Veronika Jaglova, Director of the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic and 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 IPCDR processes and help determine the future of the basin.

In the work of the ICPDR, the Heads of Delegations are often seen as ‘behind-the-scenes players’ who, inconspicuous as they sometimes may seem, actively steer the ICPDR processes and represent their countries at the highest political level. Veronika Jaglova joined the ICPDR Family as the new Head of the Czech Delegation and recently met Danube Watch.

Danube watch: what are the most pressing water issues in the Czech Republic?
Ms Jaglova: Water management is a very interesting issue for the Czech Republic – in particular the implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, because the end of the transitional period (end of 2010) is very close and the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) is of course very important and so everyone is involved in planning.

Danube watch: What is the organisational structure of the water management system in the Czech Republic?
Ms Jaglova: The organisational structure of water management in the Czech Republic is a bit complicated due to the divided authority between the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry of the Environment – in cooperation with the Water Research Institute, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and the Czech Inspectorate of the Environment – is responsible for water protection and the Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the River Boards and state enterprises, is responsible for water management. Water issues in the Czech Republic are a big compromise.

Danube watch: how is the quality of water in the Czech Republic?
Ms Jaglova: The status of water quality in the Czech Republic has improved markedly since 1990. Between 1990 and 2007 there was a drop in discharged pollution BOD5 by 94.7%, CCOCr by 88%, suspended solids by 90% and dissolved organic salt by 14.6% – and there was also success in reducing the amount of dangerous and especially dangerous substances and discharged amount of AOX (absorbable organically bound halogens). There was also a significant drop in macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous) as a result of the fact that the biological removal of nitrogen and biological or chemical elimination of phosphorous is being applied in a targeted manner in the technology of wastewater treatment in new and intensified wastewater treatment plants.

Danube watch: The Czech Republic is drained by three major european river basins: the odra, the elbe/labe and the Danube. This is quite a challenge labe and the Danube. This is quite a challenge as all of them require international coordination regarding the implementation of the eU water framework Directive. what are the main differences in approach?
Ms Jaglova: There are of course differences depending on the structure of commissions – the Elbe commission is the easiest approach because there is only the bilateral cooperation between Germany and the Czech Republic, and due to the similar mentality of the Czechs and Germans, work is going fast and without any major problems. In the Odra commission, however, everything is different, slower and much more complicated due to inexperience with other international commissions on the Polish side.

Many countries develop a Joint Programme of Measures rather than just compiling the different national reports, etc. The ICPDR is very specific due to cooperation between a lot of EU a non EU states in very different conditions. Finding a joint approach and creating a Joint Programme of Measure for all 19 countries is a very difficult task.

Danube watch: The Joint Danube Survey 2 was carried out along the Danube last summer, but your country was also an important partner in the survey, offering laboratory capacities as well expertise, through core team member hana hudcova. What significance does this survey have for the Czech Republic?
Ms Jaglova: It was an honour for the Czech Republic to contribute to the achievement of the Joint Danube Survey 2 and of course a great experience for those who were part of it. The results of JDS2 will be good tool for comparing with the results of national monitoring.

Danube watch: Thank you very much, Ms Jaglova.