The third conference dedicated to public consultations in the process of drafting the Programme of Air protection of the Republic of Serbia with Action plan was held on October 29, 2021 within the IPA 2014 project "EU for a better environment - Additional development of EU environmental approximation for Air, Chemicals and Horizontal acquis”.
At the conference, the first draft Programme of Air protection of the Republic of Serbia with Action plan was presented, after which interested participants joined the discussion with their comments and suggestions. The public was invited to participate in the discussion of the draft, which will be revised after consultations and finalized before the public hearings’ procedure is launched.
The draft Program is available on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, as well as on the website of the project itself.
"Public consultations are conducted in accordance with the Law on State Administration, by which state administration bodies provide conditions for public participation during the preparation of the draft Program, as well as in accordance with the Law on Planning System. During the preparation of the draft Program, the Ministry consults with all stakeholders, from the very beginning of this process, including other state bodies, relevant civil society associations, the professional public, as well as other stakeholders in a way that ensures accountability and effective public participation in this process“, pointed out the Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Aleksandra Imšaragić Đurić.
By holding public consultations, the Ministry of Environmental Protection strives to enable the public to be involved in the process of preparation of policy documents in a timely and efficient manner, to provide the best solutions and to involve all stakeholders in all phases of preparation of such important strategic documents through remarks and comments.
The draft Programme of Air protection of the Republic of Serbia with Action plan defines air quality goals and measures for their achievement and provides a basis for further development and adoption of bylaws and continued implementation of European legislation in the field of air protection.
The first conference on the preparation of the draft Program was held in April this year and provided preliminary findings with projections related to two scenarios: WAM A and WAM B, while the second conference in September presented the results of projections of all scenarios including WAM C, which offers options for addressing remaining hotspots with air quality issues, along with health benefits, appropriate investments, and cost-effectiveness analysis. According to experts and stakeholders, this scenario has been accepted as optimal for the Republic of Serbia, especially at the local level. Scenario presentations and research results conducted with the assistance of project experts are also available to the public.
After this conference and public consultations, the Ministry will prepare a report within 15 days and publish it on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, as well as on the website of the project. After supplementing the draft of the Program with the proposals of the interested public, the Ministry plans to organize public hearings.
"In this final phase, we need to continue to work at the same pace of all involved, and to actively give the key stamp in the final steps that await us in November," said Aleksandra Imšaragić Đurić.
On behalf of the EU Delegation to Serbia, the project manager in charge of environmental protection and climate change, Antoine Avignon, noted that air pollution is a serious problem in Europe and the world, but policies related to a better environment and clean air work because in the past few decades air quality improved in Europe.
Proposals and recommendations of participants related to the draft Programme of Air protection of the Republic of Serbia with Action plan, as well as additional questions can be sent to the address: PZV-sugestije@eas3.rs.
Presentations
Draft Programme - Matej Gasperic
Results Stakeholder MCA - Goncalo Cavalheiro