Environmental organizations and political and civic activists accuse the government of holding nontransparent negotiations with the Ukrainian authorities for signing the agreement on the functioning of the Nistrean Hydroelectric Complex. In a protest mounted at the Embassy of Ukraine and in front of the Government Building, the participants warned that Ukraine could build six hydropower plants along the upper course of the Nistru and, as a result, Moldova’s population will be deprived of important water resources, IPN reports.
Anatolie Prohnitski, chairman of the Green Ecologist Party, said a harsh struggle was given for the Supreme Rada of Ukraine to ratify the agreement on the common use of the basin of the Nistru River last May. This means that the hydropower plants that Ukraine planned to erect cannot be erected. Now the risk reappeared following hidden agreements between the Governments of Moldova and Ukraine in the context of the talks on the agreement on the functioning of the Nistrean Hydroelectric Complex.
“If these six hydroelectric plants are built, the Republic of Moldova will remain without sources of water, as will a part of Ukraine. The Government holds talks in secret and these are not for the benefit of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova,” stated Anatolie Prohnitski.
Ina Coseru, chairman of the National Environmental Center, said the construction of the six hydropower plants along the upper course of the Nistru will endanger the provision of the Moldovan citizens with water as the volume of high-quality drinking water will not be so large. “There will be less water in the Nistru. If nothing is done, the situation could worsen. We call on the Government to adopt a firm position on the protection of the Nistru River when having discussions with the Ukrainian authorities,” she stated.
The protesters demanded that representatives of civil society should be allowed to attend the negotiations.
