Committee Chairman Branislav Blazic said that he had convened the sitting to speak with the new Minister and the Committee members about future cooperation and common goals after the long and hard struggle and efforts of the MPs, NGOs and the media to set up the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan said that in his work he would rely on experts and that the very establishment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection is a huge leap forward in the sphere. The Ministry will concentrate on the forestation strategy, waste management, climate change and environmental protection programme for the coming 10 years. Trivan emphasized the importance of funding these spheres because the existing solutions are inadequate, which is something he will discuss with the Ministry of Finance. Conferring some duties to the local self-governments will strengthen the field, and the funds the state may collect from the European Union through strategies and projects will also present a challenge. An important category the Ministry can rely on are Serbia’s youngest citizens, that is children who could help in the forestation efforts, as well as the pensioners who are ready to help the conservation efforts, said the Minister.

The officials agreed to prop up each other’s work and foster close cooperation. In addition to the Committee members, the Minister’s Chief-of-Staff Andrej Bojic and representatives of the network of NGOs who take part in the Committee’s work through the Green Chair mechanism.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Dr Branislav Blazic, and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Ivana Stojiljkovic, Zarko Bogatinovic, Vladimir Petkovic, Borka Grubor, Ivan Karic, Nada Lazic, Ivana Nikolic, Borisav Kovacevic, Jasmina Karanac, Dr Predrag Jelenkovic, Prof. Dr Snezana Bogosavljevic Boskovic and Dejan Nikolic.