At the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina established the Draft Law on Air Protection and referred it to the parliamentary procedure. This law regulates the protection and management of air quality, defines goals and responsibilities, parameters and air quality planning, as well as measures to improve air quality, protect the ozone layer, and mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Emission measurement tasks, information and reporting, and financing of air quality protection and improvement, as well as the information system, administrative supervision and penal provisions are also regulated.
In the explanation of the Ministry, among other things, it was stated that the drafting of the new law is done due to the need for further harmonization with the provisions of European legislation in the area of air quality protection, as well as climate change, more precise definition of competences, coordination of all levels, as well as for the purpose of defining the role of the Federation of BiH in activities on the implementation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s obligations based on membership in international treaties and agreements.
Also, it was stated that the novelty in relation to the existing solutions is the clearer definition of the responsibilities of authorities and sectors in the field of air quality protection, the more detailed definition of air quality monitoring at the level of FBiH, cantons and local self-government units.
During the drafting of the law, the international practice of European Union countries was used in terms of the transposition of European legislation, and above all the countries in our environment that have joined the European Union or are on the way to do so soon.
“Acting on the conclusions of the FBiH Parliament of Representatives and the House of Peoples, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism held a public debate on the Draft of this law, and during the drafting of the Proposal, fulfilled the requirements of the Regulation of the FBiH Government on the rules for the participation of the interested public in the process of preparing federal legal regulations and other acts . It is important to note that during the drafting of the law, six cantons took an active part, and that in the past few months we have also conducted additional consultations with the remaining four cantons, which supported the adoption of this law without objection,” said Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism Nasiha Pozder.
This law is economically justified in multiple ways because its goals are to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful consequences for human health, quality of life and the environment as a whole. We remind you that since May of this year FBiH ensured the effectiveness of the World Bank loan, which will be placed entirely for the purpose of improving air quality, and the beneficiaries of this loan are the Canton of Sarajevo, Canton of Tuzla, Canton of Herzegovina-Neretva and Canton of Zenica-Doboj.
Source: fmoit.gov.ba
