Slovak Republic I. WASTE WATERS “The Parties to both Conventions should ensure that in the next five to ten years the operators of hazardous activities in the catchment area of transboundary water bodies implement measures to prevent accidentally contaminated wastewater finding its way - directly or indirectly - into waters”. A. Legislation Implemented in national regulation: B. yes no planned Provisions and guiding principles Action plans: Legal obligation for the elaboration of internal and external emergency plans for the hazardous installations; Programme of prevention of major industrial accident; Inspection programme for hazardous installations by the authorities (technical, environmental, occupational safety, fire prevention, civil protection, etc.); Trainings of bodies, active in the prevention and mitigation activities. Courses, trainings and exercises are obligatory for the employees; Recommendations: Others: C. An information system operates. Experience, lessons learned and obstacles (e.g. financial, institutional, expertise) - At major industrial installations the open cooling water systems were closed; Retention facilities were developed; A legislation does exist for the self-control of the wastewater by the operators, which is periodically controlled by the authorities; The small and medium size installation not always complies with the requirements, due to financial and personal problems (e.g. hydrogeological valuation of area); Obstacles: - Shortness of finance, sometimes insufficient discipline at work. II. FIRE PROTECTION “The Parties to both Conventions should ensure that in the next five to ten years the operators of hazardous activities in the catchment area of transboundary water bodies implement measures to prevent fire fighting water finding its way - directly or indirectly - into waters”. A. Legislation Implemented in national regulation: B. yes no planned Provisions and guiding principles Action plans: - Internal and external emergency plans; - Fire prevention documentation is a substantial part of building feasance and policy; - Fire prevention plans are substantial part of operational documentation; - Courses, trainings and exercises are obligatory for the employees; - Fire protection regulation have been elaborated; - Operator is obliged to have available, or to provide for availability of means, instruments and tools necessary for the timely recognition of emergency situation, for alerting and warning, notifying and gathering the relevant entities, for defeating accidents and for mitigation of the consequences; - Inspection programme for hazardous installations by the authorities (technical, environmental, occupational safety, fire prevention, civil protection, etc.); Recommendations: Others: C. Experience, lessons learned and obstacles (e.g. financial, institutional, expertise) - III. A new regulation solving fire fighting water and the retention of such water is under discussion and probably will enter into force 1 January 2006. TRANS-SHIPMENT “The Parties to both Conventions should ensure that in the next five to ten years the operators of hazardous activities in the catchment area of transboundary water bodies implement measures to prevent substances hazardous to water accidentally finding their way - directly or indirectly - into waters”. A. Legislation Implemented in national regulation: yes no planned B. Provisions and guiding principles Action plans: - Internal and external emergency plans; Inspection programme for hazardous installations by the authorities (technical, environmental, occupational safety, fire prevention, civil protection, etc.); Courses, trainings and exercises are obligatory for the employees; Recommendations: others: C. Experience, lessons learned and obstacles (e.g. financial, institutional, expertise) IV. FLOOD AREAS “The Parties to both Conventions should ensure that in the next five to ten years the operators of hazardous activities in the catchment area of transboundary water bodies ensure that containers and parts of installations with large quantities of substances hazardous to water are protected against buoyancy, avulsion and damage from floating material”. A. Legislation Implemented in national regulation: B. yes no planned Provisions and guiding principles Action plans: - - - During the building permitting procedures the authorities in co-operation with technical inspection have an obligation to evaluate the danger of inundation. For the case of potential flood risk, other requirements are specified against buoyancy and damage from floating material; Local regional planning authorities establish the land use principles for their territories, according to the expert opinion of the other authorities (environmental, water, nature conservation, etc.); For hazardous activities special permitting procedure is obligatory; Internal and external emergency plans; Inspection programme for hazardous installations by the authorities (technical, environmental, occupational safety, fire prevention, civil protection, etc.); Courses, trainings and exercises are obligatory for the employees; Recommendations: - Hazardous activities must be avoided in the flood plains of the watercourses. others: C. Experience, lessons learned and obstacles (e.g. financial, institutional, expertise) - V. The spatial development plans should be under regular revision; New developments occurred in the flood protection methodology according to the EU and cooperation with ICPDR; All hazardous installation has to be protected on flood plans or has to be reinstalled in a more safe location. CONTACT INFORMATION Mr. Tomas Trcka Ministry for Environment of the Slovak Republic Namestie L.Stura c. 1 Bratislava Slovakia Telephone: +421-2-5956 2115 Telefax: +421-2-5956 2367 e-mail: trcka.tomas@enviro.gov.sk