Public Participation in Transboundary issues in Moldova

1. Public Participation in Transboundary issues in Moldova Ilya Trombitsky International Environmental Association of Dniester River Keepers Kisninev, Moldova www.eco-tiras.org

2. Legal Framework for Public Participation in Transboundary issues in Moldova - Aarhus Convention (from 2001); Helsinki Water Convention (from 1993); Law on access to Information (2000). The Concept of Water Policy (non-legally binding), approved as Regulation of Parliament (2003) provides some stakeholders involvement and public participation but not implemented. No specific PP requirements for transboundary waters in national legislation.

3. Main legal acts regulating NGOs in Moldova • Constitution (1994); • Civil Code (2002); • Law on Civil Associations (1996); • Law on Foundations (1999); • Law on Protection of the Environment (1993).

4. NGOs and their environment • The number of NGOs in Moldova is about 3200, from them environmental ones – about 300 (9%). • NGOs can be national, international and local. • Legislation in Moldova is liberal and do not creates obstacles for formation of NGOs. The same is the practice of its application.

5. Examples of NGO involvement in Dniester River Environment monitoring & management • Spheres of NGO activity: • Biodiversity Conservation (evaluation of status, development of Concept of National Ecologic Network) • Formulation of necessity of Ramsar Status for Lower Dniester Wetlands; • Management plans for water protection zones; • Substitution of the Lower Dniester National Park; • Development of local ecological networks; • Monitoring of water quality and sediments; • Environmental education and research; • Campaigns against unsustainable projects.

6. Multistakeholders’ approach and public awareness • Three big international conferences were organized during last years to attract attention of politicians, scientists, water users to the Dniester River environmental problems • 1998 (Biotica) • 1999 (Biotica) • 2004 (Eco-TIRAS) • 1999 – Draft of the Dniester River Convention to apply the IWRM to the river basin is proposed.

7. Institutialisation of NGOs River Basin network • Eco-TIRAS International Environmental Association of River Keepers is established in 1999 by the group of Moldavian and Ukrainian NGOs and registered in 2000 as an international non-governmental association of NGOs of the Dniester River Basin. In present it includes 46 NGOs. • In 2003 in frames of the Fifth Pan-European Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” the Side Event was organized by Eco-TIRAS on the issue of Dniester Convention draft. • In 2004 the International Conference “Integrated Management of the Transboundary Dniester River Basin” was organized with participation of 160 people from Moldova and abroad. • Also in 2004 the Second NGO Forum “Dniester-2004” was organised by ‘Eco-TIRAS’. Information on sitewww.eco-tiras.org.

8. Local NGOs along the Dniester • There are a serious number of NGOs working along the Dniester, which educate the people, elaborate together with the authorities local management plans, develop eco- and agro-tourism and promote sustainable development.

9. From 2000 started a work to develop environmental NGOs in Transdniestria. In present they are 15. There are five Resource Centers for NGOs in Transdniestria with access to Internet and libraries. They all are members of Eco-TIRAS. In 2001 NGO “Eco-Dniester” from Tiraspol organised together with the university the International Conference “Geo-ecologic and Bio-ecological Problems of N.W. of Black Sea”. • In September 2005 the Second such conference will be organised in Transdniestria.

10. Transboundary Cooperation • Moldavian NGOs permanently cooperates with Ukrainian ones and jointly lobby publiv benefit interests related to the Dniester River.

11. PRIORITIES FOR DNIESTER (From Resolution of Second Dniester River NGO Forum, 2004) • Modernisation of legal and institutional framework of Dniester River Basin cooperation taking into consideration EU WFD and Helsinki Convention; • Creation of Dniester River Basin Multistakeholder Forum as a consultative body • Development of the Strategic Action Plan for Dniester • Creation of Database of ecological status of Dniester • Coordination of natural uses policy in the Dniester River basin between Moldova and Ukraine • Creation of the Ecological Network of Dniester River basin; • Development of the Network of Protected Areas in the Dniester River Basin • Establishing of national parks in both states to protect Dniester River Wetlands • Creation of joint transboundary Ramsar sites and biosphere reserves under bilateral management; • Involvement of NGOs and local authorities in the Dniester River basin actions planning and management; • Strengthening of NGO river community.

12. Institutional arrangements for the public participation in water management The only Water State Concern ‘Apele Moldovei’ is involved in transboundary water management. Public participation is not reflected in its activity. No website. The institutional framework should be changed especially to involve other state agencies, water users and NGOs.

13. Level of public and stakeholders involvement into transboundary water management in your region • The limited involvement of other state agencies like Ministry of Environment, Hydrometeo, Sanitary Service exists during meetings of Plenipotentiaries. Public is not presented there and not informed about the results. The Plenipotentiaries did not establish any mechanisms to inform public.

14. Procedures for the public and stakeholders involvement into transboundary water management in Moldova • In fact, the procedures of stakeholders involvement in water management issues are not established. • Annual reports on the state of environment by the National Ecological Institute under the Ministry of Environment. • Sporadic publishing of brochures and newsletters by state authorities and NGOs. • Proceedings of scientific conferences, initiated mostly by NGOs

15. In Moldova already exist some tools / mechanisms of public participation and information: • Public information – publications, mailing-lists, information centres etc. - developed • Consultations – comments, interviews, public hearings etc. – less developed • Discussions – roundtables, conferences etc. - developed • But: • Joint decision-making – referendums, public councils and bodies in the state authorities etc. – almost not developed • Independent decision-making – pubic functions of the water users associations etc. – not developed • NGO River Forums – developed, but weakly • River Forums of all stakeholders – not developed

16. List of challenges facing the process of public and stakeholders involvement in Moldova with prioritization • Strengthening of legal framework on stakeholders involvement and PP in transboundary water resource management • Access to information (day to day information on river status is not available for public) • Public awareness (actions are sporadic and rare) • Lack of river basin approach on national and transboundary levels (no involvement of stakeholders) • From consultation to participation • To avoid misunderstanding of the role of public as low prepared people to be consulted on primitive level. • Liquidation of monopoly of water issue management by one state agency

17. Policies, strategies and actions • Information on river and water status should be open and available to everybody by Internet and other sources. • The joint transboundary body should arrange availability of all own information. • GIS for river basin should be developed. • It has to be developed web sites of profile state agencies and river commission. • It has to be solved in spirit of Aarhus convention the issue of access to primary data on water quality, quantity, hydrology etc. • NGO river basin associations should get access to information and to be strengthened and involved in inter-governmental river basin management structures. Creation of legal and institutional conditions for constructive public participation.