The Council of Ministers approved a draft Joint Declaration between the Government of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Greece on the use of the waters of the Arda River over the next 5 years. The two sides confirm that the commitment under the old agreement signed in 1964 to supply the Greek side with regulated water from the Arda for irrigation was fulfilled on July 9 last year.
Bulgaria provides Greece with irrigation water from the Arda River under an agreement from 1964, and after its expiration, the Government of the Republic of Greece declares its intention to begin, within a reasonable time, relevant activities to modernize the existing or to build a new equalizer, thus ensuring the irrigation needs of Greek territory with a view to independence in the accumulation, storage and regulated supply of water volumes flowing along the Arda River on its territory.
Our Government declares its intention to provide water through the Arda cascade system, which is necessary for the irrigation of lands in Greece until the system is modernized for a five-year period from the signing of the declaration. The two sides will then review the provisions set out in the document, with the Greek government declaring that it will take steps to ensure the reimbursement of the relevant costs for the service provided by the Bulgarian side for the accumulation, storage and regulated supply of water volumes from the Arda River.