Lucia Ana Varga, Head of the Romanian Delegation to the ICPDR and the Secretary of State for Water at the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Water Management.

DANUBE WATCH: What is the present state of water issues in Romania?

Ms. Varga: Water issues are complex; they are difficult and costly to solve. This is why we work constantly to solve these problems, and this year we worked even harder.

In general, the public and the NGOs expect quick results. Unfortunately, this is not a very realistic approach. We simply cannot solve a "historical" problem in only one or two years. But we are working on improving our environmental record. Romania has negotiated its terms and conditions with the European Union, and has obtained certain transition periods for domains where large investment is needed. We have also drafted concrete implementation plans.

We just have to become more efficient. We must meet the 2018 deadline for full compliance with EU water standards. But we aren't waiting; we are fulfilling all our intermediary obligations step by step, those, which are due over shorter periods of time of two to three years.

DANUBE WATCH: What can be done for the existing 40% of the Romanians who lack access to running water or sewerage?

Ms. Varga: We are in the process of asking the 241 cities with over 10,000 inhabitants to make feasibility studies in order to access structural and cohesion funds. We will organise meetings with the local authorities to explain why these studies are urgently needed. As soon as the feasibility studies are ready, we will make an economic and environmental analysis, and establish working priorities.

DANUBE WATCH: How does agriculture affect Romania's waters?

Ms. Varga: The MoEWM is paying serious attention to such issues as nitrate and pesticides pollution. Within the framework of a project developed with the World Bank, "Pollution control in agriculture&", we developed a series of manuals called best-practice codes, which are now circulated at different ministries for comments. When finalised, these codes will be distributed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development, to the Ministry of Health, and to the MoEWM.

In Romania, pollution from fertilisers and pesticides, however, is under the average for the Danube River Basin, and the general trend is also decreasing.

DANUBE WATCH: What actions are being taken after the recent floods?

Ms. Varga: After the spring 2005 floods in Banat, in the south-western part of the country, we drafted a flood risk management strategy, in accordance with EU recommendations, allowing for more free-flowing river stretches, for wetlands, and to avoid putting additional pressure on the rivers. This draft strategy is now being circulated to all ministries for agreement.

It is a short-term strategy containing basic provisions for public awareness, identifying minimal measures for flood protection and damage limitation, and establishing clear responsibilities for each ministry or institution with responsibilities, such as county and local councils. This short-term strategy will be followed by a medium and long-term flood risk management strategy. In this respect, we requested EU assistance, having received their agreement in principle.

The floods in 2005 were severe, with many casualties and damage estimated at € 1.65 billion. The main cause of these floods was repeated heavy rains in a short period of time. This rain caused a huge increase in the small river and dry valley discharges, together with flash floods, which contributed to a rapid increase of the water volume and level on larger rivers, which overflowed. In many cases the water discharge in rivers exceeded the level which statistically occurs only once in 1000 years.

DANUBE WATCH: Was the heavy criticism of the government's response to the floods justified?

Ms. Varga: Taking into account the conditions, we did our best. I take it that the criticism was expressed towards the previous power, for what they didn't do for years.

The first thing which should have existed, but didn't, was a flood map. We are now drafting it as a top priority. When ready, we will know exactly where buildings are allowed to exist and where they are not, which are the potential risks in places where buildings are allowed, and more. Every area with buildings will also have to have intervention plans. Till now, such plans existed here and there, but even so, they were local, leaving uncovered the downstream effects. From now on, they will be regional, for a whole river basin, and in addition we will make sure that they involve all institutions with responsibilities in this domain.

Another shortcoming identified by us was that the National Administration "Apele Române" was completely unprepared to intervene, having externalised most of their equipment in the year 2002. We are now providing them with intervention equipment, such as alarm systems for dams. They will be fully prepared to do their job by mid 2006 at the latest.

DANUBE WATCH: Thank you very much Ms. Varga.

ROMANIA: FACTS AND FIGURES
Size of the country		238,391 km2
Share of the total Danube River Basin area		232,193 km2 (29%)
Population (2004)		21.9 million
Population in the Danube River Basin		approx. 21.7 million
Capital		Bucharest
Per-capita GDP (2003)		€ 2350
Main tributaries to the Danube		Timis, Jiu, Olt, Vedea, Arges, Ialomita, Siret, Prut
HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
Two thousand years ago, the Dacians mixed with their Roman conquerors, giving birth to a new people, called Romanians because of their Latin heritage. Situated at a cross-roads of migratory peoples and powerful empires, the Romanians had mixed fortunes. Their star began to rise in 1859, when the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia united. Romania gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877. During this process, the Black Sea Dobrogea region returned to Romania. At the end of the First World War, with the dismantling of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on one hand, and the creation of the Soviet Union on the other, two other historic Romanian regions, Transylvania and Bassarabia (currently the Republic of Moldova), united to form Romania. Later, a dictatorship called Popular Republic was installed at gunpoint in 1947, overthrowing the existing monarchy system. In 1989, after the overthrow of the Ceausescu regime, the country began a difficult and painful return to democracy and market economy. Unfortunately, the "heritage" of more than half a century of communism was a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output mostly unsuited to the country's needs. However, Romania succeeded in recovering slowly, and is now an important economy in the region, and an accession country of the European Union. Romania has been an ICPDR member since 1994.

Alexandru R. Savulescu
is an environmental communications consultant living in Bucharest, Romania.