The Newsletter of the Socio-Ecological Union A Center for Coordination and Information

Moscow, Russia -- Issue N 13 (47), September 9, 2003

MORE NEWS IN ENGLISH FROM SEU-TERRITORY are available on Ecoport - green news project English version at http://www.seu.ru/news_en/npa.php

IN THIS ISSUE: 

  The sample letter text:
  To the President of Ukraine Mr. L.Kouchma.
  Dear Mr. President!
  After the Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" held in Kiev, the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine (the Minister G.Kirpa) continues to lobby construction of the navigable channel from the Danube to the Black Sea through the especially protected zone of the Danube biosphere reserve, in Bystroye estuary.
   This project will result in degradation of the natural complexes of the Danube delta, will destroy traditional ways of management, and can also result in worsening of economic conditions in the region. It breaks the principles of functioning of the biosphere reserves defined by UNESCO's program "Man and the Biosphere".
   The attempts to built this channel on the territory of the reserve are based on conclusions of the environmental assessment, which was conducted by Kiev National University. It has violated the basic principles of realization of such assessments. Several NGOs already have lodged the complaints against it.
   The Ministry of Transport of Ukraine has already prepared and submitted for approval the draft President's decree. According to this draft decree, it is planned to withdraw all the water areas and channels from the delta part of the Danube biosphere reserve and to reduce the area of especially protected zone approximately 10 times.
   The Ministry of Transport has already began preparation for building of the channel in Bystroye estuary in defiance of current legislation.
   This activity of the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine in fact leads to destruction of the Danube biosphere reserve, which is one of most valuable natural areas in Europe, the part of World Heritage, one of 200 biosphere reserves of the world, water and marsh land of international value. Destruction of this territory will seriously undermine the prestige of Ukraine in the world.
   In this connection we ask you: please, keep the face of Ukraine as the European civilized state, and to bar from destruction of this nature reserve:
   - do not sign the draft President's decree "On creation of the Danube transboundary biosphere reserve..." developed by the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine;
  - do not let reduction of the area of Danube biosphere reserve including its especially protected zone;
  - do not let withdrawal of inner water areas and channels from the Danube biosphere reserve;
  - do not let construction of navigable channel the Danube - the Black Sea in the especially protected natural area of the Danube biosphere reserve.

   Truly yours,
   (signature)

  THE MAIL ADDRESS FOR LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS:
  The Office of the President of Ukraine:
  11, Bankovaya St., Kiev, 01220 Ukraine
  To the President of Ukraine Mr. L.Kouchma.

  FOR FAXES:
  phone/fax: 8-10-380-44-255-61-61
  the phone number of the waiting room
  in the Office of the President of Ukraine:
  8-10-380-44-226-20-77
  the phone number of the directory inquiries
  in the Office of the President of Ukraine:
  8-10-380-44-255-73-33

   In case for any reasons you cannot send the letter directly to the President of Ukraine, please, forward it through the embassy of Ukraine in your country.
   The dangerous precedent arises now in Ukraine on change of bounds of nature reserve for the sake of the interests of big business.
   NOW THE FUTURE OF NOT ONLY THE DANUBE BIOSPHERE RESERVE BUT ALL THE SYSTEM OF RESERVES IN UKRAINE IS BEING DECIDED.

   With hope for your support,
   Alla Shevchuck, Odessa branch of the International Socio-Ecological Union
   Olga Berlova, the press center (the Center for Co-ordination and Information) of the International Socio-Ecological Union
   Sergey Shaparenko, Pechenegi environmental group,
   Vladimir Boreyko, Kiev Ecologival and Cultural Center ;

   BRIEF INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM:
   I. 10th July 2003 A.Gritsenko, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine has approved the Conclusion N 105 of the state environmental assessment of 10.07.2003 on updated feasibility report of the capital investment "Creation of deep-water navigable channel the Danube - the Black Sea in Ukrainian part of the delta". This assessment was realised with many breaches of the basic principles of conducting of environmental assessment: the principles of legality, government control, scientific foundation, objectivity, comprehensiveness. It also was realised without taking into account the public opinion.
   2nd August 2003 Kiev Environmental and Cultural Center and Pechenegi environmental group have appealed against this conclusion to V.Yanukovitch, the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
   II. 5th August 2003 E.Abdullaev, the acting Minister of transport of Ukraine has submitted the draft President's decree "On creation of the Danube transboundary biosphere reserve, establishment of its boundaries, zoning of its territory, optimization of the reserve management and further enlargement of the territory of the reserve".
   III. According to the order of the Minister of Transport of Ukraine of 10.07.2003 N 514,
  - three anchorages in the mouth of Bustroye estuary and the experimental navigable channel must be created up to 31.12.2003 ("Delta Lotsman" and "Gosgidrografia" state enterprises are responsible);
  - check dam in the area of bar part of the Black Sea, in the mouth of Bystroye estuary must be built up to 31.12.2003 (Delta Lotsman is responsible);
   5th August 2003 the head of Ust-Dunaysk port has made a request to the Danube biosphere reserve for approval of temporary road against Bystroye estuary, and to include this territory in the harborage area. In the water area, which diameter is 3 kilometers and the area is 706,5 hectares it is supposed to realize unloading of granite gravel for the navigable channel. It is planned to unload not less than 5 thousands of tons of granite per day, the total amount is 1 million and 700 thousands of tons. These works are organized on demand of "Delta Lotsman" state enterprise.
   8th August 2003 L.Svirid, the chief state inspector of Ukraine on environment conservation has pronounced the official caution about responsibility for illegal works to the head of the port.

   For more details see the page of the campaign "Save the Danube biosphere reserve!": http://www.seu.ru/projects/eng/dunay/