Jaroslav Kinkor, Head of the Czech Delegation to the ICPDR

In its continuing series, Danube Watch presents portraits of the leaders whose passion and commitment actively steer ICPDR processes and help
determine the future of our river basin.

DANUBE WATCH: Mr. Kinkor, on May 1, the Czech Republic became a European Union Member State. Do you think this new political situation will have consequences for cooperation under the Danube River Protection Convention?

MR. KINKOR: With the accession of the Czech Republic and other Danube Basin countries to the European Union, the area of the basin influenced by European water legislation principles was enlarged. The number of Danube countries that are legally obliged to implement the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) increased. In the Czech Republic, wastewater treatment plants with nitrogen and phosphorus removal are needed, because the entire area of the Czech Republic was identified as a sensitive area. Also needed is decrease in nitrogen fertilizers in vulnerable areas and a reduction in discharge of dangerous substances from industrial sources. Many investments will now be feasible using European Union financial sources. By accession to the European Union, the Czech Republic and other new member states gained the possibility to actively participate in the formulation of the WFD Common Implementation Strategy and the new European legislation. It will of course improve the coordination of work on Danube River Protection Convention tasks. Personally, I consider it to be very positive that the ICPDR was entrusted with coordinating the implementation of the WFD. It created the conditions for harmonisation of European water policy and principles of water protection formulated by the Danube River Protection Convention.

DANUBE WATCH: The floods in August 2002 especially affected the Czech Republic. Recently, the European Union took the initiative to develop a European Action Programme on Integrated Flood Prevention, Protection and Mitigation. How will this initiative and the ICPDR Action Programme for Sustainable Flood Prevention of the Danube River Basin benefit your country?

MR. KINKOR: In 1997 and 2002, the Czech Republic experienced catastrophic floods, which caused a loss of 79 lives and material damages amounting to 136 billion Czech Crowns (4 billion Euro). The analysis of the floods substantiated the need to adopt systematic flood control measures specified in flood protection plans in hydrologic basins. This principle is currently set in the Czech water legislation. As the Czech Republic is part of three international river basins (the Elbe, Oder and Danube Rivers Basins), we consider international cooperation in these basins indispensable. Last year, relevant international commissions adopted the Action Plan for Flood Control in the Elbe River Basin and the Action Programme for Flood Control in the Oder River Basin. I believe that a similar document will also be adopted for the whole Danube River Basin. The initiative of the European Commission in elaborating and implementing these action plans is an important step towards improving flood control levels for the entire European Union and we are ready to offer the experience we gained during the recent floods.

DANUBE WATCH: On December 13 this year, the first ICPDR Ministerial Meeting will take place in Vienna. What are your expectations related to this high-level meeting?

MR. KINKOR: The ICPDR Ministerial Meeting will be an important milestone in ICPDR activity and in the fulfilment of the Danube River Protection Convention. It will demonstrate the contributions of the ICPDR to Danube protection over the last ten years and especially it will set the priorities that will surely include: implementing the WFD, preparing the Action Programme on Sustainable Flood Protection in the Danube River Basin and other activities to improve water quality in the Danube River and Black Sea. With six of the Danube countries already EU members and others intensively preparing for accession, the targets and procedures of the Danube River Protection Convention and WFD should be harmonised. I believe that the meeting will also recognise the work of hundreds of experts acting in ICPDR structures, the contribution of UNDP/GEF, donors, expert institutions, NGOs and others who participated in the last ten years for Danube River protection. I also believe that the contributions of the Danube Watch won’t be overlooked.

DANUBE WATCH: Thank you very much, Mr. Kinkor.

Jasmine Bachmann

THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
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