The decades-long problem of floating waste in Višegrad is once again reaching a peak this year, with recurring images that have become all too familiar. The Drina River, instead of symbolizing natural beauty and tourist potential, is increasingly taking on the appearance of the largest open landfill in the region, reports Klix.ba.
Massive amounts of waste that have accumulated in Drina Lake over the past few days once again expose the complete lack of systemic solutions and political responsibility from the relevant authorities.
This problem has been highlighted for years by Dejan Furtula, an activist from Višegrad and member of the Eco Center, who points out that despite numerous promises, announcements, and occasional “firefighting” interventions, nothing has fundamentally changed.
Why are systemic solutions missing?
“The long-standing problem of floating waste clearly shows a total lack of political will and responsibility at all levels of government in Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every year the waste reappears, yet no systemic solution exists,” warns Furtula.
According to him, the quantities of waste that arrived in Višegrad this year confirm that institutions have done absolutely nothing to resolve the problem permanently. The only exception, he notes, was 2022, when even larger amounts of trash were recorded, while in all other years the problem recurred at a slightly smaller, but still alarming scale.
“This clearly shows that past measures were purely cosmetic, if they even existed at all,” Furtula emphasizes.
He finds it particularly disheartening that two years ago, the Eco Center was part of a major international project, “Aquatic Plastic,” aimed at removing floating waste and establishing sustainable solutions. The project involved satellite tracking of waste movement, sorting, removal of smaller illegal dumps, and the acquisition of two chain systems for the Lim River. However, due to a lack of co-financing of only 20 percent, the organization was excluded from the project.
“We reached out to all competent institutions in Republika Srpska, asking them to support a project of public interest. None showed any willingness to take responsibility, even though this is a problem that directly threatens the environment, tourism, human health, and the country’s international reputation,” Furtula says.
Waste from three countries
The cost of this institutional negligence, he adds, is now more than visible – the waste remains, the river remains hostage to inaction, and the citizens of Višegrad are once again left to fend for themselves. The problem of floating waste is further complicated by its cross-border dimension. Huge amounts of garbage enter Drina Lake not only from nearby towns, but also via the Lim River from Serbia, while the Drina brings waste from Montenegro as well. Despite this, serious regional cooperation and coordination are lacking, without which a permanent solution is impossible.
“Floating waste in Višegrad has long ceased to be merely an ecological issue; it is primarily a political problem. As long as the authorities continue to avoid responsibility and shift blame from one level of government to another, this problem will repeat itself year after year,” Furtula tells Klix.ba.
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Source: Klix.ba, Foto: Tanjug / AP /Armin Durgut