Serbia's Ecological Uprising pushes for constitutional water right

The Ecological Uprising (Ekološki ustanak) movement in Serbia is campaigning for a constitutional amendment that would enshrine the right to water. It has launched the “Water in the Constitution” (Vodu u Ustav) initiative and called on university students to sign the petition, arguing that water is essential for life, liberty and the nation.

The movement says drought has dried sources and rivers, while 80 % of Serbia’s water resources are controlled by foreign companies. Its demands include amending article 74 of the Serbian Constitution, creating dedicated environmental crime units within the Belgrade Higher Prosecutor’s Office and Higher Court, temporarily halting small hydro‑electric plants in protected areas, suspending high‑risk mining projects, stopping deforestation in protected zones and improving public transparency in licensing.

Parliamentary representative Danijela Nestorović stressed that the plan aims to rebuild the state and the environment, not to block development. Leader Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta appealed directly to students, urging them not to remain silent and to support the “Water in the Constitution” initiative, stating: “Without water there is no life, no freedom, no Serbia.”