Review article
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR NATURE PROTECTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
Željko Bulat
; National Park KRKA, Šibenik
Abstract
Compared to the US or some European countries or to the world, nature protection in the Republic of Croatia started rather late, which is no wonder considering the then events in the world and current circumstances although the importance of nature protection regulation has been recognized rather early. Nowadays the protection of nature in the Republic of Croatia has been relatively well organized and there are a number of regulations in the area of the nature protection. Croatia is a party to all international conventions on protection of nature and environment. Key issues to functioning of protected areas in the Republic of Croatia are lack of legislation harmonisation and incomplete legislation, inability to finance majority of protected area as well as nonexistence of an expert body in common access to management, considerable employees fluctuation and mostly seasonal employment, as well as lack of physical plans and management plans for all protected areas, which are determined by law. Park system development and improvement perspective through legislation should contribute to improvement of operation, sustainable development and growth of local community as well as to sufficient financing of all areas mainly by own means and not the budget. On the model of some countries in the world, particularly of American management model the possibility for better perspectives could be the expert body that would have the authority to define single nature protection policies but without special authorities to represent overall interests or protection area system needs since majority of our protected areas are specific and should have autonomy when it somes to decision making related to strategic project and guidelines since they are mainly prime movers and economic activities bearers in their areas. In order to achieve these goals it is necessary to change the existing Law on Protection of Nature protecting the areas insufficiently and also to impose obligation on economic operators in the protected areas both through amount of work and operating conditions and through effecting payment of concession fees for protection improvement and higher fines in case of failure to comply with positive legal regulations when it comes to nature protection and its endangering.
Keywords
protected areas; institution; institutional framework; management; law; risks
Hrčak ID:
121046
URI
Publication date:
30.8.2012.
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