The bills were elaborated by State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Stana Bozovic who stressed that the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Environmental Protection harmonises the legislation with international legal documents viz. the Law on the Confirmation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, it ensures the availability of information on the environment, public participation in the decision-making process, and the institution of a national electronic database/register which would allow easier public access to information concerning the environment.

“One of the key changes to the Law on Environmental Protection is the introduction of continuity in the environmental protection funding system through the establishment of the Republic of Serbia Green Fund, a budgetary fund set up in line with the budget system law”, said Bozovic.

The key objective of the changes to the Law on Waste Management is to contribute to a higher degree of harmonisation of the Republic of Serbia’s regulations with the EU acquis, to boost the efficiency of the implementation of regulations and improve economic development, to ensure continuity in the operation of new facilities subject to the issuance of integrated licenses, to establish continuity of the waste management funding system and circular green economy.

The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Nature Conservation aims to conserve the natural values already existing in the Republic of Serbia and occupying 6.51% of its territory. The Bill also provides more specific definitions for some terms which allows for harmonisation with certain ratified international agreements concerning the protection of biodiversity, establishes the authority of the ministry in charge of environmental protection to grant consent to sector plans and programmes for use of natural resources in protected areas and environmental network areas.

The sitting was attended by Committee members and deputy members Dr Gordana Zoric, Sonja Vlahovic, Dr Jezdimir Vucetic, Vladimir Petkovic, Milosav Milojevic, Miletic Mihajlovic, Adriana Anastasov, Ivana Stojiljkovic, Dusan Jankovic, Ivan Karic and Nada Lazic, MPs, representatives of the competent ministry and the Green Chair.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Dr Branislav Blazic.