Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Project (Hungary/Slovakia) - Second round of hearings - Visit by the Court to the area to which the case relates

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace,2517 K1 The Hague. Tel(070-302 23 23).Cables: Intercourt.The Hague.

Telefax (070-364 99 28). Telex 32323.

Communiqué
unofficial
for immediate release

No. 9717
9 April 1997

Case concerningthe Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project
(Hungary/Siovakia)

Second round of hearings

•
Visit by the Court to the area to wbich the case relates

THE HAGUE, 9 April 1997. The second round of oral hearings before the International
Courtof Justice in the case conceming the Gabèjkovo-Nagymams PTQject(Hungazy/Slovakia) will
open on Thursday10 April at 10 a.m. Hungary will address ihe Court on Thursday 10and Friday
11 April, and Slovakia will do so on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April.

The case was referred to the Court in3 by agreement between the Parties. It concems
a Treaty concludedn 1977 forthe construction of a major hydroelectric dam project on the Danube
at Gabcikovo in Slovakia and Nagymaros in Hungary. The Court is asked to determine whether
Hungary was entitled to suspend and subsequently abandon its part of the Project; whether the then
Czech and Slovak Federal Republic was entitled ta proceed with a "provisional solution" involving
damming the river at another location; and what are the legal effects of the notification by Hungary
in 1992 of the termination of the Treaty.

• For the first time in its 50-year history, the Court made a visit, between 1 and 4 April, to the
areas to which the case relates. The visit was undertaken at the request of bath Parties. It covered
areas in bath countries.

The Court, accompanied by the Agents and technical advisers of the two States, was shawn
a number of locations in the Danareabetween Bratislava and Budapest. Locations in Slovakia
were presented by the Slovak delegation on 1 and 2 April, and the Court crossed into Hungary for
presentations by the Hungarian delegation on 3 and 4 April. Judges of the Court were able to put
questions offact to the two delegations. White in Bratislava, the Judges of the Court were received
by the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Vladimir Meciar, and in Budapest they were
received by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary, Mr. Gyula Hom.