Kosovo, monitoring of Committee Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Spatial Planning

By Aida Ciro,

During December 2013, Committee for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Spatial Planning has organized two meetings in which drafts laws are reviewed and requested from the citizens of Kosovo, such as:

Review of the appeal from Rugova residents
Law for “Mountains of doomed” adopted in the Assembly of Kosovo was opposed by the citizens of the area, who have demanded the revision of the law through a petition with about 5,528 signatures. The members of the Committee agreed to organize a meeting with representatives of the residents to discuss the requirements and to find a solution.

– Review of Air Quality Strategy for 2013 – 2022
Committee for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Spatial Planning at the session held in December 2013 has recommended for approval the draft project of Air Quality Strategy for the period of 2013-2022. They have also decided for the Action Plan for 2013-2017 to be reviewed by the Kosovo Government – Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.

– Review of Law monitoring from the Committee
Committee for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Spatial Planning reviewed the monitoring plan of the implementation of laws. During 2014 the Commission will start monitoring the implementation of the Law on the Protection of air pollution, while Forest Law and the Law against noise is expected to be amended in the Assembly.

 

  Category: Advocacy-Awareness
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Kosovo, demolition of illegal buildings in Prevalla tourist area

By Aida Ciro,

Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning in December of the 2013 has begun demolition of illegal buildings constructed in violation of the Urban Regulatory Plan for Prevalla Tourist Area. Tourist areas; Prevalla is declared as a protected area by law since 1986. After conflict in 1999, in this area were build around 200 illegal houses, against procedures and Laws.

During November and December 2013, the Ministry of Environment has destroyed around 180 illegal buildings in the protected area and in the same time and has turned the legality in that area.

  Category: National legislation
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ENV.net region news: European Affairs ministers give green light to Serbia’s EU negotiations

By Aida Ciro,

EU ministers for European affairs on December 17, 2013,  in Brussels approved the negotiating mandate for the accession negotiations with Serbia and evaluated the progress on the enlargement and stabilisation and association process. They also agreed for the continuing negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo, noted the important progress on reforms in Turkey and substantial progress in the European integration shown by Albania. Ministers will come back to the issue of granting candidate status to Albania in June 2014. The Council also discussed progress in Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  Category: EU legislation
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Participation on the Workshop for strategic planning of further work SECO mechanism

By Aida Ciro,

In the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, on 16 December 2013th , Workshop for strategic planning of further work SECO mechanism is organised. Workshop organizers are: the Office for European Integration of Serbia – Department of Planning, Programming, Monitoring and Reporting on EU Funds and Development Assistance, Office of cooperation with Civil Society – Government of Serbia,  TACSO project and TRAG  foundation.

Agenda includes  reviews the functioning of SECO mechanism, a discussion on the current mode and define recommendations for improvement of the mechanism. EASD is the leading organization in SECO mechanism for Environment and Energy. The representative of the EASD-ENV.net Serbia participate at the Workshop. The meeting is also attended by organisations in the same cluster, i.e. representatives of organizations CEKOR (ETNAR Project partner in Serbia ) and Young researchers if Serbia.SEKO Dec 2013

To note that within the project “Support to the Department of Planning, Programming, Monitoring and Reporting on EU Funds and development assistance to the Office for European Integration of Serbia, for establishing a partnership to promote the use of international assistance “in March 2011 the SECO mechanism in Serbia  was established, enabling civil society participation in planning and monitoring of EU and other international development assistance.

  Category: EC projects, ENV.net meetings
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Students expedition to analyse physical and chemical conditions of river Shkumini basin

By Aida Ciro,

By the beginning of November Co-PLAN guided a group of students of Polis University studying environmental studies and urban planning subjects to develop a thorough urban environmental analyses in a river basin. The expedition was organized along river Shkumbini basin, located along the middle part of the country, originating from Morava mountain in the east part and flows in the Adriatic sea, to inspect physical, geo-morphological conditions of the river basin and to analyze water quality through taking 6 water sample in six hot spots of the river stream (where are located dwelling areas or heavy industry – typically of the region along this river stream). The river is pretty polluted along the whole stream due to heavy industry allocated along and waste water discharges from the dwellings along the river stream.

  Category: Advocacy-Awareness, Surveys
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ENV.net workshop on energy efficiency in the Residential Sector in Albania coming soon

By Aida Ciro,

ENV.net is please to invite all interested actors to take part to a National workshop “Improving energy efficiency in the residential sector in Albania”

The workshop will take place in Tirane at Polis University premises on December 12, 2013. It is organized by Co-Plan, Institute for Habitat Development, in cooperation with Ekolevizja, Milieukontakt Albania, and Eden Centre in the framework of the EU financed project “Development of the ENV.net in West Balkan and Turkey: giving citizens a voice to influence the environmental process reforms for closer EU integration” through the Partnership Programs for Civil Society Organizations.

The workshop will focus on aspects of residential energy efficiency, and to fulfill the following objectives:

(i) Provide an analysis of the institutional and legislative progress to date, in the energy efficiency sector in condominiums;

(ii) Present recommendations to improve the current legislative and institutional framework for increasing energy efficiency in condominiums in Albania; (iii) Raise awareness among citizens, civil society organizations, and institutions on the necessity for progress in this field and (iv) strengthen the role of civil society in improving legal framework on energy efficiency and facilitating its implementation.

Please see more information about the agenda and other details on the workshop here.

Albania banning non-hazardous waste imports

By Aida Ciro,

The law on integrated waste management approved in the late 2011 has been lately reviewed (in October 2013).

In 2011 the government approved the bill allowing some non-hazardous waste to be imported to the country. Now the article on importing non-hazardous waste has been removed. Commission of law in the Albanian Parliament argued that through this modification they will be able to encourage in-country separated waste collection and therefore continuously feeding up waste recycling industry established in country (during these years used as raw material imported non hazardous waste).

  Category: National legislation
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Eye on ENV.net region: Key agreement in South-Eastern Europe puts natural capital at the heart of economic development

By Aida Ciro,

Representatives of the governments of eight countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia – have endorsed on December 2, 2013 in Budva-Montenegro,  a key agreement for the protection of the environment in the Adria region in South-Eastern Europe.

The agreement sees the Adria countries formally commit to strengthen regional cooperation in conservation and sustainable development, and the establishment of a first trilateral transboundary protected area between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. The first two marine protected areas in Montenegro were also approved for creation. This agreement increases the eight countries’ protected territory by more than 13% and is endorsing the creation of two new national parks, 10 protected landscapes, and three marine protected areas.

The eight countries have committed to assess the economic value of their natural capital, while integrating nature conservation goals into economic development plans for fisheries, forestry, agriculture, energy, spatial planning, and cross-sectoral cooperation.

See more info.

 

 

  Category: Public events
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At the Meeting with DG Enlargement representative, Beograd, November 28

By Aida Ciro,

As the FPA project grantee, EASD-ENV.net Serbia Team presented project update and further project strategy to Mr. Nicola Bertolini (Head of Section, European Commission, DG Enlargement, Unit D3, Regional Cooperation and Programmes) and task managers and  political officers of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia on November 28, 2013.

  Category: EC projects, ENV.net meetings
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Round-table on waste management in marinas, integrated water management and EU integration

By Aida Ciro,

November 22, 2013 –  in the premises of Tourist Organisation of Belgrade, successful Round-table on waste management in marinas, integrated water management and EU integration was organised. After ENV.net Serbia Team presentations, it was fruitful discussion, focused on national laws implementation gaps, as well as international and EU environmental related standards. Participants includes marine managers, different CSOs, city public enterprises and researchers.