1 00:00:00,454 --> 00:00:04,418 Greetings ladies and gentlemen of the Croatia 2 00:00:04,418 --> 00:00:06,596 Driven by constant misinformation 3 00:00:06,630 --> 00:00:09,500 that is being launched from the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency, 4 00:00:09,500 --> 00:00:13,607 that the whole process of exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the Adriatic Sea 5 00:00:13,607 --> 00:00:17,435 is carried out according to Croatian law, and their media articles 6 00:00:17,435 --> 00:00:23,057 that reduce the potential impact of exploration and production of hydrocarbons to the environment and to the economy, 7 00:00:23,057 --> 00:00:24,882 as the OraH Party representative in the European Parliament 8 00:00:24,882 --> 00:00:30,106 I have decided to react and protect the public interest of all citizens of the Republic of Croatia. 9 00:00:30,882 --> 00:00:33,723 "The obligation of all citizens, 10 00:00:33,811 --> 00:00:37,468 as well as the Croatian Government to respect the Constitution 11 00:00:37,621 --> 00:00:38,982 which in its Article 70 12 00:00:38,982 --> 00:00:41,683 guarantees everyone the right to a healthy life 13 00:00:41,683 --> 00:00:44,912 and obliges the state to ensure conditions for a healthy environment. 14 00:00:44,912 --> 00:00:47,127 According to the same law, everyone shall, 15 00:00:47,127 --> 00:00:49,491 within their powers and activities, pay special attention to the protection of human health, 16 00:00:51,855 --> 00:00:54,221 nature and the environment 17 00:00:54,378 --> 00:00:58,432 In the case of the above mentioned exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Adriatic Sea, 18 00:00:58,432 --> 00:01:01,450 the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Croatian Government 19 00:01:01,450 --> 00:01:05,629 violated the Environmental Protection Act, Article 55 and 56 20 00:01:06,018 --> 00:01:10,582 because all activities, including the research conducted by Spectrum, 21 00:01:10,582 --> 00:01:14,013 should have been implemented only after Parliament 22 00:01:14,013 --> 00:01:17,813 passed the Management Strategy for the marine environment and the coastal zone, on the proposal of Government. 23 00:01:17,843 --> 00:01:21,565 The procedure for adopting the Strategy includes consultation with the public, 24 00:01:21,565 --> 00:01:24,648 strategic environmental assessment, consultations 25 00:01:24,648 --> 00:01:27,747 with other countries that belong to the sub-region of the Adriatic Sea, 26 00:01:27,747 --> 00:01:30,376 establishing the overriding public interest, 27 00:01:30,597 --> 00:01:32,327 and the prevailing economic interest 28 00:01:32,632 --> 00:01:37,483 for certain areas and the adoption of the Action Programme that follow from the Strategy. 29 00:01:37,483 --> 00:01:40,666 The current Law on exploration and production of hydrocarbons (Official Gazette No. 94/2013 and 14/2014) 30 00:01:40,666 --> 00:01:43,977 does not comply with Directive 2013/30/EU. 31 00:01:43,977 --> 00:01:46,933 The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Ministry of Economy 32 00:01:46,933 --> 00:01:51,926 have only recently announced the adoption of the Law on safety of offshore oil and gas activities, 33 00:01:51,926 --> 00:01:57,061 that describes the procedure for public tenders that should, in accordance with that Directive, 34 00:01:57,061 --> 00:02:00,880 prescribe administrative procedures of public bidding and obtaining permits for offshore oil and gas activities. 35 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,003 The Croatian government thus sends a clear message, 36 00:02:04,003 --> 00:02:08,945 that the new law will retroactively legalize all implemented administrative procedures 37 00:02:08,945 --> 00:02:11,988 and their decisions, which is a disgrace to the executive government, 38 00:02:11,988 --> 00:02:15,254 which should be an example to their citizens. 39 00:02:15,254 --> 00:02:17,557 Also, the Croatian Government 40 00:02:17,557 --> 00:02:20,654 on December 17, 2014 41 00:02:21,102 --> 00:02:25,584 adopted the Annual Plan of normative activities for 2015 42 00:02:25,584 --> 00:02:30,421 which neither implements any amendment of existing law, nor passes any new legislation 43 00:02:30,421 --> 00:02:34,772 - so it can be assumed that the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and Ministry of Economy 44 00:02:34,772 --> 00:02:39,198 in the period between Dec 17, 2014 and Jan 2, 2015 45 00:02:39,218 --> 00:02:40,838 just now discovered that there is a Directive 2013/30/EU. 46 00:02:41,439 --> 00:02:45,291 Since the Republic of Croatia has not implemented the Directive 2013/30/EU in its legal system, 47 00:02:45,291 --> 00:02:47,894 implementation of the administrative procedure of public bidding 48 00:02:47,894 --> 00:02:51,667 and awarding of licenses for exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Adriatic Sea 49 00:02:51,667 --> 00:02:55,977 can be considered null and void and contrary to the public interest. 50 00:02:56,081 --> 00:02:59,654 I therefore invite the Croatian Government to respect the Constitution, 51 00:02:59,654 --> 00:03:02,217 to create a Management Strategy for the marine environment and the coastal zone 52 00:03:02,217 --> 00:03:07,105 to allow Croatian citizens to openly and impartially speak out 53 00:03:07,105 --> 00:03:10,897 on the future of the Croatian islands and coast, and cancel the issued licenses 54 00:03:10,897 --> 00:03:13,755 for the exploration and productions of hydrocarbons. 55 00:03:13,755 --> 00:03:16,994 I expect that the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection Mr. Zmajlović, 56 00:03:16,994 --> 00:03:19,184 Minister of Economy Mr. Vrdoljak 57 00:03:19,184 --> 00:03:22,425 and Chairman of the Board of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency Ms. Dorić 58 00:03:22,445 --> 00:03:25,543 to finally start working according to Croatian laws 59 00:03:25,543 --> 00:03:27,942 , and in the public interest of the citizens.