Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

Executive Agency "Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River"

 

 

 

The Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube river - Ruse (EA EMDR) is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Transport. The Executive Agency is an administrative structure set up to provide administrative support and associated activities to the Minister of Transport. The Executive Agency is established by decree of the Council of Ministers. It is a legal entity whose financing is sourced from both the national budget and its own operations. The Executive Agency is managed and represented by its Executive Director. The Executive Director is appointed by the Minister of Transport, subject to approval by the Prime Minister, for five years, without limitation on the number of mandates served.

Tasks of the Agency

1. The Agency functions in accordance with national and international law, covering the survey and maintenance of sailing conditions on national waterways in the Republic of Bulgaria.
2. 1. The Agency contributes to the work of the Danube Commission in Budapest, the Workgroup for Inland Waterway Transport at the European Economic Commission, the Joint Bulgarian-Romanian Commission for the Danube river at the UN in Geneva, the Joint Bulgarian-Romanian Commission for the Ruse - Giurgiu bridge, as well as the activity of numerous other international organizations working on issues related to the maintenance of infrastructure and environmental quality of the Danube river and other internal European waterways.
   2. The Agency’s experts actively contribute to the work of the organizations described above and prepare reports on draft legislation.
   3. The Agency ensures the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of international bodies and organizations, as they pertain to the Bulgarian section of the Danube river.
3. The Agency carries out its mandate via the following specific activities:
   
   1. Ensures safety of navigation in the common Bulgarian-Romanian section of the river via riverbed deepening, diving, trailing and vessel lifting activities for the maintenance of the waterway, the aquatory of the ports and the winter passes;
   2. Studies the hydromorphological and the hydrological conditions in the Bulgarian section of the Danube River, incl. fluctuations in the water level; speed and direction of the current; debit of the river; erosion of the banks and the islands; formation of sand mantles and icing;
   3. Collects and disseminates information regarding the condition of the waterway and navigational routes for the hydrometeorological conditions of the river;
   4. Studies the hydromorphological and the hydrological conditions of the river in the area of the Ruse - Giurgiu Bridge and ensures unimpeded passage of ships;
   5. Processes data from hydromorphological research and on its basis issues guides, navigational maps, plans, yearbooks, reference books and other navigational aids for the purposes of the Danube Commission and the Joint Bulgarian-Romanian commissions;
   6. Disseminates results from river studies;
   7. Alerts the respective authorities, ministries and administrations to the need for precautionary steps in case of foreseeable danger of flooding, bank erosions and others;
   8. Studies and approves projects for the construction of hydrotechnical and other infrastructure along the river;
   9. Monitors and approves the position of mining equipment with a view over navigational safety and the possibility of corrosion of banks and islands;
   10. Collects hydrometeorological measurements in the Bulgarian section through the stations Novo Selo, Lom, Oriahovo, Svishtov, Ruse and Silistra to ensure navigational safety.
   11. Implements projects on the maintenance and improvement of the navigational conditions on the Danube river.

The activities, structure, day-to-day work and staff of the Executive Agency are organized following a set of Internal Regulations, adopted by the Council of Ministers.