Water rights advocates push for constitutional recognition in Serbia and Bosnia

Activists and legal experts in the Balkans are advocating for the formal recognition of access to drinking water as a fundamental human right.

In Serbia, Aleksandar Jovanović, leader of the Ecological Uprising, has called on all political actors to support an initiative to guarantee drinking water for every citizen through constitutional reform. He noted that millions of people in Serbia lack access to drinking water and urged the government and various political parties to prioritize this issue over political calculations.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, lawyer Jovana Kisin Zagajac addressed ongoing water supply issues in Banja Luka and Potkozarje, where some residents faced shortages for nearly twenty days. Zagajac argued that while the right to water may not be explicitly stated in the Constitution of Republika Srpska, it is recognized through European Court practice and local utility laws. She suggested that citizens could seek legal protection and compensation for damages resulting from the inability to function normally without water.