Public keeps on defending European values in preparation of the Strategy of National Environmental Policy
Preparation and adoption of this document is a key commitment in the environmental sector in the frames of implementation of the Agenda of the Association Ukraine-EU in 2010 and the main prerequisite for Ukraine to receive budgetary support from the European Union and the Swedish government of 45 million euros in total. Public environmental leaders repeatedly appealed to officials with an open letter requesting them to reconsider the process of preparation and adoption of the Strategy.
Such decision was made due to the violation of requirements laid down in Ukrainian legislation concerning conduct of public consultations during preparation of the Draft Strategy by the Ministry of Environment. The Draft Strategy was published on May 27 only after considerable public pressure, public discussion was scheduled for June 17, but the procedure of conduct and incorporation of commentaries remained legally undefined. On June 9, Ministry of Environment published a message on its website saying that Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Strategy without consideration of public comments, which finally diminished the importance of public discussions.
Oleksandr Klitko, director of the Environment Sector of the European Union Office in Ukraine, who participated in the meeting of the Public Council on June 17, told participants that involvement of public into preparation of the Strategy is one of the basic principles of European policy making. He noted that a Ukrainian partner – Ministry of Environment – should take into account public opinion, especially when it concerns such an important document as the Draft Strategy of National Environmental Policy. The European side is interested in that the draft document undergoes proper public discussion, and appropriate proposals are taken into consideration.
Preparation and adoption by the end of 2010 Law of Ukraine “On adoption of the Strategy of National Environmental Policy” is a major commitment in the environmental sector in the frames of implementation of the Agenda of the Association Ukraine-EU in 2010 and the main prerequisite for Ukraine to receive budgetary support from the European Union in the amount of 35 million euros and 10 million from the Government of Sweden. Obviously, there are significant differences in the understanding of different stakeholders of what is meant by the “adoption of the Strategy”.
In particular, according to public experts, the Strategy should be developed and adopted in parallel with the National Action Plan for Environmental Protection, especially given that initial drafts of Strategy and Action Plan were simultaneously developed by the Council of Productive Forces of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine back in 2008. Ministry of Environment is now in a hurry to adopt the Strategy while not even mentioning the Action Plan.
According to Oleksandr Klitko, the Ministry of Environment regularly informs the EU on the process of preparation of the Strategy and Action Plan. However, public concern about the existence of the Action Plan can have grounds if the document has not been provided since 2008. The National Action Plan is one of the prerequisites for purposeful implementation of the Strategy and effective use of the EU funds provided to support its implementation.
Following the discussion at the Public Council meeting, representatives of seven nationwide organizations repeatedly addressed officials with an open letter. In an open letter No 2 signatories require from the Government of Ukraine to appoint a public examination of the draft Strategy approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on June 9. They also propose the Parliament to prepare and hold hearings on reforming environmental policy and consider the Draft Strategy of National Environmental Policy. The signatories propose the Ministry of Environment and EU Office in Ukraine to engage public into development of the agreement on funding through sectoral budget support of the European Commission for implementation of the Strategy of National Environmental Policy.
The text of the Open Letter and decision of the Public Council meeting at the Ministry of Environment are available on the website of NGO МАМА-86.
P.S. On June 21,Ministry of Environment reported on its website that public discussion of the Strategy of National Environmental Policy was disrupted due to the destructive behavior of members of the Public Council. However, on June 22, the document returned from the Verkhovna Rada to the Cabinet of Ministers in connection with violation of the admission procedure. Maybe this time an appropriate public discussion on the content of the draft Strategy will be held?
This material was prepared in the frames of the public monitoring of Ukraine’s implementation of its commitments to the European Union in environmental policy, which is also part of the project “Strengthening Participation of Environmental Organizations of Ukraine in the Development of EU-Ukraine Relationship”, supported by the European Program of the International Renaissance Foundation.
Contact persons: Hanna Holubovska-Onisimova, President of the All-Ukrainian Environmental NGO “MAMA-86”, coordinator of the project “Strengthening Participation of Environmental Organizations of Ukraine in the Development of EU-Ukraine Relationship”, anna@mama-86.org.ua, Daryna Nakonechna, coordinator of the projects of the European Program, IRF, nakonechna@irf.kiev.ua
*****
All-Ukrainian Environmental NGO “MAMA-86”works since 1990 to promote environmental consciousness in policy making in Ukraine for transition to sustainable development. Website: www.mama-86.org.ua
