Belgrade, 22nd of March 2018 – Second seminar „Directive Specific Implementation Plan (DSIP) in the area of water management“ was held on the World Water Day in the Deputy Club (Klub narodnih poslanika). The seminar was organised within the project “Further Implementation of Environmental Approximation Strategy”, funded by the European Union in cooperation with the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency and Association for Water Technology and Sanitary Engineering. On this occasion, a presentation on the status of Directive Specific Implementation Plans (DSIPs) for four water-related directives was presented to participants, drafted as a part of this project. Activities related to drafting of these documents were presented, as well as planned future steps. In the discussion, participants were given the opportunity to state their opinions and proposals for future work.

“In the years to come, the greatest challenge will be in waste water treatment, since we are currently treating only 10 percent“, stated on the occasion Mr. Filip Radović, Director of the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia, and added that investments into water sector mean an important factor for environmental protection and health of our citizens.

The Minister of Environmental Protection, Mr. Goran Trivan, stressed that the Ministry he is leading had given top priority to water protection, and added that Serbia in that respect needs about 300 waste water treatment systems, construction of which will cost between four and five billion Euros.

Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia, Ms. Snežana Čađo and Mr. Nebojša Veljković, informed the conference about the status of surface waters in the Republic of Serbia. The conclusion was that surface waters should be monitored in order to notice the changes timely and apply adequate measures accordingly. Additionally, the seminar provided guidance for the development of the plan and further implementation of the monitoring programme.