Between September 23 and 25, 2025, Besztercebánya/Banská Bystrica hosted the 190th meeting of the Ipoly Sub-committee, where water management experts from Hungary and Slovakia met to discuss water management issues related to the Ipoly River.
Water knows no borders – that is why transboundary cooperation and shared responsibility are the keys to sustainable water management. Hungary and Slovakia have had a decades-long relationship in this area, characterized by dialogue based on mutual trust, professionalism, and strategic thinking. One of the key areas of cooperation between the two countries is the shared border river, the Ipoly, whose water management presents both common challenges and opportunities.
The purpose of the sub-committees of the commissions operating on the basis of bilateral intergovernmental border water agreements is to coordinate activities related to hydrography, flood protection, water quality, and maintenance. Within this framework, practical cooperation between the water management authorities of the two countries takes place.
During the meeting, the Sub-committee reviewed the fulfilment and progress of previously designated joint tasks concerning the Ipoly River. The flood protection issues of the Ipoly River basin and the coordination of maintenance works along the entire length of the river were highlighted as priority topics.
The Hungarian and Slovak sections of the Sub-committee agreed that a complete survey of the border section is necessary in order to determine a new, jointly agreed reference flood level. This step will contribute to increasing flood safety in the region and improving the effectiveness of flood protection in the long term. The details will be finalized in the near future at a meeting of experts.
At the end of the meeting, they reviewed further opportunities for cross-border cooperation and defined the scope of tasks to be carried out jointly. The aim is to maintain the current favourable conditions and achieve further joint results in all areas of water management on the Ipoly River.
The current consultation has once again confirmed that the cooperation between the water management organizations of the two countries is well-functioning and effective. Joint thinking and professional dialogue enable the parties to respond in a coordinated manner to challenges affecting the shared river basin and to contribute jointly to the development of water management in the region.
At the end of the meeting, our Slovak colleagues took us on a tour to the Selmecbánya/ Banská Štiavnica Lakes.
Photo by Sztojcsevné Süveggyártó Anita
The Hungarian section would like to thank the Slovak section for the invitation!
Written by Dr. Kozma Katalin and Sztojcsevné Süveggyártó Anita