It’s a hot week in July and the Meta.mk team is slowly driving along the road to Smrdliva Voda, the site of a large protest on June 29 against the construction of hydroelectric power plants on the Doshnica River (also written as Došnica), whose sources lie below Zelen Breg peak on Mount Kozhuv (also written as Kožuv), near the ski resort that never came to life.
Along the way, the landscape is picturesque: wind, greenery, tall trees that captivate you with their beauty. A few kilometers from Smrdliva Voda, moving up towards the place Asan Cheshma, we come across a dozen parked vehicles and dozens of eco-activists, citizens, and well-wishers, who have come from different parts of Macedonia. People from Delchevo, Skopje, and Gevgelija are all united by a single stancee–NO to any construction on the mountain that would destroy nature and its treasures. They have been at the roadblocks day and night for 17 days straight.
1,000 cubic meters of forest have already been cut down
Kristijan Alchinov, a professional beekeeper, apitherapist, and long-time activist for Kozhuv, tells Meta.mk that just in preparation for the construction of the hydroelectric power plants, a large area of forest has already been cut down—about 1,000 cubic meters.
“If construction were to proceed, the Doshnica River would have to be dredged along a 4-kilometer stretch and widened to 8 meters. This means that all flora, fauna, and endemic species would be destroyed. Doshnica is the cleanest river in Macedonia, from which you can drink water, and it is our treasure, therefore its diversity must not be disturbed. In addition to fish, trout, various crustaceans, endemic mosses, one of the most important species is the honey bee Apis mellifera macedonica, whose habitat is Crveni Steni, which stretches along a long area of the Doshnica River. They would be literally wiped out from their habitat, and that wealth is priceless. It is beyond any measure of state, social, or economic interests and profit,” says Alchinov.
He, along with other activists, says they will not back down and will not allow what they call such malicious projects to be carried out.
The Minister of Environment should keep his word
Marina Tomova, an activist from “Change Makers” from Gevgelija, told us that a week ago they were notified that a truck and a tractor-trailer were coming, so they blocked them near Smrdliva Voda.
“It was the contractor company that came with a tractor with the intention of loading the machines that are already on the ground. They said that their permit had been revoked and that they were going to take the machines. But unfortunately, that was a lie. Until the moment the building permit is revoked, we will stay here. The Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Izet Medziti, said that he would do everything for the benefit of the citizens. We are taking him at his word, although the Government, unfortunately, decided that the building permit will last until April 2026,” says Tomova, who is determined to remain at the blockades until the last moment and who, together with other activists, will not allow construction activities at the site.
Eco-activist Risto Kamov said that they have submitted a request to the Government and Parliament to respect the international agreements they have signed, which contain public involvement regarding the construction of any projects that threaten the environment.
“Based on these agreements, such hydropower plants have not been built in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2022. Unfortunately, we started protecting Doshnica because of a megalomaniacal project to build hydropower plants that want to pipe the river for 20 kilometers, which will mean the destruction of all biodiversity and the destruction of all endemic species, not only bees, trout, but also other endemic animals that are only found on Kozhuv Mountain. We demand that the conventions be respected because everywhere in Europe, pipes are being removed from rivers, and the rivers are being left to follow their natural course. Let’s stop these devastating projects once and for all,” Kamov said.
Katerina Ilijovska, a technologist and activist from Skopje from the eco-association “Yes for Less,” was also on the blocked road.
“I lived in Spain, I returned here a few months ago. I formed an eco-association. This is my first time in Kozhuv and I can’t understand how people from this region aren’t here in larger numbers. Last year in Spain they had a drought caused by climate change, public areas couldn’t be irrigated, restrictions were imposed, there was no water. That’s where the idea of preserving nature comes from. We’re not aware of the treasure we have here. We don’t understand how important the mountain is. I believe that we will succeed in preventing the construction of facilities. There are many examples from Montenegro and Bosnia, laws were passed that banned the construction of small hydropower plants. There are also documentaries with people who sat on such blockades for 365 days, and in the end their activism bore fruit. We believe that we will succeed too,” said Ilijovska.
The activists remain to guard Kozhuv Mountain. They are on the road day and night. They sleep in tents, and well-wishers from different cities come to support them and bring them water and food. Although the mayors of Demir Kapija, Gevgelija, and Kavadarci initiated the proposal to declare Kozhuv a National Park, only Lazar Petrov, the mayor of Demir Kapija, attended the last protest in Smrdliva Voda, despite all three being invited to support the citizens.
