The commission was established to facilitate the implementation of the framework agreement on the Sava river basin signed by Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro in late 2003. At today's ceremony, representatives of the countries-signatories to the agreement stressed the importance of cooperation and work on projects important for the entire region.
The Sava commission is proof that we can cooperate on good projects to the benefit of all of our citizens, PM Sanader said and added that there was no alternative to cooperation.
The chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic, said that through the work of the Sava commission "we will show that such projects can revitalise this region".
Slovene Transport Minister Janez Bozic underlined the importance the Sava river had for transport and the environment. He highlighted the importance of including the Sava river to the European navigation routes.
Serbian Minister in charge of capital investments Velja Ilic said his government would invest maximum efforts in the realisation of the Sava navigation project.
The Sava river basin commission was set up under the auspices of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe. Stability Pact's Special Coordinator Erhard Busek stressed the importance of the agreement and highlighted the need for the accelerated solving of issues.
A memorandum of understanding was signed two and a half years ago and now we are opening rooms, Busek said and added that one should draw a lesson and not waste time.
The international commission for the Sava river basin was constituted on 27 June and Kemal Karkin from Bosnia was elected commission's first chairman, who will be replaced by a representative of another country signatory in three years. The headquarters of the commission is in Zagreb.
Karkin said that the commission's budget should be adopted by 12 July. He expressed hope that all countries signatories to the agreement would ensure the necessary funds. Karkin said that a significant financial support from foreign donors and international financial institutions would be needed for the realisation of the commission's objectives.
The objective of the commission is to make the Sava river navigable and economically useful as well as to protect it from pollution.