EuroNatur
2025-2026
River ecosystems are among the most threatened habitats globally, and this challenge is becoming increasingly pronounced in the Western Balkans due to the uncontrolled construction of dams and hydropower plants. This development trend poses a serious threat to biodiversity, natural landscapes and the quality of life of local communities across the region. According to available data, more than 3,000 hydropower projects are planned between Slovenia and Albania, while Montenegro is facing growing pressure on its rivers and natural resources.
The Komarnica River has been at the centre of public attention for years due to the planned construction of a hydropower plant which, despite strong opposition from the scientific community, civil society organisations and local communities, has been included in key national strategic documents, including the Energy Development Strategy of Montenegro until 2030, the Spatial Plan of Montenegro until 2040 (adopted in 2025), as well as the list of 15 priority energy projects. The proposed intervention represents a serious threat to the Komarnica River and its canyon, which are recognised as areas of exceptional ecological, landscape and cultural value.
The aim of the project is to safeguard the Komarnica River and its canyon from harmful hydropower development and to ensure their long-term and permanent protection. The project builds on the joint efforts of the “Save Komarnica” initiative, which brings together several environmental organisations, international scientists and local activists, and forms part of the broader regional campaign “Save the Blue Heart of Europe”, dedicated to protecting the last free-flowing rivers of the Balkans.
Through a combination of science-based analysis, public advocacy and civic mobilisation, the project pursues the following specific objectives:
- Raise public and institutional awareness about the ecological and socio-economic value of Komarnica and increase public pressure against the hydropower project.
- Mobilize public support and increase citizen and expert engagement in opposing the Komarnica HPP project.
- To ensure the effective participation of the “Save Komarnica” initiative and civil society in decision-making processes, while strengthening institutional accountability.
- Promote Komarnica’s long-term protection through its integration into the Durmitor National Park and initiate the process for international recognition under UNESCO.
- Initiate a consultative and research-based process for exploring sustainable development options in Komarnica, including the preparation of a sustainable development study for the Komarnica area, aimed at identifying development options grounded in the conservation of natural values, the needs of local communities and the long-term public interest.
