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PA NEW REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTERS LAUNCHED IN FORMER SOVIET UNION COUNTRIES
Release Date: 06/26/98
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FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1998
NEW REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTERS LAUNCHED IN
FORMER SOVIET UNION COUNTRIES
FORMER SOVIET UNION COUNTRIES
Four new Regional Environmental Centers (RECs) are being established in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Plans are to also establish one in Central Asia. The United States will provide $1 million funding and the European Commission 5.6 million ECU ($6.16 million). The first Regional Environmental Center was established in Budapest in 1990 to develop civic environmental institutions. The newly-independent former Soviet Union countries (NIS) decided at Sofia in 1995 to develop a similar organizational program tailored to their specific conditions. Conceived as comprehensive service providers for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector as well as government agencies, the four new Regional Environmental Centers are expected to be operational within a few months. Plans are to establish an international coordinating committee for the new RECs and the countries and organizations that support their activities. The committee will help attract technical, scientific and added financial support. The Regional Environmental Center in Budapest, established with joint funding from Hungary, the United States and the European Commission has grown from five employees to 100 with its funding now totaling some 20 million ECU. Donors now include Japan, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and additional inter-governmental and private institutions. Recognizing its unique position, the Hungarian government has granted the Budapest REC international status.
R-84 ###
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