SERBIA & MONTENEGRO: The parliament of Montenegro has opposed government plans to build a dam which would flood part of the Tara River canyon, the deepest and longest canyon in Europe.
Only members of the ruling party voted against a declaration to protect the gorge, drawn up by 72 non-governmental organisations and signed by 10,000 people. Parliament's vote was not binding, but puts added pressure on the government.
In recent protests, ordinary Montenegrins as well as environmental groups warned that the dam would turn the clear and wild waters of the Tara river, which locals call "the jewel of Europe", into "a swamp".
The 80 km canyon, part of the Durmitor National Park, features dense forests, sandy beaches, high cliffs and more than 80 caves. Some trees in the gorge are 50 metres high and more than 400 years old. The canyon is a United Nations World Heritage site and one of Montenegro's main tourist attractions, a magnet for rafting, canyoning and nature enthusiasts.
"This is a great victory for Montenegro's environmental conscience. The river Tara has won freedom for ever," said Sinisa Stevovic of the group which started the petition.
"Our motive was to vote for something good for Montenegro," said Miodrag Ilickovic, a leading deputy for the government's junior coalition partner, which also voted against the project.
The dam would be built on the River Drina in the Serb half of neighbouring Bosnia and would flood 12 km of the canyon.
The Montenegrin government has said it could provide enough power to cut the energy deficit by one-third, saving the tiny Adriatic republic of 650,000 people €17 million a year.
The vote came as experts from Unesco were due in Montenegro to assess the controversial scheme. The government says it will scrap the project if Unesco is against it. - (Reuters)