On Thursday, September 9, 2021 in Brežice, Slovenia, the Regional Workshop was held within the project Water Contingency Management in the Sava River Basin (WACOM).

The workshop "Preparation of the table-top exercise: Accident with spillage of a large amount of petroleum products at the Zidani most location" was organized by the Hidroelektrana na Spodnji Savi in cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, University of Ljubljana, International Sava River Basin Commission, Ministry of the sea, traffic and infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and Croatian Waters.

The purpose of this workshop was the successful preparation and implementation of the table-top exercise in the situation of accidental pollution of the Sava River at the Zidani most location in Slovenia, which will be held in May 2022. Participants from Croatia and Slovenia analyzed the scenario of the table-top exercise and identified clear roles that different institutions in Croatia and Slovenia will play during its conduction. Also, communication and decision-making protocols were simulated and a scenario for crisis management of competent institutions in Slovenia and Croatia in case of similar crisis situations was developed.

In his introductory speech, Bogdan Barbič, director of Hidroelektrarne na Spodnji Savi, emphasized that the activity of Hidroelektrane na Spodnji Savi is much wider, although it is primarily engaged in the production of electricity.

"As part of the multifunctional project, we also deal with protection against floods and flood conditions, we monitor water quality and other events on the Sava River. Since we follow the events on the Sava River 24 hours a day, we are among the first to notice and detect any anomalies on the river. The proverb says that disaster never sleeps and that is why it is extremely important that we have elaborated protocols for such cases that help us react quickly and correctly. The Water Contingency Management project in the Sava River Basin (WACOM) will undoubtedly contribute greatly to the successful response to such crisis situations through the development of the necessary protocols and measures and the implementation of the planned activities. The nature is unpredictable, but we hope that situations in which such protocols should be applied will not occur," said Bogdan Barbič.

The Head of the Inland Navigation Directorate of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the President of the Sava Commission, Duška Kunštek, also pointed out that this regional workshop will lay solid foundations for future table-top simulations to be held in 2022 and cooperation of competent institutions in crisis situations.

"The Republic of Croatia and its institutions strive for cooperation and coordinated action with the countries of the Sava River Basin. The Sava River is extremely problematic and represents many challenges for institutions that will be successfully defined through the activities of the WACOM project, and protocols for dealing with crisis situations will be developed which will make our lives safer," said Duška Kunštek.

The event was covered by the folowing media in SI (E-posavje, Posavski obzornik, radio Brežice) and in HR (24 sata, tportal, Direktno, Dnevno, Ekovjestnik, Agrobiz).

All presentations are available here.