The Danube river area faces a number of environmental threats – climate change, pollution of waters, floods, direct impact upon biodiversity and a lot of other natural and anthropogenic risks related to the environment. A collective response to these common challenges provides the strategic project „Joint Risk Monitoring during Emergencies in the Danube Area Border“, reference number № 2s-2.2-1, MIS-ETC Code: 166 which is being implemented by eight organisations under Cross-border Cooperation Programme Romania-Bulgaria 2007-2013. The funding approved by the European Regional Development Fund is to the amount of 9.7 million euro, out of which nearly 340 000 euro has been allotted to the environmental partner – Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Waters in Veliko Tarnovo. The joint work under the project started in 2009 and the goals were to build security and friendly environment to both people and their children in future.
The team of experts, dedicated to the project implementation is proud to announce the following results at the end of the second stage: 644 191 levs actually reimbursed, which make 82,34 % of the approved project budget that totals 782 320 levs, and agreed on 701 607 levs. With such a score Veliko Tarnovo environmental inspectorate is the leader among all the partners in relation to the level of sustainable use of the financial resources granted as well as the completion of all the planned actions. The achievement of the project goals has been made possible with the kind assistance of the Ministry of the Environment and Waters and Minister Iskra Mihailova, personally, as well as the stable working partnership with Romanian organisations, customs offices representatives, public authorities, private sector and non-governmental organisations from the cross-border area.
The sustainable actions in relation to the environmental risk management taken by RIEW-Veliko Tarnovo can be summed up as follows:
- Analysis of the risk potential that hold industrial facilities which operate with hazardous substances and compounds. Their total number is 110 and they are distributed in a random manner on the territory of Bulgarian-Romanian cross-border area. Conduction of joint inspections with National Environmental Guard of Romania and discussion of measures to be taken for increasing the control of industries possessing risk of major accidents.
- Readiness for fast and timely reaction and concerted actions. Procurement of a specialized equipment and devices for monitoring and timely determination of the condition of the air and waters and providing options for adequate intervention and protection of the population. The portable monitoring equipment has been purchased at the amount of 112 751 levs, and it includes a set of portable machines, analysing device to value the condition of the air, pH meter, meteorological parameters measuring device, work station, 3 radio stations, 3 GPS devices.
- Widening the scope of the knowledge in relation to the application of the directives concerning the protection of birds and their natural habitats, upon which is based the development of the European nature protection network Natura 2000. Acquainting with the methodology for control of the protected areas in Romania and its application in biodiversity protection in Natural preserve „Zhelezni vrata“;
- Discussion of best practices for control and prevention of risk from pollution of the components of the environment in the cross-border area of the Danube river between experts from the regional inspectorate and National Environmental Guard of Romania.
- Analysis and evaluation of the conditions of the waters in the cross-border area of the Danube river and proposals for measures to be taken for restoration and maintenance of their quality. The abovementioned analysis has been carried out with the kind support and advice by Prof. Dr. Veliko Velikov and Plamen Lenov, an expert in the Executive Agency of Environment – regional laboratory in Veliko Tarnovo.
- Expert discussion of crucial issues and perspectives for environmental protection on the Danube river and the Black Sea areas. Stress was laid upon the territorial cooperation, based upon the uniting power of water.
RIEW Veliko Tarnovo is a reliable partner owing to its expertise, competencies, transparent methods of work and feasible progress in the achievement of common goals. The project approach is based upon the cooperation and work sessions between project partners on a regular basis to reach consent in relation to the best available means of completion of planned actions. The third stage of the project implementation is forthcoming as well as the concluding seminar on which will be presented and promoted the project outcome – a common manual containing „Best practices for risk prevention in the Danube river cross-border area“ and a programme containing measures for decreasing the risks of pollution of waters. The work under the project will be followed by discussions in professional networks to increase the efficiency of the organisations in dealing with regional and local challenges related to the protection of the environment and climate change.
Kameliya Dzhanabetska
Project Manager
RIEW-Veliko Tarnovo
telephone: +359/62/64-68-41
cellular: +359/889 92 99 34
