About the project

 

GOAL
The aim of such wide initiative is to have those elected by the people - deputies from most countries in the Balkan Region, to sit together, on a same table with CSO representatives from their countries and to openly talk about and come up with common conclusions about the actions that need to be undertaken in respect to our “burning environmental problems and sustainable development” - for the sake of the present and future generations in each country, and by that for all of us in the region.

In this initial phase, the Regional Parliamentary Lobby Group on Environment will be comprised of deputies from the Parliaments of Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro with intention in the future period representatives from other Balkan country Parliaments (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia and Kosovo ) to join the group, and thus to become Balkan Parliamentary Green Lobby Group.

APPROACH
The whole process will also include active involvement of CSOs from the Balkan countries with aim to instil the message that the protection of environment and promotion of the sustainable development concept calls for a serious cooperation among the countries in the region and to take the lead in facilitating the establishment of “green” core groups of MPs in their national Parliaments This project its used the positive experience from the establishment of the Parliamentary Green Lobby Group in Macedonia and its achievements as “launch pad” for the establishment of the Regional Green Lobby Group, and in a long run as a model for establishing the Balkan Green Lobby Group.

Sustainable development is seen as a positive long-term vision for a society that is more prosperous and more just, and which promises a cleaner, safer, healthier environment - a society that delivers a better quality of life. Achieving this in practice requires that economic growth supports social progress and respects the environment; that social policy underpins economic performance; and that environmental policy is cost-effective.

However, in Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro as well as in most of other countries of the Western Balkans, where much of the transition has been based on promoting the growth of market economies, solely the so-called economic prosperity perspective drove most of the development strategies and decisions, while neglecting their social and environmental aspects.

One of the significant steps of this Project is the preparation of a comparative review of the national legislations with respect to environment protection, and other relevant acts (spatial planning, land use, etc) both national and international, adopted by the Parliaments in the three Balkan countries, Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro plus information pertaining some key issues in the legal framework of some of the EU countries (Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece ). Partners in the project was form a team who work on the research and preparation of the final text of the review in Macedonian, Albanian, Montenegrin and English language. This review will serve as a working material for the RGLG, but also as a starting base for their action plan.

For successful dissemination of information about the progress and the achievements as well as for better visibility of the whole process, media representatives, from both electronic and print media, will play active role and will be included as part of the team in all our national and regional activities, events and visits.

The argument of existence of national legal and administrative frameworks for protection of the environment in Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro is not disputable - more or less, they are in line with the EU framework. However, having the laws and having them implemented in practice are two different things.