The institution of the human rights ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina warned, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, which is celebrated on June 5, that during the past year there was a significant increase in citizen complaints related to environmental rights, while air pollution continues to represent one of the most serious problems in the field of environmental protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5, on the anniversary of the United Nations Conference in Stockholm in 1972, dedicated to the environment, where the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) was adopted.
The goal of celebrating this day around the world is to raise awareness and act on environmental protection.
By signing, approving, ratifying and acceding to international documents that have as their subject the protection of the living environment, Bosnia and Herzegovina undertook the obligation to carry out their provisions, even though the Constitution of BiH itself does not directly regulate this right.
However, the Constitution of BiH and Article 2 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which has supremacy over domestic legislation, guarantee a basic human right – the right to life.
The right to life cannot be viewed separately from what directly endangers it from any point of view, and it also includes the right to a healthy environment, because the harmful effects of pollution of the living environment represent a danger to health, and thus to human life.
A significant increase in the number of complaints
In the previous year, the Ombudsmen received 31 complaints related to issues of ecology and environmental protection, which is 14 more than the year before, and two recommendations were sent.
With complaints, citizens express their dissatisfaction with the procedures for issuing environmental permits, preventing the use of forest parks, managing waste dumps, destroying fish stocks in rivers due to poaching, as well as the actions of inspection bodies in connection with applications in the field of environmental rights.
Need more attention to environmental protection
The general observation of the Ombudsmen of Bosnia and Herzegovina is that the necessary communication with ecologists is missing and that the field of ecology and environmental protection needs to be given more attention.
They point out that it is necessary to create conditions for the improvement of environmental protection, to support sustainable development, the implementation of international obligations in this area, and to strengthen competent institutions when applying the law.
Air pollution is among the biggest problems
Air pollution has also been expressed to an increasing extent, so the Ombudsmen, aware of the seriousness of the problem, began to prepare a Special Report on air pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was announced from the Institution of the Ombudsman for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Focus.
