Croatia
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations
Check against delivery
Statement by
Mrs Vi?nja Jelic -Mück
State Secretary for Environment
Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Reconstruction of the
Republic of Croatia
at the High-Level Segment
of the Twelfth Session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development
30 April 2004
New York
Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The recently issued positive Opinion - Avis of the European Commission on
Croatia?s application for membership in the European Union strongly
influences the processes leading towards sustainable development. While
recognising the results obtained so far, the document demands to intensify
the implementation of a comprehensive reform programme. Significant efforts
including substantial investment and strengthening of administrative capacity
will be needed for the enforcement of environmental legislation. The most
demanding areas are waste management, wastewater treatment and water
supply along with upgrading of administrative capacities on the local and
national levels.
· The development of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development
is envisaged through the process of summarizing and upgrading
sectoral policies and thematic programmes that were passed in the last
few years. The recent establishment of an Environmental Protection
and Energy Efficiency Fund is a significant contribution to the creation
of an enabling domestic environment. The number of local agendas 21
and similar local programmes is increasing. Organizations in both the
business and civil sectors are becoming mature partners of the
government to jointly face the environmental challenges.
In spite of a continual progress in the areas of water, sanitation and human
settlements, there are signs indicating a need to reinforce the approach.
· There is a growing disproportion between 76% of inhabitants
connected to the public water supply system compared with 40%
connected to the public sewage system. The rate of wastewater
treatment is low. High environmental sensitivity of the total surface of
Croatia, including more than 50% of carstic soil is slowing down the
realization of new projects. All the projects in the coastal area are to be
brought in line with the protection of the coastal sea waters.
· Programmes and plans are developed for bigger and medium sized
towns. More than 5,000 settlements with less than 500 inhabitants that
are predominant in the settlement structure need practical solutions of
wastewater treatment.
· The progress is slow in the area of productive public -private
partnership. A few good examples in smaller communities are at the
same time encouraging and insufficient. The stakeholders? involvement
is yet to be further developed. The government has a decisive role in
creating an encouraging environment for such cooperation.
· Weak financing absorption capacity at the local level is a limiting factor
for reception of funding thus preventing the improvement of the local
sanitary standard. Local communities are slowly taking over new
responsibilities and initiatives.
· The dynamic changes in spatial structure caused by privatisation
threaten public interest, especially in the coastal area. The traditional
planning approaches fail in finding solutions to these new demands for
space and infrastructure. A short tourist season, limited only to the
summer months, aggravates the problem.
· In spite of traditionally well-developed international co-operation in the
field of water management, the real effects are humble.
Croatia has been supported through international funding in the area of
capacity building. We need this assistance to continue and to focus on the
local communities.
Based on the fact that all major Croatian rivers are trans -boundary water
courses, we are highly motivated to collaborate in upgrading the patterns of
co-operation with neighboring states to the level of effective joint governance.
Mr. Chairman, we strongly believe in the catalyst role of this session and are
waiting for its condensed outcome to outline our way forward, taking its final
shape in the policy year of the CSD-13.
Thank you.
Check against delivery
Statement by
Mrs Vi?nja Jelic -Mück
State Secretary for Environment
Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Reconstruction of the
Republic of Croatia
at the High-Level Segment
of the Twelfth Session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development
30 April 2004
New York
Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The recently issued positive Opinion - Avis of the European Commission on
Croatia?s application for membership in the European Union strongly
influences the processes leading towards sustainable development. While
recognising the results obtained so far, the document demands to intensify
the implementation of a comprehensive reform programme. Significant efforts
including substantial investment and strengthening of administrative capacity
will be needed for the enforcement of environmental legislation. The most
demanding areas are waste management, wastewater treatment and water
supply along with upgrading of administrative capacities on the local and
national levels.
· The development of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development
is envisaged through the process of summarizing and upgrading
sectoral policies and thematic programmes that were passed in the last
few years. The recent establishment of an Environmental Protection
and Energy Efficiency Fund is a significant contribution to the creation
of an enabling domestic environment. The number of local agendas 21
and similar local programmes is increasing. Organizations in both the
business and civil sectors are becoming mature partners of the
government to jointly face the environmental challenges.
In spite of a continual progress in the areas of water, sanitation and human
settlements, there are signs indicating a need to reinforce the approach.
· There is a growing disproportion between 76% of inhabitants
connected to the public water supply system compared with 40%
connected to the public sewage system. The rate of wastewater
treatment is low. High environmental sensitivity of the total surface of
Croatia, including more than 50% of carstic soil is slowing down the
realization of new projects. All the projects in the coastal area are to be
brought in line with the protection of the coastal sea waters.
· Programmes and plans are developed for bigger and medium sized
towns. More than 5,000 settlements with less than 500 inhabitants that
are predominant in the settlement structure need practical solutions of
wastewater treatment.
· The progress is slow in the area of productive public -private
partnership. A few good examples in smaller communities are at the
same time encouraging and insufficient. The stakeholders? involvement
is yet to be further developed. The government has a decisive role in
creating an encouraging environment for such cooperation.
· Weak financing absorption capacity at the local level is a limiting factor
for reception of funding thus preventing the improvement of the local
sanitary standard. Local communities are slowly taking over new
responsibilities and initiatives.
· The dynamic changes in spatial structure caused by privatisation
threaten public interest, especially in the coastal area. The traditional
planning approaches fail in finding solutions to these new demands for
space and infrastructure. A short tourist season, limited only to the
summer months, aggravates the problem.
· In spite of traditionally well-developed international co-operation in the
field of water management, the real effects are humble.
Croatia has been supported through international funding in the area of
capacity building. We need this assistance to continue and to focus on the
local communities.
Based on the fact that all major Croatian rivers are trans -boundary water
courses, we are highly motivated to collaborate in upgrading the patterns of
co-operation with neighboring states to the level of effective joint governance.
Mr. Chairman, we strongly believe in the catalyst role of this session and are
waiting for its condensed outcome to outline our way forward, taking its final
shape in the policy year of the CSD-13.
Thank you.
Stakeholders