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Description
At the beginning of October, concession contracts were signed with municipalities in the Zasavje Region of Slovenia regarding the construction of three hydroelectric power plants on the middle segment of the Sava River. Simultaneously, a National Strategy for the Phase out of Coal and the Just Transition and Restructuring of Coal Regions with regional plan for Zasavje is being developed. Only one scenario within this plan is based on the green development of the region without HPPs. Both processes took place quickly and without proper consultation of all stakeholders. In the proposed project, we will analyze both the concession contract and coal exit strategy. We will support a development scenario which respects natural and cultural heritage. The Za Savo group (six Slovenian NGOs) will prepare two responses and present them to the media and the public in November and December through an online press conference and a media release. The documents and our views will be published on the group''s online platforms, with an invitation to the public and other NGOs to support our cause. Public support will strengthen our advocacy role and place pressure on decision-makers, which will further contribute to more transparent and inclusive decision-making processes regarding the development of the Zasavje Region. We will support a development scenario which is not based on additional HPPs on the Sava River. The project will be implemented by two members of the Za Savo group of NGOs, namely the applicant Eko krog (based in the region) and partner NGO Leeway Collective. Eko krog will provide coordination of the groups’ activities and legal support. Leeway Collective will manage project communications (including the setting up the web site and social media.
Summary of project results
The project has gathered together NGOs and activists that want to protect the Sava river from additional 10 electric hydropower plants. The Government and the HSE Company were interested in the construction of HPPs on the Middle Sava as soon as possible and presented only arguments in favor of the project to the public while the negative side was never discussed. This is why nine NGOs, movements and civic initiatives joined the For the Sava River (Za Savo) group: Eko krog Society, Leeway Collective Institute, LUTRA Institute, The Slovenian Native Fish Society, Balkan River Defence, Mladi za podnebno pravičnost, REVIVO Institut, Civic Initiative #ZaSavo Litija, Civic initiative for ecosocial society and the development of Zasavje and prepared an alternative media campaign to present the downside of this project.
They had established a special web-page www.za-savo.si and collected 2.476 individual signatures for petition against additional hydropower plants. Another angle of the project was the legal actions against the construction of hydropower plants - they had provided information for the Slovenian Court of Auditors who had taken their case for official investigation. All their efforts and efforts of other NGOs and civic initiatives has resulted in the fact that the construction of new hydropower plants is currently on hold.