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Gabcikovo Dam Controversy Heats Up Again -- International Court Of Justice Hands Down Decision Tomorrow

dam September 24th, 1997

Gland, Switzerland-- A longstanding controversy could end tomorrow when the judges at the International Court of Justice in The Hague (Netherlands) present their ruling on the Slovakia-backed Gabcikovo hydroelectric dam on the Danube River, near the Hungary-Slovakia border.

Their verdict raises high expectations in Hungary and Slovakia, and from environmentalists worldwide, on this the first environmental case ever to be decided at The Hague. Over the last five years, WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature has observed the impacts of this huge river dam system, concluding that the 8,000 hectares of floodplain adjacent to the hydropower plant--the most valuable ecosystem in the area-- has been seriously damaged following the diversion of the Danube River, which coincided with the start up of Gabcikovo on October 24, 1992.

"Slovakia is currently diverting more than 80 per cent of the Danube's water out of its original bed through the Gabcikovo dam project," said Alexander Zinke, policy officer of WWF's Green Danube Progamme. "Clearly this can't continue-- the once dynamic, beautiful blue Danube and its floodplain may soon be totally destroyed by the continued lack of water and by the ongoing artificial manipulation by weirs and concrete barriers."

In 1993, the governments of Hungary and Slovakia submitted three questions of concern to the International Court of Justice, the answers to which should come tomorrow: Was Hungary entitled to unilaterally terminate the joint treaty on the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros power plant system with Slovakia in May 1992? Was Slovakia entitled to unilaterally complete and operate the project, regardless of Hungarian interests? Who will be responsible for alleged compensations?

Because this is the first time The Hague has decided an environmental case, additional questions to the judges centre on to what extent they will consider the environmental importance of the Danube floodplains, and the threat to a drinking water reservoir that lies just below the Gabcikovo hydropower complex.

"WWF hopes that the Court will clearly decide in favour of the Danube River by asking Hungary and Slovakia to give priority to restoring river ecology during their upcoming negotiations," said Zinke.

For more information:
Philip Weller or Alexander Zinke, WWF Green Danube Programme
Tel: +43-1-48817-253/ -254; E-mail: wwf@wwf.at
Elizabeth Foley, Press Officer, WWF-International
Tel: +41 22 364 9554; E-mail: efoley@wwfnet.org