Mykola Melenevskyi, Ambassador at Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and President of ICPDR in 2011.

With the success of the management plan for the danube basin, and the creation of the Integrated Tisza River Basin Management Plan, Danube countries are ready to highlight other sub-basins and draw attention to vital needs in all parts of the basin, says Mykola Melenevskyi, Ambassador at Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and ICPDR President 2011.

Danube Watch: Broadly speaking, what is the significance of the Danube as a connecting line in Europe? And how will you take this link a step further?

Ambassador Melenevskyi: The Danube is the most important water route at the heart of Europe. Indeed, one can hardly overestimate the Danube’s role in the economic life of the continent. International economic activity in the Danube Basin, which is intensifying in pace with the world’s globalisation, puts an increased burden on its waters and environmental resources. We share the concerns of most European institutions to take strong measures to protect the Danube and its biosphere –measures that will accommodate the principles of sustainable development and water management in the region.

The task of the international community now is to find a balance between the practical economic needs of society and sustainable development with the protection of natural resources. The ICPDR, with its mandate and expertise, is a natural fit to fulfil this
task.

The common strategic principles outlined in the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region have greatly benefited from the contributions of upstream countries. The 2011 Ukrainian Presidency will draw attention to vital needs relevant in all parts of the basin, in a balanced manner, especially downstream and in the Danube Delta.

To these ends, the Ukrainian Presidency will highlight the implementation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan, finalisation of the Sub-basin River Management Plan for the Danube Delta and further implementation of the Integrated Tisza River Basin Management Plan. The latter will be adopted at the Ministerial Meeting of the five Tisza River countries to be hosted in Uzhgorod, Ukraine, in April 2011.

We will also continue to pay a special attention to strengthening cooperation in the Danube Delta under the auspices of the ICPDR in order to achieve the ‘good ecological status’ of the Danube Delta. The integrated plan will be complete if we also succeed in preparing sub-basin river basin management plans for the Prut and Siret Rivers. This process has already been initiated by Ukraine and is now subject to the availability of funding.

The Presidency will emphasise the ICPDR’s active involvement in the implementation of the EU Danube Strategy with consideration to the interests of all riparian countries, especially Non-EU countries.

Danube Watch: What is the significance of management plans for Ukrainian sub-basins?

Ambassador Melenevskyi: In recent years, Ukrainian experts have been heavily involved in data collection and its analytical processing, needed for the preparation of the Integrated Tisza River Basin Management Plan. This work has been shared with experts from other Tisza countries – the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Romania and Serbia – all participating fairly in multilateral international cooperation.

For Ukraine, it will also be the first exercise carried out according to the provisions of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Its impact is quite obvious considering the obligation to incorporate the WFD into the national framework during the ten years since the date of the anticipated signing of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. This plan will be exemplary for similar work to be accomplished and is relevant to other Ukrainian river basins.

Danube Watch: What are your plans for the Danube Delta; to what extent will you involve other organisations such as NGOs in your efforts?

Ambassador Melenevskyi: Figuratively, the river resembles a tree with its roots planted in the delta, spread into the sea. In other words, the trunk is strong if the footing is good.

Ukraine has initiated work on the Delta Plan and we consistently support the synergetic activities of all international environmental actors in the region, in particular cooperation with the Black Sea Commission, whose understandable concern is the river spill into the sea. At this point we find ourselves at the cross section of the vested interests of both the Commissions and can clearly see the added value of their mutual cooperation. In this regard we highly appreciate the commendable work that has been carried out by our predecessors in the Slovenian Presidency. Accordingly, we commit ourselves to continue this guideline in the Commission’s activities in the spirit of policies endorsed by the ICPDR.

We have always paid attention to the involvement of civil society in the decision making process as well as in expertise work assigned by the Commission. Ukrainian NGOs are making their sound contribution to the work of the ICPDR Working Groups and implementation of relevant projects. In particular, the Odessa centre of regional studies has been appointed as the lead partner in implementing the UNEP supported project ‘Joint Environmental Monitoring, Assessment and Exchange of Information for Integrated Management of the Danube Delta Region’. The project, which started at the end of 2010, aims to prepare a complex analysis report on the ecological situation in the Danube Delta. It will be the first step towards preparating of the Integrated Management Plan of the Danube Delta.

Danube Watch: How will the EU Danube Strategy affect Ukraine?

Ambassador Melenevskyi: One should always put at the forefront the consideration of how the EU Danube Strategy could benefit from Ukraine. Indeed, the political connotation of the Strategy also implies the EU attitude towards the eastern flank of the Danube River Basin, which is of primary concern for transport and energy communication routes and collateral importance to supporting future integration processes in Europe. To be a viable political instrument and demonstrate a positive social economic impact on the region as a whole, the implementation of the Strategy should provide for a number of joint projects encompassing all the riparian states situated on both banks of the Danube. Only in that case will it reflect the real interests of Brussels, EU members and non EU Member States.

Danube Watch: What influence does the ICPDR have on an international scale?

Ambassador Melenevskyi: As of today, the ICPDR is the only reliable tool to be found for implementation of the Strategy, considering its relevant mandate and the operational structure of its working bodies. The brand of the ICPDR is highly valued in Europe and its expert services are often used by other regional stakeholders when water management issues are in question. The ICPDR working groups, enjoying wide recognition for their high expertise and experience record, will be an irreplaceable instrument in the implementation phase of the Danube Strategy.

I strongly believe that the basic principles of the Ukrainian presidency should rest upon continuity and consistency of the ICPDR activities, by absorbing the achievements and best positive results reached by the Commission so far. We are motivated to work closely with the former Slovenian and future Austrian Presidencies, the ICPDR Secretariat as well as all contracting parties in reaching these goals.

Under the Ukrainian presidency the ICPDR will continue to be focused on results-based project activities which would allow the organisation to fulfil its role as a leading international organisation in the sphere of water management of the Danube River.