Serbia's Participation in theDevelopment and Action Plan

of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region

Prof. Dr. Edita Stojić Karanović President of theInternational Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation”

www.danube-cooperation.com

A Magyar Regionális Tudományi Társaság IX. VándorgyűléseThe 7th Session “The socio-economiceffects of the Danube developments in Southeast Europe”

The primary interest of Serbia in taking part in the EU's Danube Strategy

is to develop the sustainable use of its rich water resource,as well as other natural resources and ensure a sustainable

economic development in the future. For it research and a knowledge based economy are necessary.

Let me therefore give some data about the history of these researches:

There are no exact data, with regard to the first hydrological measurements and observations, but there is no doubt that such observations in a particular form

must have existed in ancient times, at the time of the first significant works of the ancient Romans (the Roman section of the waterway at Iron Gates - Sip, Trajan's

bridge below Kladovo, etc.).

In the 18th and 19 century, approaching significant hydro-technical works, especially on the Danube and Tisza, begin a serious hydrological observation and

study. But hydrological observations which were carried out to 19 century did not have a systematic character, so that data later lost without a trace.

The first systematic observations in the territory of Serbia began in the first half of the 19th century. The first station for observing water level and the first

water meter at all stations in Serbia was founded in the 1812 at the military fortifications Petrovaradin - Novi Sad on the Danube River.

Establishment of a wide range of stations followed such as in: Bezdan (1856), Novi Sad (1859) Slankamen (1888),

Novi Becej (1855), Senta (1860), and so on.

Even before the establishment of these stations were carried out observations of water levels,

but they were not related to permanent water meter.

In the period before the First World War, there were 12 stations on the Danube active in monitoring water levels.

But the first measurement of water flow on the Danube, for which there are written records

began in 1924 in Bezdan, Ritopek and Slankamen.

After the First World War the General Directorate of Water was established,which among other things continues with the observation of water levels,

flow measurement and other hydrological works, as on the existing, as well as on the newly formed hydrological stations.

Between the two World Wars Hydrological Services function within the General Directorate of Water and starting since 1928. in the

Ministry of Construction River Engineering Department.

In addition to their regular activities in terms of monitoring and measurement, the Ministry of Construction was carried out a series of tasks for studies of

character, for that water management needs, most notably:

- List of watercourses of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; - Cadastre of water power of Yugoslavia;

- The local situation with profiles for significant rivers in area; - List of hydrometric stations with measured data;

- Yearly reports on water levels; - Report on the floods, and so on.

Data from these studies, plans and yearbooks, have even nowadays wide application for solving various water management issues

and problems.

During the Second World War the number of hydrological stations wasdrastically reduced and all activities in the field of hydrology

were broken.

After the Second World War hydrological service begins to operate in the newly formed Yugoslavia hydro-meteorological service, which makes the further development of activities related to the hydrology of the institutional framework and get transferred to the jurisdiction

of the newly merged service, to this day.

Brief Overview of the regional Danube-Research in the Last Decade of the 20th and

in the first Decade of the 21st Century

The international Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation" was during last two decades involved in several programs and projects, especially in promotion of project ideas concerning international regional cooperation in the Danube Basin. Researchers started conferencing on these issues back in 1989 when the first conference of researchers of the Danube countries took part the project “Danube – River of Cooperation”.

The Finale Document in form of Declaration adopted then says:

We, the participants of the International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation" which has taken place in

Belgrade, Novi Sad and Djerdap (Iron Gate) from September 28 to October 1, 1989,

came to the conclusion that the intensification of the Danubian cooperation covering different areas would promote closer links among the Europeans on national and regional levels.

Cover page of the Compendium of theConference Papers given 1989

Further the Declaration says:

The Danube might become a reliable tie yielding to obvious advantages, economic benefits and to the strengthening of common human values in international relations.

Scientists may contribute to this in a general way towards systems approach in an interdisciplinary step to integrate ecological factors, too.

Within this new framework of decision-making cultural relations and tourism could emerge as integrating networkalong the Danube and in allcountries of the Danube Basin.

Ever since then researchers of the ISF”DRC” have contninually communications with authorities on local, provincial and republican levels

Municipality Bela Crkva,May 12, 2010: Istvan Pastor, president of the Vojvodina Assembly,meeting with researchersorganized by the ISF”DRS”provides answers related to the EU Strategyfor Danube Region

Edita Stojić Karanović, delivers the Letter of Thanks of the ISF”DRC” toDeputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Božidar Djelić,

for his efforts to implement EUDRS in Serbia

The general interest of a country, so of Serbia, the utilization of all potentials of the natural as well as the historical and cultural resources for a sustainable and

complex development could be achieved only in a synergistic mutual influence of civil sector and the

government bodies of all levels.

Serbia has additional interest to cooperate in the EUDRS, as this cooperation could bring the country closer to the

inclusion into the European Union.

I

For more information,pleasecontact the author at

forumdanube@yahoo.com

+381 (0) 63 661897

Or the seat of the organization:

ISF “Danube – River of Cooperation”11120 Beograd, Stjepana Ljubise 23

Phone: +381 (0) 11 2457042

office@danube-cooperation.com