Minister Borislav Sandov and Deputy Minister Maria Achkova participated in the ministerial meeting of the parties to the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and the Sustainable Use of the Danube River. 

During the meeting, the ministers approved the international Danube River Basin Management Plan and the Danube Basin Risk Management Plan for the period 2022-2027.

The ministers confirmed that the experience and approaches of the drafting process for the two international documents would be extremely useful for the preparation of the relevant plans at the national level.

In his speech, Minister Sandov praised the importance of cross-sectoral partnership: “The Danube is the river basin that passes through the largest number of countries in the world and this inevitably means a complex process of coordination among us, as well as setting priorities. At the same time, diversity and the established tradition of stakeholder cooperation is an advantage and part of the success of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). Our partners from the non-governmental, academic and sectoral organizations are genuine participants in the planning and implementation activities within the ICPDR. The experience of working together, the feeling that we are all in the same boat, as well as the shared results are strong drivers for all those involved in the activities of the commission,” said Minister Sandov.

Across the many issues that require joint action, Minister Sandov highlighted one priority - the adaptation of water management to climate change policies. He stressed that water management is one of the most sensitive areas of climate variations and uncertainty. Adaptation needs a broad commitment, while the involvement of various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders is key to achieving climate resilience.

The ministers adopted a meeting declaration expressing the political will to continue cooperation within the framework of the Convention. The document emphasizes the importance of the Convention as a solid basis for achieving sustainable and equitable water management within the international basin. The role of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River as a platform for coordination and the implementation of joint initiatives is highly appreciated, whereby the following main priorities stand out: climate change adaptation, pollution management, ecosystem protection, and flood risk management.