Salvati Biosfera Delta
Dunarii!
Continuam campania
destinata avertizarii institutiilor internationale pentru incetarea lucrarilor
Canalului ucrainean sau impunerea unui embargo Ucrainei

Constient de rolul media
in societatea civila romaneasca, ziarul ZIUA a lansat o noua campanie civica,
destinata Salvarii Biosferei Delta Dunarii, printr-un apel adresat
organizatiilor non-guvernamentale din Romania si Ucraina, din Uniunea Europeana
si Statele Unite ale Americii, din spatiul nord-atlantic. Efortul acestora
conjugat, indreptat catre atentionarea constanta a organismelor europene si
internationale si corelat cu posibilitatea schimbarii democratice din toamna a
actualului regim ucrainean, pot duce la stoparea lucrarilor de distrugere a Deltei.
Consideram ca intr-un
astfel de moment este necesar ca media romanesti sa treaca de eventualele
divergente de ordin editorial sau concurential si sa actioneze impreuna, in
egala masura, in aceasta campanie care se doreste a fi a intregii societati civile
romanesti.
ZIUA va publica constant
apelul pentru Salvarea Biosferei Deltei Dunarii, insotit de adeziunile
organizatiilor non-guvernamentale din Romania, Ucraina si din intreaga lume,
precum si informatii despre formele acestora de actiune. Solicitam colegilor
din media sa actioneze in mod similar pana la incetarea acestei agresiuni
asupra Rezervatiei naturale Delta Dunarii.
Intr-un recent apel
adresat ministrilor de Externe din tarile dunarene, Fondul Mondial pentru
Natura (World Wild Fund) afirma: "In pofida existentei unor rute
alternative si mult mai putin nocive de navigare intre Dunare si Marea Neagra,
aceasta zona protejata este in prezent distrusa, in ciuda a cel putin 11
conventii internationale la care Ucraina este semnatara. Proiectul de
construire a canalului, valorand mai multe milioane de dolari, pune in pericol
existenta si habitatul natural a peste 280 de specii de pasari, incluzand aici
70% din intreaga populatie de pelican alb a planetei".
Prezentam mai jos lista
organizatiilor care actioneaza in prezent pentru stoparea canalului si au
raspuns apelului pentru salvarea Deltei Dunarii.
- World Wild Fund International
- BirdLife International
- Wet Lands International
- Danube Environmental Forum
- Academia Nationala de Stiinte a Ucrainei
- Coalitia Ucraineana pentru Natura, Kiev - Ucraina
- Centrul pentru Cultura si Ecologie, Kiev - Ucraina
- Consiliul Grupului Ecologic Pechenegi, Kiev - Ucraina
- Uniunea Ucraineana pentru Conservarea Vietii Pasarilor, Ucraina
- Uniunea Socio-Ecologica - CSI
- Societatea pentru Cercetarea Pasarilor si Protectia Naturii, Slovenia
- Academia Romana
- National Geographic - Romania
- Muzeul National de Istorie Naturala "Grigore Antipa", Romania
- Institutul National de Cercetare - Dezvoltare Delta Dunarii, Tulcea - Romania
- Centrul de Consultanta Ecologica, Galati - Romania
- Grupul de Explorari Subacvatice si Speologice GESS - Romania
- Muzeul Judetean de Stiintele Naturii, Prahova - Romania
- Societatea de Explorari Oceanografice si Protectia Mediului Marin
- "OCEANIC Club"
- Centrul Carpato-Danubian de GeoEcologie, Bucuresti - Romania
- Societatea Ornitologica Romana, Cluj Napoca - Romania
- Salvati Delta si Dunarea - Academia Catavencu
- Asociatia ECO Dobrogea - Romania
- EcoTerra, Romania
- SalvaEco, Basarabia
- Asociatia Alburnus Maior
- Asociatia Vier Pfoten - Romania
- Miscarea Ecologista din Moldova
- Ziarul ZIUA, Romania
- Asociatia Civic Media, Romania - SEE
- Grupul IntelMedia, Basarabia - Romania
- Grupul de presa Focus Vest - Ziua de Vest, Timisoara - Romania
- Trustul de Presa Amber Press, Romania
- Ziarul "Gardianul", Romania
- Ziarul "Nine O'Clock", Romania
- Ziarul "Flacara Iasului", Romania
- "Ziarul de Vrancea", Romania
- Ziarul "Lumea Romaneasca", Michigan - SUA
- Ziarul "Observatorul", Toronto - Canada
- Ziarul Curentul, Romania
- Ziarul Jurnalul National
- Ziarul Romania Libera
- Academia Catavencu - Saptamanal de moravuri grele, Romania
- B24 FUN
- Capital - Saptamanal Economic si Financiar, Romania
- Revista Arcusul, Bucovina - Ucraina
- Revista Palatul de Justitie, Romania
- Revista Romania Pitoreasca
- Romanian Global News
- Asociatia AlterMedia
- InfoPress Hurmuzachi - Romania
- Knox Newsletters - Romania
- Radio Romantic FM, Romania
- B1 TV, Romania
- Agentia de presa Act Media, Romania
- Asociatia Ziaristilor de Agentie, Romania
- Blocul National Sindical
- Confederatia Nationala Sindicala Cartel ALFA
- Federatia Sindicatelor Jurnalistilor si Tipografilor din Romania
- Asociatia pentru Protectia si Promovarea Libertatii de Exprimare - APPLE
- Uniunea Scriitorilor din Romania
- Institutul Cultural Roman
- Romanians Worldwide (Grup RWW)
- Consiliul Romano-American, California - SUA
- Consiliul Mondial Roman (CMR)
- Filiala Consiliului Mondial Roman, California - SUA
- Filiala Consiliul Mondial Roman, Bucuresti - Romania
- Alianta Romanilor Canadieni - ARC, Toronto - Canada
- Organizatia de tineret "Noua Generatie", Basarabia
- Fundatia Nationala a Romanilor de Pretutindeni, Romania
- Asociatia "Rasaritul Romanesc", Basarabia
- Asociatia de Cultura a Romanilor Vlahilor "Ariadnae Filum", Serbia
- Asociatia Culturala "Curcubeul", Valea Timocului - Serbia
- Comunitatea Romanilor din Bulgaria
- Asociatia Tinerilor Etnici Romani, Bulgaria
- Grupul de Atitudine Civica, SEE
- Liga Tinerilor Romani de Pretutindeni, SEE
- Universitatea de Vara Izvoru Muresului
- Asociatia Femeilor din Romania
- Societatea Phoenix Carita, SUA
- Comunitatea Romanilor din Serbia
- Uniunea Societatilor Romanesti "Pentru integrare europeana" - Ucraina
- Romanian American Cultural Center, Georgia - USA
- Youth for a Better World, Georgia - SUA
- Asociatia de Prietenie Romania - SUA, Romania
- Societatea Culturala Tinutul Herta, Romania
- Fundatia Cavalerii Daciei, Romania
- Uniunea Mondiala a Romanilor Liberi, Paris - Franta
- Institutul "Fratii Golescu" pentru Relatii cu Romanii din Strainatate
- Asociatia Studentilor Crestini Basarabeni din Timisoara - Romania
- Clubul Studentilor Basarabeni Stefan cel Mare, Galati - Romania
- Asociatia Studentilor Basarabeni si Bucovineni, Craiova - Romania
- Liga Studentilor Universitatea Dunarea de Jos, Galati - Romania
- Alianta Nationala a Organizatiilor Studentesti din Romania
- Federatia Alianta Tineretului Universitar (ATU), Romania
- Asociatia Studentilor din Universitatea Bucuresti (ASUB)
- Asociatia "Universitari pentru Universitate" - Universitatea din Bucuresti, Romania
- Asociatia Profesorilor de Istorie din Basarabia
- Facultatea de Silvicultura si Exploatari Forestiere din Brasov, Romania
- Liceul "M. Sadoveanu", Pascani - Romania
- Asociatia de tineret "Junimea" - Romania
- Asociatia Culturala Mihail Eminescu, Romania
- Asociatia de Cooperare Culturala Italia-Moldova
- Fundatia Nationala pentru Tineret - Romania
- Pro Comunitate - Centrul pentru Studii si Dezvoltare, Romania
- Serviciul de Ajutor Maltez - Romania
- Asociatia "Habitat pentru Umanitate" - Romania
- Actiunea Populara, Romania
- Partidul Umanist Roman
- Partidul National Taranesc Crestin Democrat
- Asociatia AIESEC, Pitesti - Romania
- Asociatia Handicapatilor Neuromotori Arges - Romania
- Asociatia 21 Decembrie, Bucuresti - Romania
- Asociatia "21 Decembrie 1989" Arges - Romania
- Fundatia Hand-Rom, Curtea de Arges - Romania
- Fundatia GEC, Aspretele, Arges - Romania
- Asociatia Nationala a Administratorilor de Imobil - Romania
- Asociatia de ajutorare a copiilor aflati in dificultate - Romania
- Asociatia pentru Promovarea Principiilor Europene - Romania
- Asociatia "Alexandru Ion Cuza", Heidelberg - Germania
- Proiectul social independent "Roman in Lume" - Spania
- Asociatia "Romania", Madrid - Spania
- Fundatia TERRA Mileniul III, Romania
- Atelierul de proza Ariergarda, Timisoara - Romania
- Fundatia Culturala Jazz Banat - Romania
- Uniunea Juristilor din Romania
- Fundatia FRP-FORUM
- Coalitia Natura 2000
- Asociatia Romana a Iubitorilor Naturii
- www.rosiamontana.org
- www.adhoc-roumanie.com
- www.windowtoromania.com
- www.yam.ro
- www.InfoPIT.net
- www.anchete.ro
- www.Moldova.net
- www.greenmedia.info
- www.romanian-portal.com
- www.seu.ru/projects/eng/dunay
- www.proactnow.org
- www.deltadunarii.ro
- www.danubedelta.ro
- www.petitiononline.com/RomDelta
Legal Actions to Protect the Danube Delta --
Links to Documents (as of 20 July 2004)
Ecopravo-Lviv (EPL)
The Ukrainian Government and the German construction company
Moebius are digging a deep navigation canal through the heart of Ukraine.s
portion of the Danube Delta Bilateral Biosphere Reserve. They started in mid-May, and plan to finish
the first phase by mid-August. Some
structures of the new canal will begin directly at the Romanian border. The canal will affect not only Ukraine
and Romania,
but a large number of European, Mediterranean, Eurasian,
and African countries. These various
countries are Parties to a number of different international treaties,
conventions, and agreements with Ukraine.
Ecopravo-Lviv (EPL), an environmental law firm in Ukraine,
has filed cases against the Government of Ukraine both in national courts and
in international compliance bodies.
This page provides weblinks for access to copies of the
legal complaints, cases, and arguments regarding the violations of international
and national law by the Ukraine Government in constructing the navigation canal
through Bystre Mouth of the Danube River.
- The
first two groups are cases, complaints, and documents that have been filed
by Ecopravo-Lviv (EPL) before international and national courts and
bodies.
- Other
documents listed below are the complaints and statements of others, such
as national governments, international bodies, and international
nongovernmental organizations.
- Finally,
we provide links to applicable legal instruments of international law.
All documents are in English unless noted otherwise. Major documents are shown in bold italics.
I. EPL LEGAL COMPLAINTS ON
VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
EPL has filed legal complaints with a number of
international bodies that are responsible for administering international law
affecting the Danube Delta Bilateral Biosphere Reserve.
A. ESPOO EIA
CONVENTION
The Espoo EIA Convention requires that a government
notify other governments whose territory might be affected by a project, that
the public of both countries be given notice and an opportunity to comment, and
that the environment be protected. The Ukraine Government has violated its specific legal
obligations under the Espoo
EIA Convention. EPL attempted to initiate a formal process to review these violations. The Implementation Committee, by a narrow,
4-3 vote in January 2004, refused to consider EPL.s complaint because it
originated from an NGO . even though the Espoo rules allow the Committee to consider any
information received from the Secretariat (and EPL submitted its Complaint
through the Secretariat).
Formal Complaint filed by EPL with Wiecher Schrage, Secretary of the
Espoo EIA Convention, August 11, 2003, on "Ukraine.s
violations of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a
Transboundary Context (Espoo EIA Convention)." http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/Espoo%20Complaint.doc
Copy of above Formal Complaint in Ukrainian, with cover
letter sent by EPL to Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in August 2003. http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/ESPOO_complaint_u.DOC
Supplemental letter filed with the Secretatiat by EPL on 29 October 2003. [weblink not
currently available.]
Report of meeting of Implementation Committee on 30-31
October 2004, refusing to consider EPL.s submission on the ground that
information provided so far was .insufficient to demonstrate either that there
was a transboundary effect, or that the activity described fell within the
scope of the Convention.. http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2004/eia/wg.1/mp.eia.wg.1.2004.3.e.pdf
Letter to EPL from Secretariat on behalf
of Implementation Committee, 3 November 2003, stating that
EPL had not submitted enough information. [weblink not
currently available.]
Additional letter with supplemental information filed by EPL with
Wiecher Schrage, Secretary of the Espoo EIA Convention, December 12, 2003,
providing factual information and legal affidavits showing both transboundary
effect and that the navigation canal falls within the scope of the
Convention. http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/espoo_additional_letter.doc
Decision of Implementation Committee, 18-19 December 2003
(reported 8 April 2004),
refusing by a 4-3 vote to consider the information that EPL submitted to the
Secretariat. http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2004/eia/wg.1/mp.eia.wg.1.2004.4.e.pdf
Note: In May 2004 the Government of Romania submitted its
own formal Complaint to the Espoo Implementation Committee. See section III of these files.
B. BONN CMS
CONVENTION, MOU, and AEWA
The
Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species requires member states to assess impacts on wildlife, consult with
other states that share the wild species, and protect them. Ukraine.s Government has done none of these
things. EPL has attempted to raise this
issue with the Secretariat of the Bonn
Convention.
Letter of Emergency Notification filed by EPL with Arnulf
Müller-Helmbrecht, Executive Secretary UNEP/CMS Secretariat (Bonn
Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species), April 24, 2004, noting
Ukraine's failure to fulfill "its obligations of assessment, consultation,
and decisionmaking under the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning
Conservation Measures for the Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris (MOU
for the Slender-billed Curlew), the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird
Agreement (AEWA), and the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention)." http://www.epl.org.ua/files/emergency%20notification,%20Bonn%20Conv.doc
C. AARHUS
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CONVENTION
Ukraine was the second
nation to ratify the Aarhus Public Participation Convention, which requires
notification to the public and adequate public participation in any
environmental decision. Ukraine has violated the Convention and EPL has
filed a legal complaint (called a .communication from the public.) with the
Compliance Committee. The Committee has
admitted the complaint for consideration and asked the Ukraine Government to reply.
Formal Complaint ("Communication from the Public") filed by
EPL with the Compliance Committee of the UN ECE Convention on Access to
Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in
Environmental Matters, May 5, 2004, detailing how Ukraine has
"ignored its obligations under the Aarhus Convention and violated our
right to participation in the environmental decision-making." http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/communication.doc
Letter from Secretariat of the Aarhus
Convention to Olga Marushevska, Vice-Head, Department of International
Relations, Ministry for Environmental Protection, noting that the Compliance
Committee has admitted EPL's communication for consideration and asking for
response, 17
May 2004. http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/aarhusletter.doc
Note: In May 2004 the Government of Romania submitted its
own formal Complaint to the Aarhus Compliance Committee. See section III of these
files.
D. DANUBE RIVER
PROTECTION CONVENTION
The Danube River Protection Convention requires each state Party to notify others
before doing anything to harm the Danube River and to consult. Ukraine has done nothing in this regard. EPL has filed a legal complaint with the
Secretariat.
Emergency Complaint filed by EPL with Permanent Secretariat of the
International Commission for the
Protection of Danube River, May 2004, on "violations of the
Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube
River by Ukraine." http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/Danube_petition.doc
and http://www.epl.org.ua/files/Danube/cover_letter.doc
II. EPL DOCUMENTS ON VIOLATIONS OF UKRAINE NATIONAL LAW
The Ukraine Government has violated numerous provisions
of Ukraine national law in its drive to build the
navigation canal. EPL and its staff have
filed numerous lawsuits in various courts to try to force compliance with the
law. Unfortunately, putting pressure on
national courts is a fact of life in Ukraine and it is not certain that EPL will be able
to receive fair decisions on its claims.
A. Withdrawal of straits and internal
ponds from the Danube Biosphere Reserve
EPL
is representing Danube biosphere reserve in court in the case of the withdrawal of
straits and internal ponds from DBR, filed by Vilkovo local council. The courts
of first and second instance ruled not in our favor and deprived DBR the right
to use its straits and internal ponds.
We
are awaiting the decision of Supreme Commercial Court of Ukraine on
our cassation appeal.
(All documents available in Ukrainian at http://epl.org.ua/a_spv_Dunaj_k.htm
)
B. Challenging of the environmental expertiza conclusion in court
EPL filed two suits to courts
challenging the environmental expertiza conclusion №105 regarding the
Technical and Economic Assessment (TEA) of Investments of construction of the Danube-Black
Sea deep-water navigation canal on
the Ukrainian part of the Danube delta and environmental
expertiza conclusion №191 regarding canal Danube . Black Sea building project.
In
the first case, court of first instance ruled in favor of EPL and declared
invalid the environmental expertiza conclusion N105 of July 10, 2003. The defendant . the Ministry of
Environment of Ukraine
- appealed this decision.
The Appeal court annulled first
instance court's decision. We filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme
Commercial Court of Ukraine. The court hearing is scheduled on October,
2004.
In the
second case, EPL suit is still under the consideration of the court of first
instance.
(All documents available in Ukrainian at http://epl.org.ua/a_spv_Dunaj_k.htm
)
C. Challenging of the Decree of the President of Ukraine
in court
Staff attorney of EPL, Skrylnikov
D., filed a complaint to the court challenging Paragraph 3 of the Decree of the
President of Ukraine, amending the President's Decree from August, 10, 1998 .On the creation of the Danube
Biosphere Reserve..
The court rendered a decision to
dismiss the complaint of the citizen D. Skrylnikov. Skrylnikov appealed to the
second instance court. The results of the appellate court hearing were also not
favorable. D.Skrylnikov filed a
cassation appeal.
(All documents available in Ukrainian at http://epl.org.ua/a_spv_Dunaj_k.htm
)
For more information see: http://epl.org.ua/a_cases_Danube_C.htm
III. OTHER
DOCUMENTS ON VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
EPL is not the only
organization to note the obligations and violations of international law
regarding Ukraine. The following official
complaints and other documents make note of such obligations and/or violations.
A. ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT COMPLAINTS ABOUT UKRAINE.S ACTIONS
Espoo EIA
Convention
Romanian official statement to the Third
Meeting of the Parties of the Espoo EIA Convention, 1 June 2004, stating that Ukraine
began construction of the Bystriy Canal construction .without being taken into consideration several
requests of involvement of Romanian authorities and the public.. Romania
underlined its request that the EIA procedure in a transboundary context should
be applied as it is provided by this Convention.. http://www.unece.org/env/eia/documents/cavtat/Romania.pdf
Romania.s Complaint to the Implementation Committee of the Espoo
Convention, 26 and 12 May 2004.
[weblink not currently available.]
Aarhus
Public Participation Convention
Romania.s Complaint to the Compliance
Committee of the Aarhus Convention, 7 June 2004. [weblink not
currently available.]
Romanian Government.s June 16, 2004, press release on its complaint to the Aarhus Convention.s Compliance
committee. http://www.gov.ro/engleza/presa/afis-doc.php?idpresa=2350&idrubricapresa=&idrubricaprimm=&idtema=&tip=&pag=1&dr=
Other
Diplomatic Actions by Romania
Romanian Government.s June 8, 2004, list of its actions to complain about Ukraine.s
construction of the Bystroe Canal. http://www.gov.ro/engleza/presa/afis-doc.php?idpresa=2240&idrubricapresa=1&idrubricaprimm=&idtema=&tip=2&pag=1&dr=
Romanian Government.s June
3, 2004, press release on May
28, 2004, letter from Mr. Adrian Năstase, Prime Minister of
Romania, to his Ukrainian counterpart, Mr. Victor Ianucovici, Prime Minister of
Ukraine, regarding the start of the construction works for the navigation
channel Bâstroe by Ukraine. http://www.gov.ro/engleza/presa/afis-doc.php?idpresa=2240&idrubricapresa=1&idrubricaprimm=&idtema=&tip=2&pag=1&dr=
Romanian Ministry of External Affairs May 11, 2004, public statement concerning Ukraine.s
violations of the Espoo EIA Convention and other norms (in Romanian). http://www.mae.ro/index.php?unde=doc&id=23053
Romanian Government.s 31 May 2004 public statement about
meeting between State Secretary Bogdan Aurescu, NGOs, Ministry for Environment
and Waters Management, and "The Danube Delta" Biosphere Reservation
Administration. http://www.gov.ro/engleza/presa/afis-doc.php?idpresa=2159&idrubricapresa=&idrubricaprimm=&idtema=&tip=&pag=1&dr=
Romanian Ministry of External Affairs December 4, 2004,
public statement concerning the resolution that it persuaded the International
Commission for the Protection of the Danube River to adopt on 1-2 December
2003, meeting in Vienna (in Romanian). http://www.mae.ro/index.php?unde=doc&id=8101
12 Diplomatic Notes sent by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to the Ukrainian Government during 2002, 2003, and 2004, on the
proposed Bystroe Canal. [weblink not currently available.]
Letter of Romanian Ministry of Environment and Waters
Management to Ukrainian Government, 12
May 2004, asking for consultation on Bystroe
Canal, under the Bilateral
Agreement between the Ukrainian Government and the Romanian Government on Cooperation in the Field of
Transboundary Waters Management. [weblink not currently available.]
B. European Union
On July 14, 2004, The European Union has asked Ukraine
to halt construction work on a canal in the Danube
River delta, which the EU fears
could harm the environment, a senior EU official said.
[weblink not currently available.]
C. EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, statement
criticizing the planned canal. [weblink not currently available.]
D. UNESCO, RAMSAR
Mission Report of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme and
Ramsar Convention, October 2003, noting that construction of the canal by Ukraine
without advance construction of compensatory wetlands would violate Ukraine's
obligations under the Ramsar Convention and UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program. http://www.ramsar.org/ram_rpt_53e.htm.
Letter from Secretariat of Ramsar Convention and UNESCO Man
and Biosphere Programme, May 2004. [weblink not currently available.]
E. U.S. GOVERNMENT
Statement by Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman of the U.S.
Department of State, May 17, 2004,
urging the Ukrainian government to fulfill "its international commitments
under the environmental agreements to which it is a party." http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2004/32535.htm
F. WWF, BIRDLIFE, WETLANDS INTERNATIONAL
Letter to WWF from L. Musina, Deputy State
Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and European Integration of Ukraine, 12 March 2003, stating that a positive decision to build the canal would be
taken "only in case of observance of national legislation and
international obligations of Ukraine." [weblink not
currently available.]
Letter to President Kuchma from World
Wildlife Fund, Birdlife International, and Wetlands International, 13 May 2004, noting that the canal will "breach Ukraine.s
protection obligations in the UNESCO reserve and Convention on Wetlands." http://www.utop.org.ua/eng/news25.htm
G. ICPDR
International Commission for the Protection of the Danube
River, Resolution expressing
concern about Ukraine.s
Bystroe Canal,
1-2 December 2003, Vienna, Austria. [weblink not
currently available.]
IV. INTERNATIONAL
TREATIES, CONVENTIONS, AND AGREEMENTS
Ramsar Convention: http://www.ramsar.org/key_conv_e.htm
UNESCO convention: http://whc.unesco.org/world_he.htm
Aarhus Public Participation
Convention: http://www.unece.org/pp/
Bern
Convention: http://www.coe.int/t/e/Cultural_Co-operation/Environment/Nature_and_biological_diversity/Nature_protection/03Texts_of_reference.asp#TopOfPage
Bonn CMS
Convention: http://www.cms.int/documents/convtxt/cms_convtxt.htm
African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement. http://www.unep-wcmc.org/AEWA/eng/agree/agree_text.htm
Espoo EIA
Convention: http://www.unece.org/eia/
Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable
Use of the Danube River: http://www.icpdr.org/pls/danubis/docs/FOLDER/HOME/ICPDR/ICPDR_DOC_CENTRE/ICPDR_BASIC_DOCS/LEGAL_POLICY/DRPC+ENGLISH+VER_1.PDF
1948 Belgrade Convention on the Legal Regime of Navigation
on the Danube:
[weblink not currently available.]
Agreement between Government of Romania and Government of
Ukraine on Cooperation in Management of Boundary Waters, 30 September 1997: [weblink not currently available.]
Bilateral Agreement between the Ukrainian Government and the
Romanian Government on
Cooperation in the Field of Transboundary Waters Management. [weblink not
currently available.]
V. SCIENTIFIC
MATERIAL ON IMPORTANCE OF DELTA
According
to scientists at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Danube Delta, where
the river enters the Black Sea, is "the most
important wetland area in Europe." (WWF, Waterway Transport on
Europe.s
Lifeline, the Danube. Impacts, threats and opportunities.
Vienna, January 2002) It is also
"the largest interconnected reed-bed in the world," the home to 325
species of birds and 75 species of fish, several of both listed in species Red
Books and threatened with extinction. (Ibid., and also
see http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/danubed.html) .The estuaries are important biological
environments in that they form the spawning ground for many economically
valuable marine species.. http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/daac_docs/geomorphology/geo_5/geo_plate_d-2.html)
The Danube Delta has been recognized as a Wetland of International
Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1995 and was internationally
recognized as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere
Programme in 1998. (http://www.unesco.org/mab/BR-Ramsar.htm)
VI. UPDATING
If you
desire more information in English on the status of EPL's legal complaints and
cases, please consult the following web page: http://www.epl.org.ua/english/danube/filings,
http://www.epl.org.ua/news.htm,
and http://www.epl.org.ua/news_arch.htm.
News may be
found in English (as noted above), Ukrainian (http://www.epl.org.ua/news_novyny_ost.htm),
and Russian (http://www.epl.org.ua/news_novosti.htm).
News is not
provided in other languages, but other information about EPL is provided in
Spanish at http://www.epl.org.ua/esp/index.htm.
Ukraine misinforms other countries and international community - Statement of Ukrainian NGO "Pechenegy"
Violation of international obligations by Ukraine during the
construction of deep-water
shipping canal Danube-Black Sea through Bystre branch in Danube
biosphere reserve have
lead to the numerous complaints from other countries and international
community.
The government of Ukraine, from one side is hoping to get status
of the EU
neighboring country and simultaneously proceeds with the implementation
of this
inadmissible for civilized country project. As the answer to official
protests Ukrainian
authorities openly misinforms other about their activities.
It's worth mentioning that in the letter of ad interim Minister of
international
relations of Ukraine V. Yelchenko addressed to the Prime Minister of
Ukraine V. Yanykovich
he suggested: "with the aim to explain the justification of the position
of Ukraine
concerning the necessity of construction of navigation canal and to
prevent the creation
of negative image of our state at the international arena in this
context we suggest: to
authorize Ministry of environment, Ministry of transport, State
committee on radio and TV
to conduct necessary public awareness efforts among Mass Media".
- Ukrainian officials stated on several occasions that Ukraine don't
erect new shipping
canal in Bystre branch but renew existing one.
These statements are absolutely not true: Bystre branch never
served as shipping
canal, neither before 1956, nor before the beginning of 1990. Only small
fishing vessels
with draught 1,5 - 2,0 m used it.
- It was alleged several times that objections against the construction
of shipping canal
through Bystre branch violate the right of Ukraine to renew the shipping
on its sovereign
territory.
These allegations are also groundless, as the variant of canal
through the Bystre
branch was not the only possible one. There are two economically and
ecologically sounded
alternative variants of shipping canal through Stensovsko-Zhebryanskaya
sand belt or
through Ochakivsky branch. The Ministry of transport and the Ministry of
environment are
persistently sabotaging the consideration of the alternative variants.
- Ukrainian officials stated that public doesn't list specific
international agreements,
violated by Ukraine during the construction of canal, as there are no
violations of any
agreements.
We want to list now the conventions, violated by Ukraine during
the process of canal
construction through Bystre branch: Convention on Conservation of
Migratory Species (Bonn
CMS Convention), African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA),
Convention on
Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River
(Danube
convention), Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a
Transboundary Context
(Espoo Convention), Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention); Convention on Access to
Information, Public
Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental
Matters (Aarhus
Convention), Agreement between Government of Romania and Government of
Ukraine on
Cooperation in Management of Boundary Waters.
4. It was alleged that this project doesn't disturb ecological balance
of delta and is
ecologically safe.
These allegations are negated by the death of thousands of terns'
chicks in the eggs
on Ptichya (the Bird) spit near the Bystroe estuary in the mid July. The
noise from
operating dredging vessels caused the death of birds.
Actually, the construction of shipping canal through Bystre branch
notwithstanding with
the official allegations from Kiev:
- Leads to the destruction of natural area, part of World heritage
and unique in its
global aspect;
- Posses the threat of possible international isolation of Ukraine;
- Hampers the renewal of shipping on the Ukrainian part of Danube
Delta.
If our Ministry of transport and Ministry of environment, instead of
lobbying the
interests of close circle of businessmen and politicians, had been
really concerned about
the renewal of shipping, economic prosperity of that region and about
the welfare of its
population, preservation of natural complexes of Danube Delta, they
would have considered
ecologically and economically sounded alternatives of shipping canal in
Danube Delta.
In this case, we are confident that its possible to renew the
shipping, load
Ukrainian ports with work - without violating of national legislation by
Ukraine, without
involvement of Ukraine into international scandal and without posing
threat to the
existence of Danube biosphere reserve.
We consider the reason of the scandal around the construction of
the shipping canal
Danube-Black Sea lies in flouting of the law by Ukrainian authorities,
but not because of
the active environmental public.
We are responsible only for delivering to you true political
situation in Ukraine.
Shaparenko Sergey, President of the Council Environmental Group "Pechenegy"
21. 07. 04
The Romanian Academy is against building Channel Bastroe
"The Romanian Academy takes this opportunity to express its concern at the intention of the Ukrainian Government to built a 160-kilometer channel in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, despite numerous warnings coming from scientists and ecology organizations in Europe. These warnings are well - grounded: if the project were carried out, 280 bird species (including 70% of the entire population representing the white pelican and half of the Pygmeaus cormorants existing today on our planet) would be jeopardized. Romanian and foreign specialists are warning that beyond such data the entire Delta Reserve is in danger, although the Danube Delta is priceless in Europe. Due to such shocks, it might suffer unpredictable consequences. Mrs. Catherine Day, environment general director in the European Commission, was right to ask Ukraine to stop building operations on channel Bastroe till completing a detailed, objective study on the environment. The Romanian Academy considers this to be a sensible proposal and hopes that Ukrainian authorities will consider it, thus respecting the long humanist tradition in their country.
Romanian and Ukrainian scientists know how easy it is to destroy a natural space and also how difficult (and sometimes impossible) it is to reconstruct it. It is our role to get involved and direct the public opinion's attention towards such projects (such as channel Bastroe), Because of different reasons (most of the times economical reasons), it destroys and eliminates the harmony of the world that carries and feeds us...
Considering all these, the Romanian Academy intends to send a material to the Ukrainian Science Academy - an academy we signed collaboration agreement with. It will propose the specialists in the two institutions to meet and have free, objective debates on the situation of the Danube Delta environment and on the consequences that might effect from projects belonging to politicians in the area. We are repeating that the Danube Delta is public property (European property) and it is our duty to defend it"
The Romanian Academy