|
Surface Area
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13 196 000 ha
|
|
Cultivated Area
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3 225 000 ha
|
|
Cultivated Area %
|
24.4
|
|
Population
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11 283 000
|
|
Average Annual Precipitation
|
652 mm/year
|
|
Average Annual Volume of Precipitation
|
86.04 billion m3/year
|
|
Renewable Surface Water
|
71.75 billion m3/year
|
|
Renewable Groundwater
|
10.3 billion m3/year
|
|
Total Renewable Water (natural)
|
82.25 billion m3/year
|
|
Total Renewable Water (actual)
|
82.25 billion m3/year
|
Greece covers a total area of about 13 196 000 ha of which 24 percent, 3 225 000 ha, is cultivated area. Greece has a mild climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers. While agricultural water withdrawal accounted for 6.25 billion m3, water withdrawal for municipal purposes estimated at 1.27 billion m3 and industrial water withdrawal at 0.25 billion m3. (1)
Total population is 11 137 000 in Greece and economically active population in agriculture is about 668 000. Greece has a GDP of US$ 332.9 billion and agriculture accounted for 3.8 percent of it. (2)
The main actors of the Greek policy arrangement regarding water management issues are the Ministries. Due to gradual implementation of Water Framework Directive and the harmonized Greek law L.3199/2003, a shift of authority is now taking place towards the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works through its Central Water Resources Management Authority, being currently in a development process. 14 Regional Authorities have been formed for the equivalent water districts. Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the leading role in issues regarding the cross border cooperation with the neighbouring countries.(3)
In the case of Meriç River (Evros) flooding problem, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry for Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, the Ministry of National Defence cooperate at the national level responsible for monitoring and control. The Ministry of Rural Development and Food is responsible for agriculture, forestry and irrigation policies. The Ministry of Interior is in charge of civil protection issues during natural hazards, such as the floods. (4)
Transboundary rivers of Greece are Nestos (Mesta), Strymon (Struma), Axios, Meriç (Evros/Maritsa) and Ardas.
Treaty of Lausanne includes a regulation regarding the Meriç River to form the border between Greece and Turkey. Besides, an agreement was signed on June 20, 1934 entitled “The Agreement on the Installation of Hydraulic Systems on both Sides of the Meriç/Evros River” in Ankara. Tributaries of Meriç River were also included in agreement and issues such as flood prevention, fisheries, irrigation were also regulated by this agreement. However, Bulgaria was not a party in this agreement. Paragraph b of Article 1 of the agreement states that Turkey has the right of full benefit from the part of Meriç River under Turkish sovereignty. The provision of no harm in this agreement was not determined in terms of benefit rights but determined by conditions of use. (5)
In January 1963, “Protocol on the Rehabilitation of the Evros/Meric River Basin Forming the Significant Part of Turkish-Greek Border in Thrace” which contains utilization actions was signed with Turkey. A "Mixed Technical Commission" was decided to be established to solve possible disputes. Utilization condition states that any government undertakes the responsibility for exchange of information, arranging the riverbed and prevention of coastal erosion, participation in costs and support, giving no significant harm to the other party. (6)
In 1971, Greece and Turkey signed an agreement on prevention and means of peaceful settlement of dispute incidents in the cross border land and sea areas of Meriç/Evros River. In 2001, a joint technical committee was established and a memorandum of understanding which aims exchange of scientific, technical and legal information, and prevention of marine and land-based pollution. This document does not mention transboundary water resources management. In 2006, cross border cooperation agreement was signed for the prevention and control of floods in the riparian region of Meriç/Evros. (7)
Cooperation agreement on transboundary water issues between Greece and Bulgaria was signed in 1964. In addition to this agreement, two more protocols were signed. According to the agreement, parties must avoid causing damage to each other by the construction of infrastructure, exchange hydrometeorological data and information on floods, and should carry out feasibility studies on joint infrastructure projects, such as dams. Bulgaria would safeguard the annual release of 186×106 m3 of water through the Ivaelogrand dam on River Ardas during the period May-September for the irrigation needs of Greece until 2024. Up to 20% reduction in years of water scarcity (140×106 m3 of water inflow through Ivaelogrand dam) was allowed. In 1971, two countries signed an agreement concerning exchange of hydro-meteorological data and flood events. (8)
In 1990, Greece and Bulgaria signed a protocol to establish a Joint Technical Working Group and an Environment Group. Joint Greek-Bulgarian Committee of Experts met in 1991 for the preparation of a common proposal to the EU for the monitoring and control of water quality and quantity of the transboundary rivers Evros, Nestos and Strymonas. In 1992, this committee prepared a minute about 1991 protocol. A new agreement was signed between two countries concerning cooperation for environmental protection with special reference to the cooperation for the transboundary watercourses. (9)
Greece and Bulgaria are riparians in Nestos/Mesta River. Nestos/Mesta’s upstream is located in Bulgaria and Greece is downstream country of the river. The Nestos/Mesta River pours into the Aegean Sea forming a delta which is a very important wetland area. The first agreement was signed in 1964 for cooperation on utilization of river waters. With the agreement signed in 1975, a committee on the use of river waters and the energy sector was established. In 1988, a committee on Nestos / Mesta River was decided to be set up. With the protocol signed in 1991, an observation network in Bulgaria was decided to be established in order to monitor water quality and quantity in Meriç/Evros, Nestos and Strymon rivers. As of 1994, the Greece-Bulgaria has launched a joint program. Within the context of this program, Meriç/Evros, Strymon, Nestos, Arda and Erithropatamas river projects were decided to be prepared. Both countries ratify international treaties concerning river basins, but have a failure in carrying out these treaties. (10)
References
(1) FAO, Country Fact Sheet: Greece, http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/data/factsheets/aquastat
_fact_sheet_grc_en.pdf
(2) op.cit.
(3) Panagiotis Angelidis, Michalis Kotsikas ve Nikos Kotsovinos, “Management of Upstream Dams and Flood Protection of the Transboundary River Evros/Maritza”, Water Resource Management, 13 January 2010.
(4) op.cit.
(5) Stylianos Skias ve Andreas Kallioras, “EU Program: ‘Change in Borders’ Project: Rivercross Cross-Border Cooperation on the Flooding Problem of River Evros/Maritsa/Meric Basin”, Greece,
www.evroregion.org, 2010.
(6) op.cit.
(7) op.cit.
(9) op.cit.
(10) op.cit.