EU supports the sustainable use and protection of the Nistru River basin

Under the framework of the EU4Environment Water Resources and Environmental Data Programme, on 7 and 8 December 2022, in Chişinău was conducted the meeting of the Working Group for monitoring and information exchange within the “Commission for the sustainable use and protection of the Nistru River basin”.   

On 7-8 December 2022, in Chişinău, the Environment Agency from Moldova hosted the meeting of the Moldovan-Ukrainian Working Group for Monitoring and Information Exchange within the “Commission for the sustainable use and protection of the Nistru River basin (Nistru Commission)”.

The event was attended by the members of the national working group and the institutions with responsibilities regarding monitoring in the Nistru River basin from both countries. 

Based on the cooperation agreement signed between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the Environmental Agency is responsible for monitoring of the water quality of the Nistru River basin at the points established by mutual agreement between Moldova and Ukraine. Thus, during the meeting, both countries presented information on the quantity and quality of surface waters, both according to hydrochemical and hydrobiological parameters, groundwater monitoring, progress, but also the problems encountered in the joint activity of using and protecting the water of the Nistru River basin.

Finally, the revised version of the Collaboration Regulation on monitoring and exchange of information for the Nistru River basin, in a cross-border context, was approved. Also, the Working group approved the Work Plan for the years 2023-2024.

One of important subjects of discussions was the discharge of high volumes of water from the Novodnestrovsk reservoir (urgent need of electricity due to bombing the infrastructure by Russia), which is located in Ukraine, on the Nistru River upstream Moldova. The Ukrainian hydro-energetical authority did not informed Moldavian authorities regarding the discharge of huge volumes of water, thus the authorities in Moldova did not have time to react to these volumes. Fortunately, high waters in Nistru River have not damaged or flooded critical sites or localities in Moldova. However, due to lack of timely information exchange in critical situation and thus the delay of Moldavian authorities to react, can lead to catastrophically floods in Moldova. 

Thus, to avoid any possible emergency situations in Moldova, EU will continue to support Moldova’s effort in strengthening its collaboration with Ukraine on monitoring of surface and groundwater, as well as timely sharing the available data, in the Nistru River Basin.