Even if any activity to build six hydropower plants on the Nistru River was stopped in April, experts consider the authorities in Ukraine will not abandon their intentions. Representatives of the academia and environmental NGO, who oppose the building of hydropower plants, consider this issue should be in the focus of the new government of Moldova.

In a news conference at IPN, held after a seminar that brought together experts from Moldova and Ukraine, executive director of the Eco-TIRAS International Environmental Association of River Keepers Ilya Trombitsky said the Ukrainian side for now gave up building the six hydropower plants, but insists on a profound assessment of the prospects of constructing such plants. “We need democracy and the situation is now better in Moldova, thank God. I hope in Ukraine it will also improve. In the current conditions of democracy, I hope the decisions will be taken democratically, with the involvement of everyone in public discussions,” stated Ilya Trombitski.

Elena Zubkov, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, also believes the Ukrainian side hasn’t fully abandoned the idea of building the six hydropower plants. “If these are constructed, we could remained without the Nistru and, respectively, without water. The river is already affected and the quantity of water in it is small. I think the problem should be solved at political level as the ecologists already understood the situation. The partners in Ukraine also see what’s going on,” noted Elena Zubkov.

Halina Protsiv, president of the association “Krai” based in Ternopol region, stated that if the intentions to build new hydropower plants on the Nistru are put into practice, there is a risk that the whole basin will be affected and the population will also suffer. The people living in the area are very discontented with these intentions. The population is now more informed owing to the involvement of the NGO sector and the academia. The decision-makers should take into account the opinion of the population as this will be affected the first.

Victor Melnychuk, expert of the Kiev-based National Ecological Center, said the protection of the river ecosystems can be no way ignored. Steps should be taken to ensure sustainable development and the involvement of everyone so as to achieve feasible results.

The experts on June 28 took part in a seminar staged in Chisinau with the EU’s support within the framework of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. In the event, they also discussed the facilitation of implementation of European requirements to development of hydropower sector in states of Eastern Europe Partnership.

 Moldovan and Ukrainian experts discuss impact of hydropower plants on river ecosystems