Hungary has always been very proud to be the host of the Danube Commission and will continue to do anything to assist the organization – said Monika Balatoni, State Secretary for Cultural Diplomacy of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest this Monday.
Commemorating the sixty-year anniversary that the headquarters of the Commission came to Budapest, an international stamp exhibition opens in the main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
At the opening of the event, the State Secretary emphasized that the Danube is the longest river in the European Union and the second longest one of the continent after the Volga. Nineteen countries share its catchment area and more than 81 million people are connected to the river, so the Danube is “the most international river of the world”. As she parsed, the Danube is producing energy and a major international commercial channel.
Monika Balatoni said that the EU has recognized the importance of the river and put a lot of effort into the sustainable development of the region.
The State Secretary recalled that in 1948 after World War II, the Danube Commission was created to oversee proper usage of the river. The main mission of the organization is to provide free navigation on the river and to carefully shape and support necessary preconditions. Sixty years ago, the Commission has located to Budapest and Hungary was always very proud that it can host such an important international organization – she said. She added that so as in the past, everything will be done in the future as well to ensure best possible conditions for the Commission.
Monika Balatoni said that in cooperation with the Hungarian Post and the National Association of Hungarian Stamp Collectors, they decided to release a series of stamps depicting Budapest and the Danube, as well as organising the international stamp exhibition for the anniversary.
Rade Drobac, President of the Danube Commission and Ambassador of Serbia in Budapest stressed in his speech that members of the organization can look back on a long and traditionally well-going cooperation. As he put it, the Danube is important to every country in Central Europe, but the opportunities the river has for pulling people closer to each other, should be utilised better.
Established in 1948, the Danube Commission aims to ensure navigation on the Danube. It is based in Budapest since 1954 and being composed of the following Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Germany, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.
The Member States undertake to oversee that their section of the Danube River is in navigable condition for river-sized – and for some sections, sea-sized – vessels, carry out necessary maintenance and development and do not hinder navigation. The Commission is responsible for matters related to river navigation on the Danube, controlling environmental pollution, safety and registration of craft as well.
(MTI)
