General Assembly 1996
- REC friends and members christen the new head office
Nearly 200 people joined General Assembly (GA) members for what Bedrich Moldan, Chairman of REC's Board of Directors, called the most extraordinary moment in the Center's history - the opening of the REC's new head office in Szentendre. The site, appraised at 2 million USD, was donated by the Hungarian government at the Sofia Conference of the Ministers of the Environment last year and represents a tremendous vote of confidence for the REC's activities in the region.
HUNGARY'S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER Ferenc Baja, pitches in at the tree-planting ceremony.
Representatives from 27 nations, including 12 ambassadors and 10 top environmental officials gathered at the new property on the bank of the Danube for the dedication ceremonies. In his opening remarks, Hungarian Minister for the Environment Ferenc Baja praised the Center for its efforts in promoting democracy and international cooperation among CEE countries and reiterated the Hungarian government's support for the REC. He further called upon neighboring countries to establish similar institutions to foster civic and grassroots movements in other areas.
Eileen Claussen, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Tom Garvey, the Commission of the European Communities Deputy Director General for Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection also acknowledged the Center's achievements, noting in particular, significant progress in the areas of public participation and regional cooperation. Claussen said the REC has exceeded the expectations of the founding institutions and that the time is right for the Center to become a catalyst for knocking down the barriers to regional cooperation on the environment.
TOM GARVEY, EILEEN CLAUSSEN AND FERENC BAJA talk with NGOs at a special session.
The dedication and tree-planting ceremony; and the official signing of the REC's new Charter were the first events to be held at the newly renovated site which includes a conference center, accommodations for visitors and an office building which will be home to the Center's head office this month. REC leadership sees the move from the current cramped quarters in Budapest to the new facilities as an immense opportunity. Stanislaw Sitnicki, then Executive Director, said he envisions the opening ceremonies to be only the first of many international environmental events to be hosted at the site. "In addition to increasing REC's visibility on the international stage these changes allow us to better serve our constituents, by providing a place where NGOs, government officials and business leaders can meet and participate in workshops, seminars and training sessions," he said.
Sitnicki further sees the facility as the first step towards the Center's quest for financial sustainability. "It is our hope that other governments and funding agents will join the Hungarian initiative and support the financial security of the REC," he said. At the General Assembly workshop members discussed options for REC to encourage other governments which support REC to follow Hungary's lead and contribute necessary resources.
JANKO RADULOVIC, FR Yugoslavia's Environment Minister signs the new REC Charter.
Highlights from the GA meeting
- Representatives from twenty counties including the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia signed the new REC Charter. An additional five countries, representing current members, are expected to sign before the end of the year.
- Robert DeBauw, finished his second term as president of the General Assembly and announced that he plans to withdraw from the GA. DeBauw explained that since his departure from the EU Commission Services four years ago, he has become less involved in environmental issues in the region. General Assembly members were asked to submit their nominations of candidates for the position and an extraordinary session of the GA for the election of a new president is being planned for February 1997.
- CEE NGOs held a parallel meeting titled "The Road to Denmark: Possibilities for Further CEE ECOs Involvement in Environmental Decisionmaking at the Pan-European Level." Twenty representatives from NGOs and REC Local Offices discussed strategies and opportunities for cooperation in preparation for the 1998 Ministerial Conference. Within the framework of its ongoing programs, REC pledged to support their efforts.
REC * PUBLICATIONS * THE BULLETIN * SUMMER 1996
