The implementation of the Nature Protection Law in Peja is debated
March 22, 2012- The non-governmental organization “Syri i Vizioni”, today gathered at a joint table in Pejë, the environmental officials of the municipalities of Pejë, Gjakovë, Klinë, and Deçan, as well as the civil society to see what these municipalities are doing more protection of nature as foreseen in the Law on Protection of Nature, and what are the difficulties of these municipalities in not implementing this law in their municipalities.
The officials of these municipalities have said that the municipalities are very limited and not powerful enough to act in nature conservation in their municipalities, since according to them all the competences belong to the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, which in most cases is degrading the nature of these municipalities by giving permission to various companies, either in the exploitation of gravel in rivers, in rocks, destroying nature and polluting the environment in the municipalities, without asking the municipalities at all.
According to the municipal officials, despite their remarks and the reports sent to the Ministry of MPH, they are very little considered by this Ministry, even the various regulations that we issue as a municipality are not supported by this Ministry since according to them there are administrative instructions that have come out of the law.
It was said at the table that there is a lack of budget from the municipalities themselves as well as from the Government, specifically the Minister of MPH, and this is affecting the implementation of strategies or action plans for the environment.
This table is part of the activities that the NGO “Syri i Vizioni” from Peja, supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), is doing in monitoring the implementation of the Nature Protection Law throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.
________________
