International cooperation for a cleaner environment and the Tisza river

Yesterday, an online conference entitled “CROSS-BORDER EFFORTS FOR THE CLEAN TISZA RIVER” was organized by MEP Andrea Bocskor. In the framework of the conference EU officials, local and regional representatives of Transcarpathia and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties, water experts, scientific experts and civil activists discussed the cross-border problem of pollution of the Tisza, possible solutions, as well as the importance of waste management. Following the discussion of the environmental challenges of the Tisza River, the participants of the conference adopted a final statement, which emphasizes the importance of future cooperation between the affected regions in the field of environmental and water protection.

In the opening statement of the conference, MEP Andrea Bocskor emphasized that the headwaters of the Tisza is located in Transcarpathia, therefore it is important to pay attention to the region in several ways, as it is a geographical gateway to the EU, and due to its rich eco- system and its cultural and historical heritage it could become a main tourist destination. This, in turn, would require more effort to maintain the environment and water purity, as well as to have a successful ​​waste management. MEP Andrea Bocskor stressed that the aim of the conference is to raise international awareness of these concerns and to find effective solutions to existing problems.

When summarizing the experiences of the conference, László Brenzovics, President of the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub-Carpathia (KMKSZ), representative of the Transcarpathian County Council, emphasized that the conference pointed out one of the most serious problems in Transcarpathia, the un-treatment of solid waste. He stressed that he would raise these issues at the county assembly and would suggest that a county program for solid waste management shall be developed in Transcarpathia and that the KMKSZ should continue to support initiatives aimed at solving the problem of waste management in the region.

“I am pleased that the conference has taken place, as the protection of nature and the environment must be a priority, at local, regional and state levels. The protection of the Tisza and other cross-border rivers is only possible through cross-border, international and interregional cooperation, and the EU is helping to do this. Importantly, a final statement has been adopted with remarkable commitments, such as the commitment to protect the environment and highlighting the importance of water and waste management, which needs to be addressed at both governmental and local levels. In the final statement, we acknowledged that working with civil societies and local activists is an essential part of effective problem-solving. The document also states that the banks of the Tisza would be of great importance for the population from the point of view of tourism, therefore we called on the relevant authorities to examine the possibilities of access to the banks of the river in the border region. We emphasized the importance of education for environmental protection and environmental awareness for all ages, the importance of selection, recycling and other environmentally friendly techniques in achieving sustainability,” underlined MEP Andrea Bocskor after the conference.

The visual presentation of the conference was assisted by the report film of Kamilla Debreceni, “Unity is Strength  ̶  created by TV21 Ungvár.