LJUBLJANA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from four countries along the Sava river on Thursday signed a declaration on cooperation in the development of sustainable tourism in the Sava River Basin.
This is an active outcome of an international meeting during the Bled Water Festival on Thursday, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).
A special working group that will coordinate sustainable tourism projects in the area thus met for the first time at the session of the Sava River Basin Commission as part of the festival.
According to Mitja Bricelj, who presides on Slovenia's behalf over the Sava River Basin Commission in 2014-2017, the declaration will make it much easier for Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia to prepare cross-border projects and obtain funding.
The commission also adopted a plan of activities for the development of the Sava River Basin, which was prepared in cooperation with the World Bank and will be presented at the intergovernmental meeting of South Eastern European countries in Trieste on July 12.
The Sava project is an example of good practice and a model for other river systems, the STA quoted Bricelj as saying, "We have the best flood alert system for an international river system and this has been recognised by the World Meteorological Organization and the World Bank."
The Bled Water Festival, at which the meeting took place, brings together different organisations, experts, activists, film makers, businesses and politicians to raise environmental awareness and interest in water.
Organised by an NGO but supported by the environment ministries of the region, the festival aims to identify and award businesses, projects, products and services t that can improve people's habits and the economy and lead into a new era, according to the festival's co-founder Marko Gajic.
Awarding ceremony on the first international competition on a responsible approach to water will be held on Friday when the Bled Festival is due to end, said the STA report.
