Source: Blic
Frequent ecological incidents in our rivers are another „good“ reason to remind ourselves that our orientation towards EU accession, besides wishes also implies implementation of principles establishing European society. The fundamental European document concerning protection of environment - Aarhus Convention, lays down three fundamental rights that establish society whose environment can be healthy for present and future generations. Citizen's right to have efficient judicial protection, right to participate in decision-making and the most important, being the presumption of the first two, right to have free access to information concerning the environmental protection.To what extent is our public informed about water, land and air that surround us? And that over 50 percent of drinking water samples are below permitted standards, that out of 150 large waste disposal sites nearly any is safe, that there are no facilities for processing and storage of hazardous waste... which warns us that environmental protection is not only the job for authorities, but systematic and difficult social problem whose tackling requires the broadest public support. This is possible to attain only if public was allowed to have the broadest access to information on environmental condition. Rodoljub Sabic Commissioner for Information
