Serious allegations against the government of Moldova were made by the Mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban, who claimed that Chisinau signed a secret agreement with Ukraine, through which it essentially cedes control of the water resources of the Dniester river.
According to him, the relevant document is classified and is kept at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country.
Allegations of a "secret agreement"
Ion Ceban, head of the opposition party National Alternative Movement, stated during a municipal council meeting that the Moldovan government ceded full control of water resources management in the northern part of the country to Ukraine.
"An agreement was signed under which the Moldovan side ceded 100% of the control of water resources in northern Moldova to Ukraine.
The document is classified and is located at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he reported, according to the Russian agency TASS.
He further argued that the intergovernmental commission for the joint management of the Dniester river is not functioning, while warning that the concessions made may, under certain conditions, prove harmful to Moldova.
Confrontation over water adequacy
His statements came a few days after warnings from the Minister of Environment Gheorghe Hajder, who had reported that the Ukrainian side informed Moldova of a water shortage in the reservoir located upstream of the river.
The minister had warned that there is a risk that Chisinau could face water supply problems and had accused Ceban of inaction.
For his part, the mayor rejected government warnings, presenting data that, as he argued, showed that at that time there was no drop in water levels.
At the same time, he accused the government of cultivating a climate of panic and convened a meeting of the emergency committee to prepare a plan for addressing potential water shortages.
The dispute over the Dniester
In 2012, Moldova and Ukraine signed a cooperation agreement for the protection and sustainable development of the Dniester basin.
In previous years, the government of Moldova and environmental organizations had expressed objections to Ukraine's plans for the construction of six hydroelectric plants on the river, arguing that they would worsen the already burdened ecological state of the Dniester.
However, according to TASS, the current government of Moldova fully supports Ukraine.
www.bankingnews.gr
Readers’ Comments