River-Shield Project 3

RIVER-SHIELD 

River-Shield Project 

3 rd Coordination Meeting Minutes 

Warsaw, 26 – 27 April 2007 

List of Participants 

PP NAME ORGANIZATION 

PP1 George Kampas Region of East Macedonia Thrace (GR) 

PP2 Nikos Tsotsolis Region of Central Macedonia (GR) 

PP2 Aristoula Malitsidou Region of Central Macedonia (GR) 

PP2 Efi Staiou Region of Central Macedonia (GR) 

PP3 Vaso Papadopoulou Thesis Consulting Ltd. (GR) 

PP4 Ferenc László VITUKI Kht. (HU) 

PP5 Mieczyslaw Borysiewicz Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

PP5 Wanda Kacprzyk Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

PP5 Katarzyna Rymwid- Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

Mickiewicz 

PP5 Feliks Gradalski Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

PP5 Andrzej Jeske Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

PP5 Miroslaw Leszczynski Institute of Environmental Protection (PL) 

PP6 Libor Hajek RDA for Central Moravia (CZ) 

PP7 Slavko Mezek RRCof Koper (SI) 

PP7 Vlasta Starc RRCof Koper (SI) 

PP8 Ormandjieva Antoanta Regional Development Foundation (BG) 

PP8 Yordan Uzunov Regional Development Foundation (BG) 

PP8 Tsvetelina Yotova Regional Development Foundation (BG) 

George Zalidis 

Aristotle University Thessaloniki (GR) 

Pawel Dadasiewicz Chief Inspectorate for Environmental 

Protection (PL) 

River Shield 3rd C-Meeting Minutes Warsaw, April 2007 1

RIVER-SHIELD 

Introduction 

Thursday, 26 April 2007 

The 3 rd Coordination Meeting took place at the facilities of the Institute of Environmental 

Protection (IEP) in Warsaw. 

After the greetings on behalf of the Polish partners by Dr Feliks Grądalski, Director for 

Economic Issues and Promotion, Dr Jadwiga Sienkiewicz presented the activities and 

research priorities of the Department of Nature and Landscape Conservation of IEP. 

Dr Sienkiewicz’s presentation, followed a tour to the laboratories of the Institute incurring to 

an alteration to the initial agenda. 

Project status in each participating country 

The presentations of the RIVER SHIELD progress in each participating country took place 

successively according to the PP No. 

PP1 – presentation: Mr Kampas 

The risk identification assessment for the Greek part of Nestos river is completed. A one – 

day workshop about the RIVER SHIELD project was held in January 2007 at Kavala. A 

questionnaire for stakeholders’ views on prevention and response to industrial accidents was 

constructed and the answers were collected at the end of the workshop. Basic conclusions 

were extracted. For the establishment of the Regional Network, a meeting took place at the 

premises of Water Directorate at Kavala, in April 2007, with the participation of public 

authorities that are involved in informing, coordinating, handling and reacting in possible 

industrial accidents as well as public authorities and private stakeholders that are licensing 

and controlling the industries and communicating with them. The participants agreed that 

two forms of network should be formed: one broad and comprehensive and one close and 

flexible. They also committed that each body would nominate a permanent representative 

who will participate in the close network. Regarding the Early Warning and Alarm System, 

the design and specifications have been completed as well as the procurement and installation 

of the relevant equipment. 

PP2 - presentation: Mrs Malitsidou and Mr Tsotsolis 

The risk identification assessment for the Greek part of Strymon river is completed, as well as 

the planning of the software for the early warning system. A one – day conference about the 

«Prevention and confrontation of environmental industrial risks» was held at Thessaloniki, 

Greece in February 2007. Questionnaires were distributed to the attendants of the conference 

for the assessment of their opinions regarding the prevention of industrial risks. The main 

conclusions are the following: a. Training of the people working in the industries is necessary, 

b. tight cooperation between the state and the businesses are the major measures suggested in 

order to improve the prevention and confrontation of the environmental industrial accidents, 

c. interest was expressed by stakeholders for participation in the network (informing plans and 

accidents’ prevention). Representatives of the Fire Brigade, Public Power Corporation, 


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Prefecture (Civil Protection, Directorate of Industry, and Directorate of Environment), 

Industrialist Association, Industrial Chamber of Thessaloniki, Kavala and Drama, Water 

Directorate will form the local network of the region. 

Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) on behalf of PP1 and PP2 – presentation: 

Prof. Zalidis 

The methodology applied for the compilation of the risk identification assessment reports at 

Strymonas and Nestos river basin was analyzed, as well as the problems occurred and the 

results extracted from the completion of the deliverables. Regarding the Early Warning 

System, its structure was explained and the installed Data Measurement Stations were 

presented on maps of both river basins. The development of the software of early warning 

system is an on-going action. The targets of the data management software are: field data 

assessment, near real time data, easy access and distribution of results to authorities and 

remote control of field station and synchronization. Finally, the characteristics of the Decision 

Support System as well as the parameters profile in each river were presented. 

PP3 - presentation: Mrs Papadopoulou 

Three Emergency Response Guides are compiled. The 1 st and 2 nd , Preparedness & Response 

and Pollution Control Techniques respectively, are completed while, the 3rd one, Operation 

Management & Support, is still under construction. 

The three Emergency Response Guides provide general guidelines which: mostly concern 

public services and security forces that are involved in the response to major environmental 

accidents, better correspond to the Greek emergency response status and are in line with 

worldwide good practices. Summaries in English language of the first two guides were 

prepared and sent to all partners. As soon as the third guide is completed a brief English 

version will also be prepared. 

PP4 – presentation: Mr Laszlo 

The Hungarian Regional Network for risk prevention and accident response is constructed. Its 

structure is the following: Ministry for Environment and Water, Department of Response to 

Environmental Damages, Water Center, Regional environmental and water authorities, 

Regional Inspectorates for Environmental Protection, Nature Conservation and Water 

Management, VITUKI Kht. Environmental Protection and Water Management Research 

Institute and Inland Waters and Flood Control Public Utility Company. The role appointed to 

each body was presented. An Experience Exchange Questionnaire was distributed to the 

members of the Risk Prevention Network. The questionnaire was based on the Draft 

Stakeholders’ Questionnaire distributed and reviewed during the 2 nd Coordination Meeting. 

Remarkable conclusions were extracted from the process of the given answers. 

PP5 – presentation: Dr Borysiewicz 

The Institute of Environmental Protection organised the 3 rd Coordination Meeting. Regarding 

the tasks of WP2 the IEP has completed the Risk Identification report in the Lubuskie Region. 

The respective Regional Network has also been established, the Leader of which is Dr 

Zbigniew Lewicki from the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Zielona 

Gora. Finally, an experience exchange workshop was organised at Gorzow in November 

2006, in which 34 persons participated. Under WP3 the IEP elaborated 2 opinions on the 


RIVER-SHIELD 

English summaries of the 1 st and 2 nd emergency response guides which were prepared by PP3. 

The material developed for the complementing of the guides is: contingency planning 

network, transboundary aspects of the response, exercises on removal of accidental pollution 

from the transboundary waters. IEP has also conducted tasks under WP6 which are the 

development of the Polish website for the RIVER SHIELD project 

(http://www.ios.edu.pl/eng/river) with a link to the official RIVER SHIELD website 

(http://www.rivershield.org) and the preparation of a publication for “Environmental 

Protection and Natural Resources”. 

PP6 – presentation: Mr. Hajek 

During establishing the regional network most of stakeholders were not very interested in 

participation in the project (in spite of detail explanation they were not sure about practical 

benefits of the project). Finally it was agreed that at beginning of 2007 (when new practical 

project outputs will be available) other dealings will be held in order to attract them into the 

project. As soon as this fundamental problem is overcome, the informative workshops will be 

organised and the regional network will start to function. 

PP7- presentation: Mr. Mezek 

An informative workshop was organised in December 2006 for the RIVER SHIELD project 

presentation; the formation of a Project Committee/ partnership; the presentation of Risk 

Identification Report results; and the presentation of further activities. The conclusions 

extracted from the informative workshop are the following: a) there is a great interest for the 

training of stakeholders and the enhancement of regional network, b) there is a weak response 

from private sector, which is a potential polluter. 

PP8-presentation: Mrs Ormandjieva and Prof. Uzunov 

Regional Development Foundation submitted the invitation and organized in April 2007 the 

1 st Workshop “Informative and experience exchange” to stakeholders and competent 

authorities to be involved in the process of implementation and support of project in Bulgaria. 

One objective of the workshop was to establish the contacts with the representative persons 

from West Aegean Sea River Basin Directorate and other potentially interested authorities in 

the results of the project, to exchange the information comments, opinions and experience on 

the main tasks of the project. During the workshop a short questionnaire was distributed to all 

representatives regarding the project. The main result of answers given is in generally positive 

for the implementation of the project and expecting results. The Foundation “Regional 

Development” also sent to ministries and institutions the request of official nomination of 

experts for establishment of network. The main activities of the regional network constructed 

will be to support the implementation of the project and use its results in new investment 

plans. 

Future Actions 

Training of stakeholders 

The 2 nd and 3 rd action of the project are almost completed. The next task that should be 

considered is the training of stakeholders. One training seminar should take place in each 


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participating country. The main attendants could be members of the established local 

networks. The training material that will be used shall be created by each partner. The English 

summaries of the three Emergency Response Guides could be part of this material. However, 

each partner can use whatever seems more suitable and helpful. The necessary deliverables 

that will prove the completion of this task are photographs, list of participants as well as the 

training material (presentations, guides etc.). An evaluation questionnaire should be 

distributed at the end of each seminar. The seminars should take place until the end of 

September. 

Pilot Implementation 

As soon as the Early Warning System is established 2 full scale exercises of emergency 

response system and related bodies will be held at Strymonas and Nestos. The Pilot 

Implementation will be an excellent opportunity for dissemination and publicity of the actions 

of the RIVER SHIELD project, the mass media is intended to be invited in order to cover the 

exercises. The pilot implementation is expected to be realized until early of October. 

Project Reports 

The 3 rd project report will be submitted at the end of September 2007 and will concern the 

semester from January until June 2007. The 3 rd payment claim will also be prepared and 

submitted at the same period. 

4 th Coordination Meeting 

The 4 th Coordination Meeting will probably take place at Koper in October 2007, after the 

submission of the payment claim and progress report. 

Management Issues 

Internal Reports 

A brief description of activities undertaken from January to June 2007 will be sent to the LP 

by the end of July in order to avoid loosing contact during the summer period and have 

adequate time to react to any potential problem that might come up before the 3 rd payment 

claim and progress report. 

Budget Modifications 

Each partner should formally inform the LP, before proceeding with any budget 

modifications, in order to take his confirmation. Partners should consider the possibility of 

exploiting the 20% flexibility so as to assure the allocated budget absorption for 2007. 

Forthcoming Meetings 

It was agreed between partners that the final conference should be held in Thessaloniki in 

February or March 2008. After the final conference a last meeting between partners could 

take place in Olomouc, Czech Republic, provided that there is still unabsorbed budget 

allocated under the travel expenses category. 


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Website Update 

All partners should submit to the LP the accomplished deliverables (in their own language) 

along with brief summaries in English in order to update the official RIVER SHIELD 

website. 

Ideas for Future Cooperation 

All project partners believe that the River-Shield partnership is successful and are interested 

to find other issues to cooperate again in the coming years. The main idea that was introduced 

by Prof. Zalidis (AUTh) and Mr Tsotsolis (PP2) is the potential of a project under FP 7 on 

Water Scarcity. The idea will be discussed in further detail during the next River-Shield coordination 

meeting. 


RIVER-SHIELD 

Friday, 27 April 2007 

Visit to the Crisis Management Centre in the Mazowsze Region 

A guided visit took place at the premises of the Crisis Management Center in the Mazowsze 

Region (Voivodship). The competences of the Mazowsze Voivode (Head of Voivodship) as 

governmental representative in the regional area, the structure and tasks of the Department of 

Crisis Management, including the Regional Early Warning System along with the Crisis 

Management Centre’s main tasks were presented in detail by Mr Zenon Sobejko, Director of 

the Department. Furthermore, the participants had the opportunity to visit the Crisis 

Management Centre. 

Presentation on Floods and Water Pollution Threats 

At the premises of IEP two presentations were realized by Dr Marcin Smolarkiewicz and Mr 

Robert Mazur as representatives of the Public Safety Educational Centre of the Main School 

of Fire Service (SGSP). The subject of the two presentations was the methods and didactic 

tools applied for the training of Crisis Management Staff on floods and water pollution. 

Dr Marcin Smolarkiewicz, Head of Educational Center of Public Safety (ECPS), presented an 

approach method of the decision making process on crisis management issues, as well as the 

multimedia education tools applied. The tools introduced were simulations of crisis situations 

for small groups of the ECPS, exercises via Intranet (SGSP), and exercises via Internet – E- 

learning. 

Mr Robert Mazur presented the structures of the crisis management teams, as a model of 

simulation using Multimedia Decision Training. The Crisis Management Teams were 

established in Poland at local, district, regional and national levels and may take advantage of 

this tool. 

During both presentations the attendants were given the possibility to participate in interactive 

examples of a crisis management situation using the simulation scenario program 

“POWODZ”.

River-Shield Project 3

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