State of the Environment Bulgaria 2003
Public Participation in Environmental Decision - Making
Citing this, it is important to stress the dialogue with the non-governmental environmentalist organizations because it is precisely the active, constructive and, most important of all, sustained dialogue that has helped us cover the long road to convergence of the viewpoints on many open problems on the Bulgarian environment.
In this connection, we present some of the specific activities which the Ministry of Environment and Water performs to enlist the public and the non-governmental organizations, as its "collective intermediary," as a key partner for implementation of the Ministry's policy.
The MoEW pursues cooperation with the NGOs and the public by maintaining maximum transparency in respect of environmental information through the Ministry's own Information Centre and its Internet site. The publication of information materials and arrangement of specialized workshops involves representatives of the non-governmental sector and the local authorities.
Regular meetings between senior officials of the Ministry with NGO representatives provide a venue for discussion of opportunities for cooperation on topically relevant environmental protection issues, and this dialogue often acquires a tangible dimension in the implementation of projects developed by NGOs and financed by the Enterprise for Management of Environmental Protection Activities (formerly National Environmental Protection Fund) through competitive procedures, or co-financed with other donor programmes.
Our active cooperation is focussed on enlisting NGOs in the elaboration and discussion of draft legislative acts and programmes, as well as on creating conditions for NGO participation in the decision-making process on environmental protection, which is provided for in effective legislation:
In the environmental impact assessment procedure, regulated by the Environmental Protection Act. The Act also envisages a procedure for public participation in the process of integrated permit issuance in accordance with the requirements of the EU Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (96/61/EC).
In the procedures under the Protected Areas Act. Upon designation of protected areas, the Act provides for a public discussion with the participation of local ecologist and public organizations concerned. In addition, a proposal for designation of a protected area itself may be initiated by public organizations (in the case of national or natural parks) and, in respect of all other categories of protected areas, by all natural and juristic persons concerned. Under the Act, the management plans of protected areas are also subject to public discussion open to non-governmental organizations and members of the public. Last but not least, management plans of protected areas may be commissioned by non-governmental organizations or associations.
The procedures for the issuance of water use permits and water body use permits envisages specific forms of public participation, such as lodgement of objections against the issuance of a permit or proposal of specific conditions under which the permit would be issued. The Act also provides for the Basin Directorate Management Plans and the National Water Development Plan to be submitted to a public discussion.
An opportunity for NGO participation is provided for in the process of elaboration of municipal waste management programmes.
The Clean Ambient Air Act regulates NGO and public participation in the process of elaboration of local programmes for improvement of ambient air quality in areas affected by excessive pollution, as well as of operational action plans if pollution reaches a critical threshold in adverse meteorological conditions and other factors.
Ecologist NGO representatives are involved in the practical implementation of the sectoral policy and sit on the respective advisory bodies. Such bodies include: the Supreme Environmental Expert Council with the MoEW, the Basin Boards that will be assisting the operation of the Basin Directorates, the Supreme Advisory Water Board, the National Commission on Sustainable Development, the Hunting Board with the National Forestry Board, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Committee Monitoring the Implementation of the SAPARD Programme of the European Commission.
Bulgaria, adopting the acquis communautaire, managed to lay down the modern environmental management rules within a very short period of time. The institutions, the public organizations, the business community and each Bulgarian now face the challenge of complying with these rules and of cooperating for their effective application. This presupposes not just compliance with the new legal standards but also a radical change of thinking and mentality at all levels. Economic growth, which is a target for us all, inevitably leads to unsustainable use of natural resources and environmental pollution. The future of our country, of our nature, of our children and, on a global scale, of the entire planet depends on how we will combine the two priorities.
Last update on March 2003