PART II: Case Examples from Central and Eastern Europe

Navigation Canal on Alluvium Morava-Morava River Flood Plains

Slovak Republic

Ingrid Belcakova

Background

According to Slovak legislation, such large constructions have to be approved in the regional physical plan. The plan for the navigation canal was approved by the government. In 1994, the Slovak government initiated the elaboration of the physical plan of the Bratislava region. The proposed construction of the dam was included in the draft plan.

The Morava River flood plains are located in the westernmost part of Slovakia, situated along the border. The most valuable part of the area is the Morava River itself, along with its riverside canals, banks, reed beds, swamps, periodic pools, and wet meadow - better preserved here than anywhere else in Slovakia.

Problems/Effects

The problem stems from the damage the construction of a navigation canal with an industrial port on the Morava River might cause. This plan would mainly affect nature by destroying unique species. Landowners and private farmers would also be affected, as their land would be used for the construction.

The importance of the construction has not been economically proved. It is highly questionable whether any further industrial development of the overcrowded industrial line of Breclav-Prerov-Ostrava along the Danube-Odera-Elbe project makes sense since it has nearly reached the limits of its growth.

The line of the project runs across several protected areas of Europe, including protected landscape in Zahorie; a proposed national park and international park in the Danube basin; the Thaya national park in Austria; reserves Soutok, Ranspuk and Cahnov on the confluence of Thaya and March (Morava) rivers; Ramsar wetlands; and Alluvium Mopravy, which is prepared for declaration as a protected area of Dolne Pomoravie.

Two large-scale projects would cause substantial changes in the land use:

• The Bratislava dam and power station would destroy an approximately 30 km section of the Morava River flood plains.
• The Danube-Odra-Elbe navigation canal might cause problems in the self-purification of the March (Morava) River, which is in the fourth (worst) class of cleanness.

In addition to underestimating the threat of the project to natural resources, until 1994 planners did not discuss the effects the project would have on the ancient Slavic castle overlooking the confluence of the March and Danube rivers. This area is of significant cultural and historical importance.

The area is mainly endangered by the above-mentioned development projects, as well as by overfishing, water management measures, pesticides and fertilizers.

Strategies Employed

In preparing the documentation for the Ramsar list, the core NGOs could refer to past experience participating in protests against the Gabcikovo project.

In 1990, there were preparation works and meetings concerning the construction of the Bratislava dam. The Slovak, Austrian and Czech NGOs are keeping an eye on the development of plans and programs related to the Morava River as well.

Concerning the Slovakian physical planning legislation, NGOs - Slovak River Network, Daphne Foundation and Czech River Network - used formal instruments and became familiar with Slovak legislation. They acted constructively and established good starting points for discussions. The problem could be prevented by the designation of a trilateral national park in the framework of state nature protection. NGOs have initiated the following conservation measures since 1990:

• Designation of the protected landscape area "Zahorie" from 10 km to 72 km of the river;
• Two protected areas - National Nature Reserves "Dolny les" forested wetlands;
• Instigation of an international bird life area (1992);
• "Ecological Bricks of Our Common European House" (1990);
• The World Bank's choice of the flood plains of the Morava River as a beneficiary for the Biodiversity Program in the framework of the Global Environmental Facility Project.

Physical planning in Slovakia has several phases in which there are public hearings. After the first draft and after the comments have been done, the final version must be elaborated. The final part consists of an explanatory part and an executive part. The final version of the plan for the navigation canal was finished last December. More comments were made by different ministries, officials and NGOs from January until May. Following the procedure the Ministry of Environment issued the latest version of the physical plan. During the process NGOs used their rights to comment on the draft of the physical plan and successfully lobbied the government to apply the regulations of the Ramsar convention - suggesting the formation of the trilateral national park and thus planning in advance the legislation related to the national park. Because the Morava River wetlands are mentioned in the Ramsar list, construction of the canal was excluded from the plan.

NGOs put together all necessary information about the Morava River wetlands to answer the questions asked in the list of the Ramsar convention.

NGOs used the Ramsar convention and sent the information sheet related to the Ramsar wetlands to the Slovak authorities. The Convention Related to the Protection of Migratory Fauna and the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats were also applicable.

Outcome

Lessons Learned

1. NGOs used the Ramsar convention as an international legal instrument to stop realization of the project.
2. The case illustrates a successfully established and effective coalition among domestic and foreign NGOs. This coalition helped the environmental organizations involved apply the Ramsar convention and lobby the government.
3. The case also illustrates the value of effective cooperation between NGOs and the MoE and the importance of maintaining these relations to assure ongoing support. For example, if Czech Republic and Austria want to construct the canal in the future, a political decision will need to be made by the Slovak government. This could endanger NGOs' recent achievements.
4. Due to the lack of financial aid from international institutions, the Ecotrans Morava - a domestic company - has not yet started the construction. It is obvious this project can only be built if there is funding from international sources. Therefore, this case illustrates clearly that the position of funding institutions is often crucial.
5. The media's involvement was quite weak and could not support the efforts to raise public awareness. A lack of public awareness or public support may ultimately threaten the future activities of the NGOs.