Press Release 8th November 2004
USD 45,300 to reduce pollution of Morava, Mura and Ogosta Rivers
UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project supports large cross-border project in Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria

Three environmental NGOs (Non-governmental organisations) from Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria received a joint grant of USD 45,300 from the UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project (DRP), supporting cross border projects within the Danube Basin.
A large granting program assists regional and national NGO cooperative efforts and initiatives in the Danube countries. The NGOs will use the grant to implement a two-year transboundary project addressing nutrient and toxic pollution in the Morava, Mura and Ogosta Rivers. "We're delighted to supporting this vital international project", says DRP Project Manager Ivan Zavadsky. "It reflects the Danube Regional Project's commitment to helping projects which improve the environment of the Danube Region for the benefit of its people." The DRP's grants program in 11 Danube Basin countries is managed by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), through its head office in Hungary and in cooperation with the REC country offices in the Danube countries. "Since this project is expected to enhance the Transboundary perspective in addressing pollution problem among Danube Basin countries, ensuring exchange of experience among partners, along with the stakeholders involvement in this project, are measures which will be given a special attention during the project monitoring by the REC, " - says Entela Pinguli the Grants Manager at the REC.
"The main goal of our cross-border project in Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria is to raise awareness on water pollution and its consequences for the nature and human health in three selected river basins and to reduce nutrient pollution of these important tributaries of the Danube", says Andrea Vicenikova from Slovakian NGO Daphne - Centre for Applied Ecology and Project Leader. "The project will promote the "sub-basin approach" for dealing with pollution problems and will serve as a model for addressing problems in a river basin - including both technical issues and public participation".
The project is based on a transboundary cooperation among three partner NGOs from the catchments of three different rivers - Morava (Slovakia), Mura (Slovenia) and Ogosta (Bulgaria). Partner organisations of the project are Daphne - Institute of Applied Ecology in Bratislava (Slovakia), Ecological Centre of Pomurje in Murska Sobota (Slovenia) and Centre for Environmental Information and Education in Sofia (Bulgaria). Each NGO coordinates the project activities in the home country and Daphne acts as main coordinator of the project.

Effective steps to increase water quality and preserve diversity of the river basins
All involved NGOs started project activities in their countries in September 2004.
"Our approach is to directly involve the population in the process of water protection by organising river cleaning actions, in order to show what exactly we are doing and which problems we are talking about. Also promoting environmental friendly farming is one of our main objectives", says Vicenikova. "For us the environmental education of school children is also a very important step to anchor the importance of these rivers for habitat and human health in the future. Further activities are meetings with stakeholders in selected pilot sites to develop plans for water pollution reduction and to present these to the representatives of local authorities in the whole basin. This should ensure more transparency and democracy about the management of public goods."
In phase 1 of the project the focus of activities is on collecting the available expert information on sources of pollution and selecting datas appropriate for the public. Next steps will be to prepare and implement a strategy for public information, motivation and mobilisation. "Our approach is to prepare and distribute information materials in an easily comprehensible form, in order to raise awareness among the population about pollution problems and their consequences for our region", adds Vicenikova. During the second phase the project aims to get involved the local population and stakeholders such as local authorities, water management authorities, state nature conservancy, local farmers and farmers associations, local companies and local NGO's in the implementation of the reduction measures in three pilot areas selected in each of the targeted basins. Direct actions for wetland construction in Bulgaria will aim at direct impact on nutrient reduction and promote this work as an alternative method to improve the water quality in Ogosta River basin.

UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project
The Danube Regional Project (DRP) is one of the world's largest environmental projects. Funded by GEF (Global Environment Facility) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it covers the entire Danube Basin. Its central partnership is with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), and it works closely with the governments, businesses and industries, NGOs and communities of the 13 Danube countries.
The work of the DRP is dedicated to the protection and rational use of the Danube's water and its ecosystems, based on the Convention for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River. It helps to set up institutional and legal instruments at the national and regional levels to ensure nutrient reduction and sustainable management of water bodies and ecological resources, involving all stakeholders and building up adequate monitoring and information systems. DRP is committed to openness and the sharing of information. It aims to see the right information reaching the people of the Danube Basin in a way that is helpful, positive and understandable.