Artists speak up for Balkan Rivers

The musicians want to shake people up and contribute to preventing the looming destruction of nature in their home countries. Darko Rundek from Croatia, Rambo Amadeus from Serbia/Montenegro, Jelena Milušić from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Srdjan Jevdjević, founder and singer of the band Kultur Shock (lives in the USA, originally from Bosnia-Herzegovina) are only four of a total of 40 well-known artists from the Balkan states who support the campaign "Save the Blue Heart of Europe". They raise their voices for the Balkan rivers and against their destruction.

Practically every river and creek between Slovenia and Albania is at risk of being dammed or diverted; over 3,000 new hydropower plants are in the pipeline. The Balkans still host an intact water empire that is without par in Europe. It consists of free-flowing rivers in which species find habitat, that have long disappeared elsewhere in Europe. The Blue Heart of Europe is still beating.

On the occasion of the World Music Day which is celebrated annually on June 21^st, the artists take a stand in short video testimonies.

Rambo Amadeus says: “I joined the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign because I don’t want to be ashamed in front of my grandchildren one day: when they ask me what I did in the era of systematic destruction of nature - did I mind my own business while watching my grandchildren’s chance of life rapidly decrease?” Watch Rambo’s video

Jelena Milušić: “If we just stand aside in silence…we deserve that our existence and survival are in question. Let´s stand united and say no to hydro plants on our rivers!” Watch Jelena’s video

Srđan Jevđević (Kultur Shock) adds: “Our politicians are criminals who are selling our country piece by piece.” Watch Srđan’s video

Darko Rundek: “It´s the mountain rivers and springs, which they intend to put into pipes to produce electricity….  And by doing this, they will destroy a lot of wildlife.” Watch Darko’s video

"We are very pleased that so many artists are speaking up. We need them in order to reach even more people and to stop the dam madness. Rivers are so much more than just entities of profit. They have always inspired people to wonderful songs, pictures and stories. Who has ever heard of songs about dams?" says Ulrich Eichelmann, coordinator of the Blue Heart campaign of Riverwatch.

"The artists bring this important topic to a broad public with heart and emotion and show a responsibility for nature that we painfully miss with the local decision-makers," says Annette Spangenberg, head of projects at EuroNatur.

Video testemonies of the following artists will follow soon: Dževad Karahasan, Selma Alispahić, Marko Tomaš, Aida Čorbadžić, Rikardo Druškić, Martina Mlinarević Sopta, Dinno Kasalo, Selma Spahić, Mona Muratović, Faruk Šehić, Marko Feher, M.o.r.t., Haris Pašović, Selvedin Avdić, Orhan Maslo, Smirna Kulenović, Sead Sašivarević, Mario Knežović, Zdravko Cvjetković, Elma Tetaragić, Marija Šestić, Mevludin Sejmenović, Dado Džihan, Aleksandra Nina Knežević, Sanel Marić Mara, Sassja, Lala Raščić, Milutin Sretenović, Muhamed Kafedžić, Enes Zlatar, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Emina Hodžić Adilović, Soraja Ćehić, Marina Mimoza, Basheskia, Ermin Bravo. Their videos will be uploaded soon at https://balkanrivers.net/en/artists

Background information:
The campaign “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” aims to protect the most valuable rivers in the Balkans from a dam tsunami of about 3,000 planned projects. The campaign is coordinated by the NGOs Riverwatch and EuroNatur and carried out together with partner organisations in the Balkan countries. Find more information at https://balkanrivers.net/

Contact information:

• Ulrich Eichelmann, Riverwatch, ulrich.eichelmann(at)riverwatch.eu +43 676 6621512
• Anja Arning, EuroNatur, anja.arning(at)euronatur.org  +49 (0)7732 – 927213
• Sabina Šabić, coordinator of the Artists for Balkan Rivers project, sabina.sabic(at)gmail.com +387 63 228 068