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Operating on Medvednica Protected Landscape
The Zelena Akcija (Green Action) condemned the adoption of the Draft Law that proposes reducing the area of Medvednica protected landscape, at the Government session of July 10, 2008.
`Instead of protecting the landscape and prevent illegal construction, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Construction and Spatial Planning promote reduction of the park area from 22,800 to 17,900 hectares`, reacts Zelena Akcija.
The association finds the proposal unacceptable both in terms of its contents and the proper procedure, noting that the status of protected landscape offers very low level of protection and it actually allows for construction and development projects to take place in the area.
`The problems that investors and developers may face result primarily from badly solved administrative issues and overlapping competences of several bodies and institutions, i.e. inefficient bureaucracy`, comments Zelena Akcija.
It also expressed its concerns that the Law may lead to greater reduction of green and forested areas around Zagreb, resulting in lower air quality and lasting devastation of the landscape.
`We demand for the 5,000 hectares lost at this point are compensated on the eastern slopes of Medvednica. Compensations in other parts of Croatia can`t and won`t have direct effects on the citizens of Zagreb`, demands Zelena Akcija.
The association also demanded improved protection and increased protected areas in the country, noting that with its 8.69% of the total territory under protection, Croatia is well below the minimum EU level of 15 percent, while the current average is about 20% of the territory of each member state.
Finally, the Draft Law didn`t pass through the proper public debate procedure, in spite of the legal requirement of at least 30 days of public debate listed in the Law on Environmental Protection.
`National parks and protected landscapes are the greatest natural value in Croatia, protected by the Sabor (Croatian parliament) with a series of proper laws and regulations. Therefore, we appeal to the Government and the Sabor to pull out this Draft-Law from procedure`, says Zelena Akcija.
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