Newly unveiled plans described as turning the Danube and Croatia’s other rivers into "little more than regulated canals" have been protested to the European Union by WWF, Croatian NGOs and EuroNatur.

The NGOs say the plans, released by the Croatian Water Management Authority, run counter to European water and environmental regulations – and potentially throw up obstacles to Croatia joining the EU.

The proposed river regulation projects along the Danube, Drava, Mura, Sava and Neretva Rivers would transform many natural meandering river stretches into a unified canal, fixed by stones, groins and embankments. 

The NGOs say that in defiance of the EU Water Framework Directive, the Danube Strategy and the Danube River Basin Management Plan, about 440 km of natural river stretches of the Danube and Sava rivers could be regulated and destroyed, damaging Europe’s largest floodplain forests and wetland areas. Also under threat would be endangered species such as the Little tern, White-Tailed eagle, Otter and Sturgeon.

“We are very much concerned that new planned river regulation projects along all major rivers in Croatia are threatening unique natural areas and counteracting efforts of the EU to bring water management in line with EU policy and law”, said Arno Mohl, Freshwater Expert at WWF Austria. “Specifically, we are concerned about the planned large-scale river regulation schemes, sediment extraction and irrigation projects along the Danube, Drava, Mura, Sava and Neretva Rivers”. 

A delegation of Croatian NGOs , WWF and EuroNatur handed over a protest letter to Ambassador Paul Vandoren, Head of the EU Delegation in Zagreb, addressed to EU Environment Commissioner, Janez Potocnik and EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Füle, expressing their deep concern about the new regulation projects planned by the Croatian Water Management Authority.

“These are river management plans of last century,” Arno Mohl said. “European river authorities are suggesting ecologically more acceptable methods of river management that leave more space for the rivers. They are doing this because we now realize that a naturally functioning river not only has more life than a canal, but it also provides natural mechanisms to better deal with droughts and floods.”

The regulation plans 
“The regulation plans are the biggest attack on Croatian and European natural heritage since the country became independent. The ongoing resistance of the Croatian Water Management Authority to follow common European values and standards is unacceptable. We urge the EU Commission to help stop this old fashioned way of river management and urge the Croatian government to impose a moratorium on these plans”, say the NGOs.

The NGOs have asked the European Commission to immediately urge Croatia, respectively the Water Management Authority to:

• Refrain from taking any further decisions or steps in the implementation of these projects and to impose a moratorium on these river regulation, sediment extraction and irrigation projects.
• Initiate a round table between all relevant stakeholders to discuss and review current projects and practices and find sustainable alternatives in line with Croatian and EU law.

According to official information from the Croatian government and statements from different European officials, Croatia has reached the final stage of negotiations on accession to the European Union. As part of this process, Chapter 27 (Environment) has been provisionally closed during the last pre-accession conference in December 2010.

“We believe that fulfilling EU environmental obligations is a condition for Croatia’s further integration into the EU – and ultimately for EU accession”, Arno Mohl said.