Stakeholder engagement and involvement in nuclear emergency preparedness - The Slovak Republic's experience in RODOS tool-driven workshops

Abstract

The facilitated workshops driven by exercise scenarios using decision support tools customised to national conditions have proven to be efficient, with a focus on possible real problems and finding real solutions. The stakeholders of the Slovak Republic actively entered the post-accident preparedness process with the objective "to increase the coherence and effectiveness of nuclear and radiological emergency management in Europe, including the rehabilitation of contaminated areas through the establishment of an effective working platform of emergency management institutions, research institutes, end-users and other stakeholders for initiating application-oriented improvements of methods, procedures, guidelines and information tools". After the experience within the EVATECH Project, there was a clear statement from all stakeholders that facilitated workshops and work in such multidisciplinary and multilateral groups are challenging, yet rewarding for them. As was seen later on in the process, this type of work was very successful, efficient, and made an essential basis for future activities in post-accident preparedness process development and for building networks and trust between partners within the Slovak Republic and within Europe in the EC projects.