Development partners support Moldova in aligning with EU standards in water resources

Sweden will additionally allocate about 800,000 dollars for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project, in order to support Moldova’s authorities in sustainable management of the Dniester River. These funds will be used to purchase an acoustic current meter for measurements at depths bigger than five meters, as well as five hydrometric current meters. This equipment will ensure hydrological monitoring of the waters.

“With these additional resources, Sweden reaffirms its commitment to support Moldova on its path towards alignment with EU standards. From a Swedish perspective, the conservation and efficient management of our limited natural resources are essential for ensuring a clean and healthy environment for everybody. We are confident that, through joint efforts for sustainable management of the Dniester River, Moldova will achieve good water quality aligned with EU requirements,” said Karin Borovic, Head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in Chisinau.

Also, a detailed implementation plan for the European Union's Water Framework Directive will be developed.

“We appreciate this additional funding from Sweden, which leads to improved governance of the most important source of potable water in Moldova - the Dniester River. The UNDP - Sweden partnership will contribute to aligning national legislation with EU standards in the field of water resources, improving water quality monitoring in the Dniester River basin district, as well as through a better raising of awareness about the need to protect water resources,” said Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova.

Moreover, an advanced methodology will be tested for assessing hydro-morphologic changes and identifying heavily modified or artificial surface water bodies on a tributary of the Dniester River, with the aim of applying the provisions of the European Union's Water Framework Directive.

UNDP and Sweden will conduct an information and awareness campaign on the protection of water resources in the Dniester River district. The campaign will take place throughout 2026 and will include information sessions in over 100 settlements with public authorities and farmers, educational activities in schools, competitions, social media campaigns and creative community actions. At the same time, the Eco Media Academy programme for young journalists will continue.

Presently, the overall budget of the project is about four million dollars. This will support Moldova's efforts to align its national legislation with European Union standards in the field of water resources.

In the past two years, Moldova's authorities have benefited from the support of UNDP and Sweden in developing policy documents in the field of water: transposing EU water legislation into the national legal framework, developing the Dniester Basin District Management Plan, Cycle II (2024-2029), methodologies for improving water analysis, launching the Eco Media Academy for environmental journalist training, etc.