"Hungary's activities within the field of water management are internationally acknowledged", stressed the Ministry of Rural Development's Deputy State Secretary for Water at the conference organised on International Danube Day. The countries that lie on the river's catchment area have been drawing attention to the Danube's values and diverse wildlife on June 29 of each year since 2004. This specific day was chosen because the international Danube River Protection Convention to which 14 countries including Hungary became affiliated was signed in Sofia on June 29 1994.

Assessing the water-related achievements of the Rio+20 summit, Péter Kovács stated, "Several points of the closing document adopted during the meeting touch on the issue of water, and this serves as a point of reference for work in the future." On International Danube Day the Deputy State Secretary drew attention to the fact that the Danube connects 81 million people. The water catchment area of Europe's second longest river is shared by 19 countries, a fact that is unique throughout the world. The Danube is 2850 kilometres long, of which 417 kilometres flow through Hungary.

At the conference organised by he Ministry of Rural Development, László Papanek, Head of Department of the Central Danube Valley Water Authority stated that tasks and challenges facing water management include the renewal of existing water stocks, the regulation of water flow, the purification of waste water, resolving the problems of the Homokhátság region, and flood and surface run-off water protection.

Director of the Duna-Ipoly National Park András Füri stressed the importance of protecting natural values along the river. Important aspects of this include transforming floodplain forests and grassland, handling problems caused by the invasive spread of alien plants and problematic animal species, and the preservation of biodiversity. He reported on the fact that the Natura 2000 maintenance plan is under preparation and that the further strengthening of the green Danube strategy is planned.

In her lecture, Head of Department of the Ministry of Rural Development Mrs. Gabriella Murányi née Kremplis presented the large development project of the Budapest Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, which contributes significantly to water quality. The project was realised with the support of the European Union Cohesion Fund, the Hungarian State, and the Municipality of Budapest at a total cost of 249 million Euros. The plant's capacity is 240 thousand cubic metres per day, which is half of the wastewater generated in Budapest every day.

Coordinator of the Danube Strategy László Perger stressed that the concepts determined within the programme help us conform to European Union directives, in addition to which they also deal with cultural fields and cooperation between people living in macro regions.

The "Danube Art Master" award for best youth artist was also presented at the conference. In representation of Slovakia, Deputy Ambassador Metod Špaček took over from Hungary the Danube travelling banner that represents the cooperation between the countries situated along the river.

(MTI, Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)