Expert Conferences; Certificates of Recognition and the Support of Environmental Movements
Participation in Expert Conferences European River Summit, September 2018, Sarajevo 5th Danube Participation Day, October 2018, Sofia Creating a Sustainable System of Subsidies for Renewable Energy Sources in Serbia...
Legal Actions Taken to Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains)
We consider legal actions equally important to field actions. The legal actions taken so far include: Collecting funding for legal proceedings against our activists and the local population; Providing legal aid to locals...
European Commission and European Energy Community – DRSP Contact with International Institutions
Members of the movement strive to influence not just domestic decision-makers but also the relevant international institutions. We have contacted many international institutions and obtained the response of...
Field Actions Taken By the Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina Movement
In 2019, the Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina Movement organized various filed actions, such as: Letter of appeal. In July and August 2019, we undertook the action of collecting signatures for an international appeal...
Balkan Mountains Renewal – DRSP Cooperation with Domestic Institutions
We are interested in cooperating with anyone who shares our interest in the restoration of life at Stara Planina. The DRSP actions are directed at establishing cooperation with domestic institutions. We’ll name a few of our achievements...
Protests Organised By the DRSP within a Year
The Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina Movement was particularly active in the period between the end of 2018 and the end of 2019. During that time, many protests took place in the villages of Stara Planina and...
