According to the declaration of intent a precise map of hot spots in the Tisza catchment area will be drawn. As stated on the occasion of a press conference, the document takes a stance on transboundary environmental pollution, and its prevention and international supervision. The document emphasises the intent of the four nations to cooperate in environmental protection and to comply with the relevant EU standards.

The signatories – the Environment Ministers of Hungary, Romania, the Ukraine and Slovakia – support the application of international legal remedies to implement the polluter-pays-principle in transboundary environmental pollution.

The Romanian Minister of the Environment Tomescu said that the meeting was the first step in the dialogue and accepted the polluter pays principle. At the same time, however, the Romanian politician emphasised that the controlling authorities of his country could not accept certain measurements on the extent of the cyanide and heavy metals pollution published by Hungary and the Ukraine.

EU Task Force identifies new hot spots

Meanwhile the “EU – Baia Mare Task Force” has been formed. Under the head of Tom Garvey six other experts – among them Emil Marionov, President of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the Vice-Ministers of the Environment of Bulgaria, and Philip Weller, director of the Danube-Carpathian-Programme of the WWF – will set to work in Vienna soon. The Task Force aims to establish a comprehensive survey of the current state of affairs in Romania, to assess the extent of damage and to develop concrete proposals for further measures.
(Source: aqua press Int. 02/2000)
Mag. Renate Haiden