GLOOMY PICTURE OF ENVIRONMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF SOUTH MORAVA REGATTA

25. July 2016.

Bujanovac, Vranje, Leskovac – A unique travel by water of a group of enthusiasts down the whole course of the South Morava River, which is 232 kilometers long and which stretches from Bujanovac to Varvarin, has reached the Leskovac region. It has already become apparent to participants in the regatta that the river is extremely polluted due to the people’s negligence.

Scouts regularly inform the public about their activities through social networks, so that they expressed their impressions of the first part of the regatta was like, the mission of which is to determine the state of the banks and the river bed, as well as the potential risk of flooding.

“It's amazing how the South Morava River is beautiful for rafting. It is also amazing how polluted it is. All those who can take part in the regatta, even along a short stretch of the river, are welcome, "said members of the regatta team.

They were greeted by members of the “Poskok” association in Vladicin Han, and by Gradimir Jovic from the village of Prilepac, who is an environmental activist and lover of nature, in the Leskovac area, who pointed to the local environmental problems and was also the guide for that part of the South Morava River.

So far, the participants in the regatta have covered 79 out of 153 kilometers.

Jovan Kocevski, the head of the regatta, said before the start of the regatta that all video and photo material would be made available to the governmental institutions, the Ministry of Defense, the Office for Emergency Situations and the “Srbijavode” company, as the competent institution.

The organizer of the regatta is the extreme sports club "Zavicaj 1093" from Vranje, whose members became known to the general public after the release of "The Sad Morava" movie, which drew people’s attention to the miserable condition of the river and the land near it.

The regatta is sponsored by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia.

Video footage of the regatta can be viewed on https://www.facebook.com/194164060618630/videos/1070257223009305/

Source: South News and Coordination Body