At the sitting held on 2 October, the members of the Environmental Protection Committee reviewed a number of bills submitted by the Government and included into the agenda for the First Sitting of the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2018.
The bills were presented by representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection headed by Minister Goran Trivan.
Speaking of the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Environmental Protection, the Minister said that it ensures the maximum usage of EU pre-accession funds and national budget funds allocated for the field. Following the elaboration, the Committee decided to propose that the National Assembly accept the Bill.
The Committee members also considered the Bill on the Confirmation of the Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Croatia in the Field of Environmental Protection and Conservation. The Minister said that the field is wide open for cooperation with both Croatia and other countries at a non-political level. He added that both sides are interested in environmental cooperation which would be intensified after the signing of the appropriate formal documents. Following the elaboration, the Committee accepted the Bill.
The Committee went on to consider the Bill on the Confirmation of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds which is very important, the Minister said, in view of Serbia’s rich biodiversity. Of the 255 migratory waterbirds listed in the AEWA, 125 species nest, spend winters or migrate over Serbia. 105 of these are on the list of strictly protected species, while 14 are on the list of protected species according to the Rulebook on Declaration and Protection of Strictly Protected and Protected Wild Species of Plants, Animals, Fungi and Mushrooms. That is why it is important for Serbia, as a nesting territory, migratory corridor and winter home for waterbirds, to ratify the Agreement. Following the elaboration, the Committee accepted the Bill.
The Committee also deliberated on the Bill on the Confirmation of the Protocol on Sustainable Transport to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians. The Protocol was signed in 2014 and these provisions facilitate cooperation toward the development of sustainable transport of goods and passengers and the appropriate infrastructure in the Carpathian area. The Protocol contains a number of provisions concerning concrete measures the signatory countries should employ, implementation, monitoring and assessment. Following the elaboration, the Committee decided to propose that the National Assembly accept the Bill.
The Committee members were also presented the Bill on the Confirmation of the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats. The Minister explained that Serbia is home to 52 species of bats and passing this bill, as well as educating the general public on the issue, is very important for the conservation of the country’s biodiversity. Following the elaboration, the Committee accepted the Bill.
The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Ivana Stojiljkovic, and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Ivana Nikolic, Jasmina Karanac, Borisav Kovacevic, Milena Turk, Dragan Jovanovic, Prof. Dr Snezana Bogosavljevic Boskovic, Borka Grubor, Nada Lazic and Josip Broz. The sitting was also attended by representatives of the “Green Chair”.
