Pressreleases / Updates 
(all in original language):

Contents: 

12/3/98 : Canada : Nouveau développement hydroélectrique

To:
From: Jean-Daniel Bourgault <Jean-Daniel_Bourgault@INRS-EAU.UQuebec.CA>

Le Gouvernement du Québec et le Gouvernemenrt de Terre-Neuve (Canada) ont annoncé conjointement avant hier qu'un nouveau développement hydroélectrique, impliquant le détournement partiel de deux importantes rivières à saumons de la Basse-Côte Nord québécoise (rivière Romaine et Rivière St-Jean) sera construit au Labrador sur la rivière Churchill par un consortium comprenant Newfoundland&Labrador Power, Hydro-Québec et d'autres intervenants (possiblement les bandes amérindiennes locales). Les amérindiens ont manifesté bruyamment lors de la signature de l'entente cadre en exigeant 'être consulté AVANT car il s,agit, selon eux, de leurs terres ancestrales et de leurs droits et modes de vie.
Pour un suivi du dossier, consulter: http://www.ledevoir.com/


12/3/98 : Joint Action of Danube Charta and Danube Circle

Budapest, March 2nd,1998.
Danube Charta and Danube Circle

(Translated by Judit Rácz)

On February 28th, Hungarian citizens held a demonstration before the Parliament building, and handed over a manifesto to the House of Parliament, summarizing their demands concerning the Danube. Only the restitution of constitutionality, and a parlamentary resolution passed during the present session can prevent rash and unjustified decisions. Therefore, the Danube Charta and the Danube Circle asked the representatives of the five parlamentary parties supporting the manifesto to submit a draft for resolution, with urgency. If voted affirmatively, the resolution means a constitutional validation of the demands formulated in the manifesto. The resolution shall order that the Government has no right to sign a contract, or a general contract, without the authorization of the Parliament. It shall revoke the document signed in Bratislava on February 27. It shall call upon the Government to continue the negotiations within the framework given in the judgement of The Hague, with the inclusion of the Commission of the European Union, with the aim of reaching an agreement. that serves the interests of both countries. Further, the Government has to obtain that, during the negotiations, the water of the Danube is hared according to European norms between the two countries. The Danube Charta and the Danube Circle express their thanks to the representatives of the five parliamentary parties, FIDESZ (Young Democrats), FKGP (Smallholder's Party), MDF (Hungarian Democratic Forum), MDNP (Hungarian Democratic People's Party, and SZDSZ (Alliance of Free Democrats), for having submitted with urgency to the Parliament the draft resolution containing the cure demands of the manifesto. The only possible way to protect the living conditions of the people living an the two sides of the Danube is to consistently implement the judgement of the Hague. The submitted draft resolution is the sole means to ease upon critical situation, and to set the negotiations between the two countries on the right track.
 
 

MANIFESTO OF THOSE DEMONSTRATING FOR THE DANUBE
ON FEBRUARY 28, 1998

To the Parliament of the Hungarian Republic!
Gyula Horn and his Government wants to build the Nagymaros dam system, despite of the many-times expressed public
opinion and the decisions of the Parliament, and the ruling of the Hague Court. If they succeed in it, about 200 kms
of the Danube stretch will be endangered, the basic living conditions of those living along the Danube, the drinking
water reserves, the beautiful landscape, the Danube bend and the historic relics of Esztergom will be in the greatest
peril. If the agreement contradictory to the basic interests of the country is signed, the possibility for Hungary and
Slovakia to settle their decade-long dispute in agreement and to mitigate the great damages caused by the operation
of the Bos (Gabcikovo) dam in both countries will be lost.

1. The Hague ruling provided a good basis for representing  Hungary's interests. We demand the Government of Hungary
   to utilize this possibility for saving the Danube.
2. What has not been constructed, does not need to be constructed. Hungarian citizens do not want more dams
   on the Danube, neither at Nagymaros, nor at Pilismarot,  Dunakiliti or anywhere else.

3. We protests against the Government of Hungary to waste  several hundred of billions of Forints on the account of
   those millions who are struggling to make ends meet every day.
4. We demand that according to the Hague ruling, impartial  environment feasibility studies and economic assessments
   be prepared with the participation of an impartial third party.
5. We want a river instead of reservoirs. Water to the  Danube ! We demand that water sufficient for the environment
   is led into the Danube and its sidebranches.
6. We demand that the right to appeal to the Hague Court  is maintained.
7. We demand that the Government of Hungary does not  conclude any agreement before the elections. We demand
   that Governmental officials neglecting the interests of  the country are dismissed.
8. We demand that Constitution is restored in  the Danube case!
9. We demand full publicity ! We demand that the right  of citizens participation in decisions affecting their
   living conditions is restored!

We will use all means allowed by the Constitution to save the Danube!
More information : http://www.danube.org/feb28/manifesto.html
 

(Draft) Resolution of the Hungarian Parliament concerning the enforcement of the judgement pronounced by the International Court of The Hague in the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project case

Budapest, March 2, 1998
(Translated by Judit Rácz)

Convinced that only the appropriate expert, professional, preparatory work can provide the ground for the consistent enforcement of the judgement of The Hague,

1. the Parliament establishes that
   a) considering the Parliament's previous resolutions, the Government has the right to sign any international agreement effecting
       the enforcement of the judgement, only with the explicit authorization of the Parliament:
   b) because of the lack of approriate preparation  and the necessary parlamentary authorization,
      the document concerning the enforcement of the judgement, signed on February 27, 1998, in
      Bratislava, is null and void. The Parliament  will decide the disposition of a general contract
      after the completion of necessary assessments and evaluations.

2. The Parliament calls upon the Government to:
   a) request the Commission of the European Union to designate specialists to carry out the necessary
    assessments and evaluations, and to seek the consrnment to:
   a) request the Commission of the European Union to designate specialists to carry out the necessary
    assessments and evaluations, and to seek the cons