We must stop the ecological attack on the Neretva river valley and the attack on Bosnia’s sovereignty
The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGC) and the Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB) warn that an implementation of the agreement between the RS prime minister Aleksandar Džombić and Vice Prime Minister Radomir Cacic on the construction of hydroelectric power plant, “Dubrovnik-2” would cause the Neretva river valley in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to become unsuitable for life and many species of plants and wildlife would disappear. In addition, Hutovo Blato, a nature and bird reserve would be in danger of an ecological disaster. The water that naturally belongs to the basin of the Neretva River would be forcibly transferred to another, planned basin. This project represents an ecological crime against the natural resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as violation of Bosnia and Herzegovina sovereignty and denial of its statehood. The World Wildlife Fund has warned Croatia and the smaller entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina that the planned project of constructing the hydroelectric power plant in the southern region of BiH, without proper research, is endangering the natural environment, wildlife and farms and said they would inform the EU officials and potential investors of these dangers.
We demand that the Bosniak political establishment immediately utilize all available political power in order to protect the natural resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are among the richest in Europe, as well as the vital interests of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We demand that the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, immediately stop the assault on the natural environment of the Neretva river valley. They must send a strong signal to Croatia and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s neighbors, that they cannot exploit and endanger the natural resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia uses all existing hydroelectric facilities on the river Drina while the Bosnian political leadership remains silent.
The “Republika Srpska” entity, which was created by legalizing the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against its citizens, cannot enter into any unilateral agreements with other countries. Such illegal actions are used to create the impression that the entities are states, which they are not and therefore cannot undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Only the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has the sovereignty and the international authority to enter into agreements with other countries.
We also warn the European Commission and the European Parliament of the inappropriate behavior of the Croatian state against the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Entering into agreements with the RS entity is a step backward in diplomatic relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. We invite the European Environment Agency (EEA) to take concrete steps to stop the construction of hydroelectric project “Dubrovnik-2”, which would have catastrophic consequences for the environment in the Neretva river valley and the “Hutovo blato” nature reserve. Croatia, as an EU candidate, must fully adhere to the standards for the protection of the environment and must respect sovereignty of its neighboring countries.
Prof. Emir Ramic
Director of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGC)
Haris Alibašić, MPA
President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB)