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108-612: The Temštica, known as the Topli Do river ( Toplodolska reka , Топлодолска река) in the northern part, originates from five streams from the Stara Planina mountain on the Serbian–Bulgarian border. Three major streams spring out from several peaks of Stara Planina: Midžor/Midzhur (Миџор/Миджур), Vražija Glava/Vrazha glava (Вражија Глава/Вража глава), Bratkova Strana (Браткова Страна) and Gola Glava (Гола Глава). They all join together near

216-450: A nomad following the disbanding of Mano Negra. While Mano Negra called their style patchanka (literally "patchwork"), Manu Chao speaks of música mestiza ( de:Mestizo-Musik ), a musical style which may also incorporate elements of rap , flamenco , Afro-Cuban music , samba and cumbia . In many of his pieces he layers lyrics, music, and sound recordings over each other. In the short documentary film Infinita tristeza (essentially

324-516: A car or cell phone because he does not need either of these. He also talked about having weak leaders as a threat to democracy and explained that there are small movements in Spain that are fighting for blank votes to be recorded as legitimate votes. He explained this could be a solution because blank votes currently make up a majority of the votes in elections, which means that election results are inaccurate. Another topic he discussed during this interview

432-521: A child, he was a big fan of Cuban singer-pianist Bola de Nieve . Heavily influenced by the UK rock scene, particularly The Clash , The Jam and Dr. Feelgood , Chao and other musicians formed the Spanish/English rockabilly group Hot Pants in the mid-1980s. The group released a demo entitled "Mala Vida" in 1984, which received plenty of local critical praise but otherwise gained them little attention. By

540-635: A final album in 1994. In 1987, the Chao brothers and their cousin Santiago Casariego founded the band Mano Negra . Manu Chao said in Alt.Latino in 2011, "Mano Negra started playing in a subway in Paris before the band started to be known and selling records. We started in a subway for a living. This is what made the musicians of Mano Negra. And so the people using the subway in Paris was very eclectic. There were people from

648-402: A lake that flooded the village of Zavoj. The natural lake was dried, the dam was consolidated and a hydroelectrical power plant was constructed ( HE Zavoj ) with the artificial Lake Zavoj (area5.53 km (2.14 sq mi); altitude 612 m (2,008 ft); depth 60 m (200 ft)) instead of the dried one. The village of Novi Zavoj was built on higher ground for the residents of

756-636: A locally endemic winged bellflower ( Campanula calyciliata ) and Pančić's frog grass ( Senecio pancicii ), which can be found only on the mountain. There are also communities of mountainous sphagnum bogs on the localities of Jabučko Ravnište, Babin Zub and Arbinje. Some 350 herb species are considered medicinal or aromatic . In 2022, several independent surveys from various universities and institutes were conducted, in order to list all of them, to enhance their protection, and to check possibilities for potential plantation production. Vast areas south and southeast from

864-590: A lot of different countries, different cultures. So we have to be able to play all kinds of music to please all the people in a subway. So that was a perfect school to learn a lot of different styles of music." Starting on a smaller label, the group released a reworked version of the Hot Pants single " Mala Vida " in 1988, which quickly became a hit in France. The group soon moved to Virgin Records , and their first album Patchanka

972-453: A much smaller scale. The 500 metres (1,600 ft) long gorge is a remnant of the former cave which eroded in time. Underground waters on the mountain reach the surface in the forms of common springs, well-springs ( vrelo ) and diffused springs ( pištevina ). There are some 500 springs with the flow of over 0.1 L/s (1.3 imp gal/min). The strongest spring is the intermittent Jelovičko vrelo , known for its fluctuations, characterized by

1080-585: A new group, Radio Bemba Sound System (named for the communication system used in the Sierra Maestra by the Castro -and- Guevara -led rebels in the Cuban Revolution ), featuring groups from diverse backgrounds, such as Mexican Tijuana No! , Brazilian Skank , and Argentinian Todos Tus Muertos . The goal was to replicate the sound of street music and bar scenes from a variety of cultures; to that end, Chao and

1188-743: A rather young and recently formed part of the Alp-Himalayan chain which stretches across most of Eurasia . The Balkan Mountains can be divided into two parts—the main Balkan Chain and the Pre-Balkans (Fore-Balkan) to the north, which extend slightly onto the Danubian Plain . To the south, the mountains border the Sub-Balkan valleys , a row of 11 valleys running from the Bulgarian-Serbian border east to

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1296-621: A single track, " Bongo Bong and Je Ne T'aime Plus " and released it as a single from the album Rudebox . Manu Chao sings in Spanish, French, English, Portuguese , Galician , Arabic and Wolof , often mixing several languages in the same song. His music has many influences, such as punk , rock , French chanson , Iberoamerican salsa , reggae , ska , and Algerian raï . These influences were obtained from immigrants in France, his Iberian connections, and foremost his travels in Mesoamerica as

1404-516: A statement by Chao himself in the Próxima Estación CD booklet, "Homens" is the song which the backdrop was originally written and recorded for, and all the others came later.) Also, the tune of "La Primavera", a track from that same album, is used in several other songs featured on the LP, while lyrics for a few songs on Sibérie m'était contéee are repeated several times with different music, leading

1512-435: A tour through much of Colombia in a retired train, the "Ice Express". Still, rifts began to grow among band members during the port tour and the following year's train tour; many band members, including Manu's brother Antoine, had left the group by the end of 1994. Following that year's release of their final album, Casa Babylon, Manu Chao moved the band to Madrid , but legal problems with former bandmates led Chao to disband

1620-484: A variety of languages and musical styles. With friends and his brother Antoine Chao, he founded the band Mano Negra in 1987, achieving considerable success, particularly in Europe. He became a solo artist after its breakup in 1995 and since then has toured regularly with his live band, Radio Bemba Sound System. Chao's mother, Felisa Ortega, is from Bilbao , Basque Country , and his father, writer and journalist Ramón Chao ,

1728-438: A video travelogue of Chao's 2001 tour of South America ), included within the bonus section of his 2002 live DVD release Babylonia en Guagua , Chao explained that his only recording tool is a small IBM ThinkPad laptop computer, which he carries with him wherever he goes; he has occasionally used conventional recording studios, such as Europa Sonor in Paris, to overdub instruments such as drums, electric guitars and brass , but

1836-464: A young brown bear was filmed on camera. There are 203 species of birds, of which 154 are nesting in the park, 10 are wintering, 30 are passing and 13 are wandering. Important species include golden eagle , Ural owl and hawk . As the park is the most important habitat in Serbia for long-legged buzzard , Eurasian woodcock and an endemic Balkan horned lark , an area of 440 km (170 sq mi)

1944-603: Is a salmonid region, inhabited by the riverine brown trout . Another 25 species of fish live in the rivers and streams, so as the fire salamander and newts . Over 30 mammalian species are found in the park, including lesser mole-rat , hazel dormouse and the Tertiary relict, European snow vole . Brown bear became extinct in Serbian part, but evidence showing the presence of the bears were found in 2014. The bears have been photographed in 2015, before disappearing again until 2019 when

2052-556: Is also its southernmost locality worldwide. There have been successful efforts in the reintroduction of two vulture species that went extinct from the mountain range in the past several decades. In 2021 the first cinereous vulture in Bulgaria in nearly 30 years hatched in Kotel mountains in the eastern section of the mountain range, thus establishing the second breeding colony in the Balkans, after

2160-432: Is for the legalization of drugs such as marijuana - he explained that mafias are making capital off of the distribution of illegal drugs which gives them more economic power, thus making it easier for them to potentially overthrow governments. In this interview he also expressed his belief that currently, the global market is the largest force shaping the lives of people throughout the world. For this reason, he believes that

2268-555: Is from Vilalba , Galicia . They emigrated to Paris to avoid Francisco Franco 's dictatorship—Manu's grandfather had been sentenced to death. Shortly after Manu's birth, the Chao family moved to the outskirts of Paris, and Manu spent most of his childhood in Boulogne-Billancourt and Sèvres . As he grew up he was surrounded by many artists and intellectuals, most of whom were acquaintances of his father. Chao cites much of his childhood experience as inspiration for some songs. As

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2376-417: Is huge profit - state is obliged to buy all their electricity at the prices at least doubled from the commercial price for the buyers. Because of that, each electricity bill for every consumer is enlarged with the obligatory item for the owners of the "alternative electrical power", despite minimal output of micro hydros in total electricity production. On 7 October 2019, a full blown, physical fighting between

2484-491: Is key for the protection of the eastern imperial eagle , saker falcon , Eurasian eagle-owl , Eurasian pygmy owl , Ural owl , boreal owl , white-backed woodpecker , semicollared flycatcher and the corn crake . The park's herpetofauna includes 15 reptile and nine amphibian species. It hosts vital populations of common European adder ( Vipera berus ), European toad , grass snake ( Natrix natrix ), legless lizard , tessellated water snake , viviparous lizard and

2592-516: Is not navigable. As with the two rivers which form the Temska, there are environmental concerns stemming from the 2008 plan to build 60 micro hydros in the Stara Planina region. The worst effects are created by the derivative hydro plants. In such cases, the 2 to 4 km (1.2 to 2.5 mi) long pipes which redirect the flow are being laid. As they are all privately owned, the owners often redirect all

2700-760: Is only found within the park's boundaries, Аlchemilla аchtarowii , Alchemilla jumrukczalica , Betonica bulgarica , Centaurea davidovii , as well as another 75 Balkan endemics. The vertebrate fauna of Central Balkan National Park consists of over 300 species. The number of mammal species is around 60, including animals of high conservation concern, such as the: Balkan chamois ( R. rupicapra balcanica ), Eurasian brown bear , Eurasian otter , Eurasian wolf , European ground squirrel , European snow vole , European wild boar , European wildcat , Lesser mole-rat , Marbled polecat , Pine marten , Red deer , Red fox , Western roe deer . The avifauna includes some 220 species, of which 123 are resident/nesting. The park

2808-606: Is very close to the Zapatistas and their public spokesman, Subcomandante Marcos . He has many followers among the European left, the Latin American left and the anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist movements. Chao is a founding member of ATTAC . Punk and reggae historian Vivien Goldman commented of his work, "I was writing about Good Charlotte and The Police . They adopted the trappings of punk. They aren't bad groups, but

2916-583: The Aegean . A prominent gap in the mountains is formed by the predominantly narrow Iskar Gorge , a few miles north of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia . The karst relief determines the large number of caves, including Magura , featuring the most important and extended European post-Palaeolithic cave painting, Ledenika , Saeva dupka , Bacho Kiro , etc. The most notable rock formation are the Belogradchik Rocks in

3024-769: The Aegean Sea in the south. However, they are crossed by Bulgaria's longest river, the Iskar , which forms the Iskar Gorge . Rivers that take their source from the Balkan Mountains and flow northwards to the Danube include the Timok , Archar , Lom , Tsibritsa , Ogosta , Skat , Vit , Osam , Yantra , and Rusenski Lom . The mountains are also the source of the Kamchiya , which flows directly into

3132-521: The Black Sea , separating the Balkan Mountains from a chain of other ranges known as Srednogorie (which includes Vitosha and Sredna Gora ). The Balkan Mountains consist of around 30 distinct peaks; within Bulgaria, the range can be divided into three sections: In their central and eastern sections, the mountains form a water divide between the rivers flowing to the Danube in the north and those flowing to

3240-638: The Haemus Mons . Scholars consider that the name Haemus (Αἷμος) is derived from a Thracian word *saimon , 'mountain ridge'. The name of the place where the range meets the Black Sea, Cape Emine , is derived from Aemon . A folk etymology holds that 'Haemus' derives from the Greek word "haima" ( αἵμα ) meaning 'blood', and is based on Greek mythology. During a fight between Zeus and the monster/titan Typhon , Zeus injured Typhon with thunder; and Typhon's blood fell on

3348-608: The Ottoman rule , many haiduks found refuge in the Balkan Mountains. Close to the highest summit, Botev Peak , is Kalofer , the birthplace of Hristo Botev , a Bulgarian poet and national hero who died in the western Balkan Mountains near Vratsa in 1876 in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire . Also close to Botev is Shipka Pass , the scene of the four battles in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 , which ended Turkish rule in

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3456-622: The Paleozoic to the Cenozoic eras. Limestone terrain is known for the short losing streams and tufaceous waterfalls. There are canyons and gorges, like those of the Toplodolska reka and Rosomačka reka rivers. The Rosomača canyon ( Rosomački lonci or Slavinjsko grlo ), with its 60 metres (200 ft) tall, cascade limestone walls, is known for its resemblance of the Colorado's Grand Canyon, but on

3564-491: The Roman period and late mediaeval monastic complexes. Some of those older monuments are fragmentary and relocated from their original locations. There are numerous examples of the ethnic edifices characteristic for the architecture of the region in the late 19th and early 20th century (houses, barns, etc.) Serbian section of the mountain is seen as a location for dozens of micro hydros , mini power plants which caused problem with

3672-568: The Serbian parliamentary elections in January 2007. Due to the continued opposition from both the municipality and the population, the construction of the 9 km (5.6 mi) long tunnel which would transfer the water from the river into the lake was abandoned. The water of Visočica is already being transferred into the lake, so the Temska relies only on waters from the Temštica. Transferring that water into

3780-444: The common frog . Due to the park's high altitude, the ichthyofauna consists of six fish species, with brown trout being the dominant one. Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park is situated in the western section of the mountain range and spans an area of 301.29 km . Its territory includes some of the most extensive karst areas in Bulgaria with over 600 caves, such as Ledenika , the gorge Vratsata whose 400 m vertical cliffs are

3888-415: The golden eagle , long-legged buzzard , peregrine falcon , Eurasian eagle-owl, Alpine chough , Alpine swift , Eurasian crag martin , red-rumped swallow , wallcreeper , etc. There are 15 reptile and 11 amphibian species; of them important populations exist of the meadow lizard , European copper skink , Balkan crested newt , as well as the only habitat in Bulgaria of the northern crested newt , which

3996-430: The 1940s, in a number of localities along the Balkan Mountains. First group of trees was protected in 1966, followed by the creation of 7 special nature reserves and 3 natural monuments in the 1980s. Nature park Stara Planina was established in 1997 and since 2009 is in its present borders, covering an area of 1,143.22 km (441.40 sq mi). The protected area was expanded in 2020. The sediments extend from

4104-565: The Administrative Court's decision. The court also examined the report of the Institute for Natural Protection of Serbia, which described wildlife, including strictly protected plant and animal species in Visočica, and which differs greatly from the governmental study on the same issue. In October 2018, Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan , said that the current law allows for

4212-475: The Balkan Mountains at the following passes (listed from west to east): The Balkan Mountains have had a significant and special place in the history of Bulgaria since its founding in 681. It was a natural fortress of the Bulgarian Empire for centuries and formed an effective barrier to Moesia where most of the medieval capitals were located. The Balkan mountains were the site of numerous battles between

4320-528: The Balkans), as well as Borov Kamak , Babsko Praskalo , Etropole Waterfall , Karlovsko Praskalo , and Skaklya, among others. The area of the Stara Planina has always been sparsely populated and inaccessible because of the rugged and forested terrain, but also as a location of the Serbian-Bulgarian border. As armies relinquished the borders, giving control to the border police, civilians were allowed to explore

4428-461: The Balkans. Significant areas of the Balkan mountains are under protection by Bulgarian law, including one national park — Central Balkan National Park ; three nature parks — Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park , Bulgarka Nature Park and Sinite Kamani Nature Park, over 20 nature reserves, as well as numerous natural landmarks. Central Balkan National Park is among the largest and most valuable of

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4536-538: The Biosphere Programme and for the world list of geoparks , while over tens of thousands of citizens signed petitions against the micro hydros and numerous protests have been organized by the local population. This prompted similar protests in other parts of Serbia and the association "Defend the rivers of Stara Planina" was founded, which expanded its base of operations outside of the Stara Planina region. The activism resulted in various physical altercation between

4644-442: The Black Sea. Although not so abundant in mineral waters as other parts of Bulgaria, there are several spas such as Varshets , Shipkovo and Voneshta Voda. Developments in modern times have completely changed the geography of Serbia, especially when it comes to waterfalls. Still, there are a number of waterfalls to be seen, especially in the western and central parts of the range, such as Raysko Praskalo (the highest waterfall in

4752-654: The Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires including the Battle of the Rishki Pass (759), Battle of the Varbitsa Pass (811), the Battle of Tryavna (1190) and the Battle of Devina (1279). In the battle of the Varbitsa Pass, Khan Krum decisively defeated an enormous Byzantine army, killing Emperor Nikephoros I . For many centuries, the Byzantines feared these mountains, their armies reportedly retreating upon approaching them. During

4860-475: The Dojkinička reka, also from the right), Rsovci , Pakleštica , Velika Lukanja and former village of Zavoj, before it meets the Temštica. The Visočica is the source of the drinking water for the region and the habitat of the protected noble crayfish . In 1963 a huge landslide jammed the river, creating a natural earth dam (500 m (1,600 ft) long and 50 m (160 ft) high) which in turn created

4968-652: The Nature Park Stara Planina was nominated for the UNESCO 's Man and the Biosphere Programme and for the world list of geoparks , while over 10,000 citizens signed petition against the micro hydros, including the deans of several faculties within the University of Belgrade (Biology, Forestry, Veterinary Medicine) and organized protests. In November 2018, in its final decision, the Supreme Court of Cassation overturned

5076-557: The Serbian border. The river, in this section known also as Barlska Reka from the name of the village of Barlya  [ bg ] , flows to the south, reaching the Zabardie  [ bg ] region of eastern Bulgaria and the northern slopes of the Gora mountain , where it turns west and enters the Visok depression at the village of Komshtitsa  [ bg ] . Soon after it turns west,

5184-617: The United States and "learn to kill" for free, but had to pay to learn to do anything else. He suggested that this is a sign that the United States is afraid of its future. When asked about immigration during this interview, Chao mentioned that the West, particularly the United States, has a population with a lot of elderly people and that in order to excel in the future, the West needs the youth from " Third World " countries. He explains that providing legal status to immigrant young people would require

5292-626: The United States to honor the rights of these immigrants, and therefore it is cheaper and easier for the United States to deny so many young immigrants a legal status. He then said that the "Occident...needs to open the borders." In an article published in 2010, Cornelia Gräbner mentioned Chao's lyrics in a discussion about how the work of four different authors who contribute to the alter-globalization movement. Gräbner discusses how Manu Chao, Eduardo Galeano , Subcomandante Marcos, and José Saramago present alternative practice of politics from different perspectives. Gräbner states that Chao's work emphasizes

5400-650: The United States with Mano Negra were not as successful as elsewhere. Though his live performances in the U.S. are infrequent, Chao played a handful of dates there in 2006, including a headlining show at Lollapalooza 2006 in Chicago. He was one of the headlining acts at the 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park . In January 2012 he was

5508-458: The Visočica crosses the Bulgarian-Serbian border. The Visok depression is located between Stara Planina to the north and the Vidlič (or Vidlich) mountain to the south. It is elongated (divided into upper and lower sections) and sparsely populated: the villages of Izatovci , Slavinja (where it receives the tributary of Rosomačka reka from the right), Visočka Ržana (where it receives the tributary of

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5616-670: The album gained a steady following in France with hits such as " Bongo Bong " and " Clandestino ", and the album eventually earned the Best World Music Album award in 1999's Victoires de la Musique awards. It sold in excess of 5 million copies. Chao's second album with Radio Bemba Sound System, Próxima Estación: Esperanza , was released in 2001. This album, named after one of the Madrid metro station stops (the title translates to Next Station: Hope ), features similar sounds to Clandestino but with heavier Caribbean influences than

5724-694: The archaic word balkan (балкан) was borrowed from Turkic and means "mountain". It may have ultimately derived from the Persian bālkāneh or bālākhāna , meaning "high, above, or proud house." The name is still preserved in Central Asia with the Balkan Daglary (Balkan Mountains) and the Balkan Province of Turkmenistan . In Antiquity and the Middle Ages the mountains were known by their Thracian name:

5832-429: The area. As a result, higher and higher waterfalls have been discovered on the Serbian side of the Stara Planina in the years since, including Čungulj (1996) at 43 m (141 ft); Pilj (2002) at 64 m (210 ft); Kopren (2011) at 103.5 m (340 ft); and Kaluđerski Skokovi (2012) at 232 m (761 ft). The mountains are crossed by 20 passes and two gorges. There are paved roads crossing

5940-402: The border, then eastward across Bulgaria, forming a natural barrier between the northern and southern halves of the country, before finally reaching the Black Sea at Cape Emine . The mountains reach their highest point with Botev Peak at 2,376 metres (7,795 ft). In much of the central and eastern sections, the summit forms the watershed between the drainage basins of the Black Sea and

6048-654: The bubbling and foaming. Montane ecosystems are diverse and include several plant communities: forests, shrubs, meadows, pastures and peatlands . There are six different vegetation zone in the park. Oak , beech , spruce , subalpine zone of the shrub vegetation of common horsetail , blueberry , subalpine spruce and mugo pine . Other plants include shrub alder , steppe pedunculate oak , but also rare and endangered species like European pasqueflower , yellow pheasant's eye , Kosovo peony , common sundew , Heldreich's maple , martagon lily , pygmy iris and marsh orchid . In total, there are 1,190 plant species, including

6156-423: The cinereous vultures were seen flying over the Serbian side, while the population decline of Egyptian vultures was slowed down. Neither griffon nor cinereous vultures are still nesting on Serbian side. The latter has not been nesting since the 1960s, when they were eradicated through the state operated campaign of poisoning wolves. Human heritage spans from the prehistoric remains, Classical antiquity including

6264-406: The confluence with the Visočica, the Temštica is also known as the Temska . The river flows next to the village of Novi Zavoj and the Monastery of Temska (with the small hydroelectrical power plant of the same name) and empties into the Nišava northwest of the town of Pirot . The Temštica drains an area of 820 km (320 sq mi), it belongs to the Black Sea drainage basin and it

6372-422: The connection of contemporary 'contentious Europe' with past struggles, particularly through his lyrics and combinations of musical styles. Gräbner believes that Chao's family history plays a crucial role in his political views and how that has shaped the way he creates his music. She explains that "Chao translates his family's anti-fascist political tradition into a politicized embrace of cultural difference and into

6480-421: The dam. However, that is the so-called "dead water", which comes from the depth of 60 m (200 ft) and has the temperature of only few Celsius degrees. Without any research being conducted, in 1992 the construction of the tunnel which would conduct the waters from Temštica itself into the Lake Zavoj began. As the area of Stara Planina was protected in the meantime the project was halted. Local population in

6588-408: The ecology of the area. Additionally, the region of Stara Planina is protected by the law. The Administrative Court then confirmed the investors' rights to build the plant, but the Ministry appealed to the Supreme Court of Cassation and announced the change of the Nature protection law, which will permanently forbid the construction of plants in protected areas. In order to prevent further degradation,

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6696-417: The effects of economic globalization on social inequality. He explained how he believes that the global market is causing social inequality, and how issues in education and immigration are connected to this. In this interview he expressed a worry that mafias are the greatest threat to democracy and that this is already evident in certain places, like Russia and Mexico. He stated that this is one reason that he

6804-403: The environmentalists and local population. Even the Ministry for environmental protection halted some of the projects and litigated with the investors. They also announced the change of the Nature protection law, which will permanently forbid the construction of plants in protected areas. In order to prevent further degradation, the Nature Park Stara Planina was nominated for the UNESCO 's Man and

6912-408: The equipment caused by fires and intervention by the police. As reported by numerous media, the investors tend to build the objects even without all the necessary (or positive) permits and though they apply with projects of watermill hydro plants, which include mini reservoirs and constant flow of the streams, in the end they just conduct water into the pipes, drying the rivers out completely. The reason

7020-417: The flooded Zavoj. Just as with the Temštica, Visočica and its tributaries were seen as a location for dozens of micro hydros , mini power plants and again, it caused problem with the environmentalists and local population. Construction of the proposed Pakleštica micro hydro was halted by the Ministry for environmental protection after "Srbijašume" state owned company reported that the power plant would disrupt

7128-414: The future, too. By the 2020s, Stara Planina became a popular filmmaking locality. With Serbian productions, the foreign movies were also filmed here, including the 2019 Indian action movie Uri: The Surgical Strike . Its director, Aditya Dhar , expressed surprise with "unremarkable similarity between Stara Planina and Kashmir ". The 2022 Australian Oscar entry You Won't Be Alone was also filmed on

7236-610: The group in 1995. Mano Negra's sound is mostly characterized by energetic, lively rhythms, symbolized by the title of their first album, Patchanka , derived from the word pachanga (which is a colloquial term for "party"), and a distinct informality which allows the audience to get involved and feel close to their sound. Mixed music genres are present throughout their albums. Manu Chao is friends with Gogol Bordello and that group has covered Mano Negra's song " Mala Vida " on their own and with Chao beginning in 2006. After arriving in Madrid , Chao and other bandmates from Mano Negra formed

7344-472: The group spent several years travelling throughout South and Central America, recording new music as they went. The resulting music differed drastically from Mano Negra; the songs were primarily sung in Spanish with far fewer French tracks and the musical style had shifted from punk and alternative styles to the street vibe Chao was aiming for. The songs were collectively released as Clandestino in 1998, under Manu Chao's own name. Though not an instant success,

7452-464: The headline act at the opening night of Sydney Festival , marking his first concert in Australia. Chao believes that our world lacks spaces for "collective therapy" and describes his concerts as small temporary spaces where people of different backgrounds can come together. Chao's lyrics provoke his audience to think about immigration, love, living in ghettos , drugs, and often carry a left-wing message. This reflects Chao's own political leanings—he

7560-572: The highest waterfall in the Balkans Raysko Praskalo (124.5 m). The rugged and diverse relief determines the presence of numerous gorges , cliffs , water features and caves, including Raychova Dupka, the second-deepest cave discovered in Bulgaria and in the mountain range, reaching depth of -377 m. The flora of Central Balkan National Park is diverse and consists of 1689 species of vascular plants , 45 species of algae and 238 species of mosses . These include 23 Bulgarian endemic species, such as leafy primrose ( Primula frondosa ), which

7668-663: The highest in the Balkans, and numerous waterfalls, such as Skaklia (141 m drop but unlike Raysko Praskalo it is seasonal) and Borov Kamak (63 m drop). The flora includes 1082 species of vascular plants and 186 species of mosses. The endemism is lowers when compared to the Central Balkan National Park — 6 Bulgarian and another 36 Balkan endemic species. The vertebrate fauna encompasses 276 species. The recorded mammal species are 58 and include gray wolf, golden jackal , wildcat, marbled polecat, European polecat , European pine marten and 22 bat species. The birds are 181 species, including 124 nesting ones. Typical species are

7776-410: The highest waterfalls in the Balkans and lush vegetation. There are a number of important nature reserves such as Chuprene, Kozyata stena and others. Most of Europe 's large mammals inhabit the area including the brown bear , wolf , boar , chamois and deer . The mountains are the source of the name of the Balkans (sometimes considered as a distinct peninsula or region). In Bulgarian and Serbian

7884-470: The lake would make riverbeds downstream almost dry and lifeless. In the winter of 2017, the government announced that it will continue the construction of the tunnel, promising they will leave "the minimal needed amount" of water in the river. This prompted further popular protests. Situation escalated in August–September 2019 when further investors wanted to build micro hydros on Temštica. Villagers from

7992-493: The laptop. Chao also has a tendency to reuse music or lyrics from previous songs to form new songs. The contemporary hit single in France " Bongo Bong ", takes its lyrics from the earlier Mano Negra hit "King of Bongo", which bears a similar style to that of The Clash . The musical backdrop for "Bongo Bong", in turn, was used in several other Chao songs, including "Je Ne T'Aime Plus" from the same album and " Mr. Bobby " and "Homens" from Próxima Estación: Esperanza . (According to

8100-451: The local citizens on one, and contractors and their security guards on the other side, amidst the police interventions. In October 2018, Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan , said that the current law allows for the micro hydros to be built in the protected areas. The government allowed the construction of 800 micro hydros, which has been described as "megalomaniacal" by the ecologists, as they would produce less than 1% of

8208-520: The lyrics to be interpreted in various ways depending on the mood of the track. Several musical themes and clips from that album also appear on Amadou & Mariam's Chao-produced Dimanche à Bamako , which were being produced at approximately the same time. Though Chao is well known in Europe and Latin America, he has not had the same success in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Australia. Tours in

8316-422: The micro hydros to be built in the protected areas. The government allowed the construction of 800 micro hydros, which has been described as "megalomaniacal" by the ecologists, as they would produce less than 1% of the total electricity. Environmentalists also accused the government of destroying the plant and animal life using the pretext of renewable energy . In the final, 15-kilometre-high (9-mile) section after

8424-518: The most effective way to solve social problems in individual countries is to address them at a global level by changing the policies dictating the global market. He explained that since most people are not given the power to directly change these policies, the most effective way to bring about change would be to make a statement to those running the economy by becoming self-sufficient through boycotting corporations, growing one's own vegetables, and making one's own clothes. He then added that he does not own

8532-417: The mountain are already transformed into the aromatic herbs plantations, especially the entire slopes of the nearby mountains being planted with lavender . In the 1980s, fossils of Thecodontosaurus were discovered on the mountain. It is one of the oldest recorded species of dinosaurs, and the remains are estimated to be some 250 million years old. Some 190 species of butterflies are recorded. The area

8640-573: The mountain. Manu Chao Manu Chao ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmanu ˈtʃao] ; born José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao Ortega on 21 June 1961) is a French-born Spanish musician. He sings in French , Spanish , English , Italian , Arabic , Catalan , Galician , Portuguese , Greek , and occasionally in other languages. Chao began his musical career in Paris , busking and playing with groups such as Hot Pants and Los Carayos , which combined

8748-464: The mountains are also known as Стара планина Stara planina (pronounced in Bulgarian as [ˈstarɐ pɫɐniˈna] and in Serbian as [stâːraː planǐna] ), a term whose literal meaning is 'old mountain'. It is believed the name was brought to the region in the 7th century by Bulgars who applied it to the area, as a part of the First Bulgarian Empire . In Bulgarian ,

8856-527: The mountains, which were then named for this battle. Other names used to refer to the mountains in different time periods include Aemon , Haemimons , Hem , Emus , the Slavonic Matorni gori and the Turkish Kocabalkan . The Balkan Mountains are, technically, a chain of fold mountains —mountains formed by the compression and breaking of layers of rock. On a geological time scale , they are

8964-578: The one in north-eastern Greece. In recent years, several breeding pairs of griffon vulture have established themselves in the Vratsa Balkan to the west, as well as in the eastern sections of the Balkan Mountains. The eastern Balkan Mountains are among the priority areas in the reintroduction programme for the bearded vulture . Since the early XXI century there have been several records of the Eurasian lynx , which has been considered extincts in Bulgaria since

9072-509: The original courses, amidst the police interventions. Stara Planina The Balkan mountain range is located in the eastern part of the Balkans in Southeastern Europe . The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia . It then runs for about 560 kilometres (350 mi), first in a south-easterly direction along

9180-552: The previous album. The album was an instant hit, leading to a successful tour that resulted in the 2002 live album Radio Bemba Sound System . Two years later, Chao returned to his French roots with the French-only album Sibérie m'était contéee , which included a large book featuring lyrics to the album and illustrations by Jacek Woźniak. Chao's next album La Radiolina (literally "little radio" in Italian, but also "pocket radio")

9288-545: The protected areas in Europe. Since 2017, its ancient beech forests have been included in the Primeval Beech Forests UNESCO World Heritage Site . It is the third largest protected territory in Bulgaria, spanning an area of 716.69 km with total length of 85 km from the west to the east and an average width of 10 km. Within its territory are located the highest summit of the mountain range, Botev Peak (2376 m), as well as

9396-467: The punk aspect is more manifested by somebody like Manu Chao. He's one of the punkiest artists out there I can think of. It's an inclusionary spirit that is punk." Since 1991, Chao has been working with La Colifata, which is an NGO made up of a group of patients and ex patients of Hospital Borda , a psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Chao uses both a website and a Facebook account to show

9504-448: The redirected water reached a sinkhole and began to descend, leaving the river completely dry. Members of one of the organizations gathered in August 2018 and, without any permissions, dug a channel which bypassed the river back into its natural riverbed. This prompted similar actions in east and southeast Serbia, where citizens clashed with the security and rerouted rivers, or tried to, back to

9612-492: The river valley, which is part of the protected natural reserve, organized 24-hour watches to prevent construction of the new objects. They were supported by the volunteers from other parts of Serbia, and members of the environmental organizations. They proclaimed the "official declaration of war for Stara Planina". The protests included peaceful, passive resistance, but also some violent outbursts which included physical altercation with investors and their private security, damages to

9720-660: The shadow of Bob Marley , the last guy who made world music this disarmingly simple. Manu Chao was featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals , which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie Nelson , Eric Clapton , Jeff Beck , Trey Anastasio , Gwen Stefani / No Doubt , Ben Harper , Bonnie Raitt , The Roots , Ryan Adams , Keith Richards , Toots Hibbert , Paul Douglas , Jackie Jackson, Ken Boothe , and The Skatalites . His song "La Vida Tómbola"

9828-421: The state to ban micro hydros in protected areas. The cause was supported by the musician Manu Chao who visited Topli Dol, giving an ad hoc performance and drinking water directly from the river. The Visočica or Visochitsa ( Височица ) is 71-kilometre-long (44-mile), originating from the mountain of Berkovska Planina  [ bg ] , a part of Stara Planina, near Kom Peak , just a few kilometers away from

9936-462: The time the group released their first album in 1986 the Parisian alternative music scene had taken flight, and Manu, his brother Antoine Chao, and friends such as Alain from Les Wampas formed Los Carayos to incorporate this sound with the rockabilly and punk styles of Hot Pants. Los Carayos remained a side project of the artists for eight years, releasing three albums in the first two years followed by

10044-469: The total electricity. Environmentalists also accused the government of destroying the plant and animal life using the pretext of renewable energy . In September 2019, Pirot city administration announced it is removing from the spatial plan all 43 existing locations for the micro hydros on the protected area of Stara Planina. There are 15 locations remaining in the unprotected sector of the mountain, but city officials announced abolishing of these locations in

10152-610: The vast majority of his material (including all sorts of spoken-word samples from radio stations, TV, films, old vinyl records and, on Próxima Estación: Esperanza , announcements from the Madrid Metro ) has been recorded by Chao himself exclusively on his laptop. The Spanish credit Grabado en el Estudio Clandestino ("Recorded in Studio Clandestino/Clandestine Studio"), which appears on all of his solo album starting from 1998's Clandestino , actually refers to

10260-475: The village of Topli Dol , which gives the alternative name to the river. Temštica carved a canyon, popularly nicknamed " Little Colorado ". The river continues to the northwest and receives the Visočica from the left. In 1990, a tunnel was built to conduct 90% of the Visočica's water back into the Lake Zavoj. That left Temštica itself without 70% of the water, leaving only the "biological minimum" to overspill from

10368-431: The villagers and the investor and his guards and workers, occurred. Described by the reporters as "eco-guerilla", villagers prepared for over a month: blocking roads and bridges, fencing in, building obstacles, etc. Using diversion, the investor reached the site. Almost proper battle occurred when he reached the ravine, including wooden sticks, pepper spray and stone throwing, with wounded on both sides. Investor's entourage

10476-524: The water in the pipes. They are not even leaving the biological minimum which is too low to begin with, since those are not major flows, instead the lower courses of the streams dry completely. The inhabitants self-organized into various environmental groups. When construction of such a micro hydro began on the Rudinjska Reka, a tributary to the Temska, the construction workers rerouted the river completely, some 300 m (980 ft) from its mouth. However,

10584-419: The watershed of Temštica protested claiming that over 70% of the water was already taken out of Temštica which will result in an ecological catastrophe, especially in the canyon of Little Colorado. As a result of this, municipality of Pirot officially opposed the government's decision in 2004 and 2006, but the government insisted on continuing the project. In protest, population of the village of Temska boycotted

10692-480: The west. There are several important protected areas: Central Balkan National Park , Vrachanski Balkan , Bulgarka and Sinite Kamani , as well as a number of nature reserves . The Balkan Mountains are remarkable for their flora and fauna. Edelweiss grows there in the region of Kozyata stena . Some of the most striking landscapes are included in the Central Balkan National Park with steep cliffs,

10800-537: The work he does with these patients and ex patients. On their Facebook page he explains that the mission of this group is to diminish the stigma that people place on mental illness and to promote the use of services that are meant to help those with mental illnesses. In an interview with the School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California in 2010, Chao expressed his opinions about topics such as

10908-423: Was declared a European Important Bird Area . The griffon vulture disappeared from the region in the late 1940s. In 2017 a program for their reintroduction began within the scope of a wider European program. Among other things, the feeders will be placed along the vultures' migratory route. By 2023, there were regular sightings of griffon vultures, and, thanks to the efforts of Bulgarian and Spanish ornithologists,

11016-459: Was education. He expressed his belief that education is important and should be free for everyone. He mentioned that Cuba is able to provide free education for all those living in Cuba despite being a small country and that he does not understand how the United States being such a powerful nation was not able to do the same. He then expressed frustration at the fact that one can enroll in the armed forces in

11124-480: Was featured in the documentary film Maradona by Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica . The song "La Trampa", recorded with Tonino Carotone for the compilation album Fuerza! was used as the theme song for the short-lived improvisational comedy Drew Carey's Green Screen Show . The songs " Bongo Bong " and "Je ne t'aime plus", which appear back-to-back on Clandestino , were covered by British singers Robbie Williams and Lily Allen , who recorded them as

11232-436: Was forced to flee, with villagers chasing them away in trucks and Pinzgauer-type vehicles , shouting the tagline of the protests, "I want river, I don't want pipeline". Villagers then demolished the fence around the construction site and burned it. Police was barely seen. The investor, who was also hurt, later stated he will abandon the project and sue the state for damages, while the villagers remained on barricades, awaiting for

11340-550: Was later included on 2007's La Radiolina . Vocals from the song are included in the Go Lem System song "Calle Go Lem". Time magazine named "Me Llaman Calle" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at No. 8. Writer Josh Tyrangiel observed: Chao's warm singing over José Manuel Gamboa and Carlos Herrero's leaping Flamenco counter melody creates a direct emotional line to the core of this mid-tempo ballad. With its easy melody and universal rhythm Me Llaman Calle walks proudly in

11448-475: Was released on 17 September 2007. This was the first international release since 2001's Próxima Estación: Esperanza . " Rainin in Paradize " was the first single from the album, available for download on his website before the release of the album. Concert reviews indicate that music from La Radiolina was already being performed live as early as April 2007's Coachella show. Chao's most recent album, Viva Tu ,

11556-474: Was released on September 20, 2024. It was preceded by videos for two songs, "Viva Tu" and "Sao Paulo Motoboy", released May 29, 2024 and June 26, 2024, respectively. In 2003 he approached Amadou & Mariam and later produced their 2004 album Dimanche à Bamako ("Sunday in Bamako"). His song "Me llaman Calle", written for the 2005 Spanish film Princesas , won a Goya Award for Best Original Song . The song

11664-641: Was released the following year. Though the group never gained much fame in the English-speaking market, popularity throughout the rest of the world soon followed, reaching the Top 5 in the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. The band achieved some fame in South America with 1992's Cargo Tour, where it played a series of shows in port cities, performing from a stage built into their tour ship's hold. Mano Negra also performed

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