On the 7th of September 2024 from 9:00 to 14:00 EET the 9th DANUBEPARKS General Assembly was held in Tulcea, Romania.
The agenda of the General Assembly 2024 included the closing of the business year 2023, an update about ongoing activities and projects as well as the activity and budget plans for 2025. Also, the new Secretary General was announced, and a new Observer member from Germany was accepted to the Association. You can find more details below.
DANUBEPARKS General Assembly 2023 - agenda:
- Welcome
- Activity Report 2023
- Financial Report 2023
- Approval of the acts of the Management Board
- Announcement of the new Secretary General
- Presentation Activity Plan 2025
- Budget Plan 2025
- New observer presentation
- Discussion & other issues
After the welcoming speech of Governor of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Mr.Bogdan-Ioachim Bulete, and DANUBEPARKS President Mr. Vlatko Rožac, the activity report for 2023 was presented by new General Secretary Mr. Matej Marušić. The financial report for 2023 was presented by Ms. Anna Pfahler (Treasurer of the Association). After the report General Assembly unanimously approved the acts of the Management Board.
The highlights of the activity report were related to the implementation of two big LIFE projects: LIFE Danube Free Sky and LIFE WILDisland. Within the LIFE WILDisland project, in 2023 DANUBEPARKS submitted a proposal for the first European river-based Regional Ramsar Initiative - Danube WILDisland RRI, which the Ramsar Convention Secretariat approved in June 2024.
Also, the implemented CEI Cooperation Activity "DANUBEPARKS Newt Partnership" (Moldova, May 2023) was reported, as well as activities of ongoing projects: Horizon Europe DANUBE4all and DANUBEdragonCONSERVATION.
Submitted and approved projects were presented also, as well as relevant visibility and communication activities, the representation and policy, together with recognitions and awards which the Association received in 2023.
After many years in the service for DANUBEPARKS and his great contribution, Mr. Georg Frank (Austria) left the Secretary General position. The new person in this position is Mr. Matej Marušić, previously hired as a manager of the DANUBEPARKS office in Croatia.
After the approval of acts of the Management Board, the Action and Budget Plan for 2025 was presented. The plan was strongly influenced by ongoing projects but also two new projects which will start already in 2024!
Finally, a new Observer member application received from Aueninformationszentrum Neuburg-Ingolstadt (Germany) was presented by Mr. Siegfried Geißler. A new member was welcomed by the General Assembly with unanimous support.
With more projects and initiatives than ever before, we are looking forward to witnessing the tangible results of our actions and continue to work to protect and restore the Danube River!