But the losses of the war for the whole region cannot be considered without its environmental context due to the transboundary character of pollution. Therefore the international community should also give serious consideration to helping their neighbouring countries to overcome their problems. The European Federation of Green Parties requires that the issues of environmental and health safety of the population of the whole region figures as a priority on the Stability Pact's agenda, both politically and financially. The destruction of the above-mentioned industries and the burning of oil released huge quantities of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide which caused transboundary pollution and directly damages peoples' health in the region, the spoiling of fertile land, rivers and underground sources of drinking water. For instance, heavy metal contamination exceeded twice the maximum permitted values in the Romanian-Ukrainian sector of Danube at the end of April, 1999.
Polluted water continues to flow into the Black Sea.
More than ten national parks and nature protection zones in such places as Zlatibor, Tara, Prokletie, Frushka Gora and others were seriously damaged, and two hundred and fifty hectares of the forest were burned. It means, particularly, that the quality of life of the population of Yugoslavia, ethnic Albanians and Serbs both, and living conditions for coming generations are deeply damaged. Half a million unemployed workers is the direct result of the industrial crisis caused by the war. It affects approximately two millions of their family members. Those people need not only economic support, but also special health monitoring and illness prevention measures.