Odluke o istraživanju i eksploataciji ugljikovodika moraju se poništiti

Greetings ladies and gentlemen of the Croatia

Driven by constant misinformation

that is being launched from the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency,

that the whole process of exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the Adriatic Sea

is carried out according to Croatian law, and their media articles

that reduce the potential impact of exploration and production of hydrocarbons to the environment and to the economy,

as the OraH Party representative in the European Parliament

I have decided to react and protect the public interest of all citizens of the Republic of Croatia.

"The obligation of all citizens,

as well as the Croatian Government to respect the Constitution

which in its Article 70

guarantees everyone the right to a healthy life

and obliges the state to ensure conditions for a healthy environment.

According to the same law, everyone shall,

within their powers and activities, pay special attention to the protection of human health,

nature and the environment

In the case of the above mentioned exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Adriatic Sea,

the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Croatian Government

violated the Environmental Protection Act, Article 55 and 56

because all activities, including the research conducted by Spectrum,

should have been implemented only after Parliament

passed the Management Strategy for the marine environment and the coastal zone, on the proposal of Government.

The procedure for adopting the Strategy includes consultation with the public,

strategic environmental assessment, consultations

with other countries that belong to the sub-region of the Adriatic Sea,

establishing the overriding public interest,

and the prevailing economic interest

for certain areas and the adoption of the Action Programme that follow from the Strategy.

The current Law on exploration and production of hydrocarbons (Official Gazette No. 94/2013 and 14/2014)

does not comply with Directive 2013/30/EU.

The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Ministry of Economy

have only recently announced the adoption of the Law on safety of offshore oil and gas activities,

that describes the procedure for public tenders that should, in accordance with that Directive,

prescribe administrative procedures of public bidding and obtaining permits for offshore oil and gas activities.

The Croatian government thus sends a clear message,

that the new law will retroactively legalize all implemented administrative procedures

and their decisions, which is a disgrace to the executive government,

which should be an example to their citizens.

Also, the Croatian Government

on December 17, 2014

adopted the Annual Plan of normative activities for 2015

which neither implements any amendment of existing law, nor passes any new legislation

- so it can be assumed that the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and Ministry of Economy

in the period between Dec 17, 2014 and Jan 2, 2015

just now discovered that there is a Directive 2013/30/EU.

Since the Republic of Croatia has not implemented the Directive 2013/30/EU in its legal system,

implementation of the administrative procedure of public bidding

and awarding of licenses for exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Adriatic Sea

can be considered null and void and contrary to the public interest.

I therefore invite the Croatian Government to respect the Constitution,

to create a Management Strategy for the marine environment and the coastal zone

to allow Croatian citizens to openly and impartially speak out

on the future of the Croatian islands and coast, and cancel the issued licenses

for the exploration and productions of hydrocarbons.

I expect that the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection Mr. Zmajlović,

Minister of Economy Mr. Vrdoljak

and Chairman of the Board of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency Ms. Dorić

to finally start working according to Croatian laws

, and in the public interest of the citizens.