REC: Status of Public Participation: Preface

Preface

Public participation adds a new dimension to environmental protection. The public often views nature differently than government and business. Nature provides a living environment for the population and this is treated as a valuable resource. Important information about the local environment can be only accessed through inviting public to participate. Citizens should be consulted about government or business plans that may affect them and their environment. Participation is an effective way to assure responsibility of the public for environmental protection on a local level. It may even substitute for weak enforcement of environmental regulations which is frequent in the countries in transition. Public engagement in environmental decision making benefits the environment but it also enriches people. Through participation the public may learn more about mechanisms and conditions which influence government and business decisions. The public is recognized as a partner if invited to help make a decision. This allows for a conscious acceptance of responsibilities by the public for the local environment and involves individuals in the environmental citizens movement.

The REC has been engaged in promoting public participation from its beginning. The Manual on Public Participation in Environmental Decision Making in Central and Eastern Europe was developed and printed in 1994 based on the efforts of an international working group. Using the English-language version, a series of local language manuals were developed for ten CEE countries and disseminated through workshops and seminars. Enriched and updated editions of the Manuals will be published in 1996, including versions for the Baltic countries.

While the manual series gives guidance to citizens on the front lines of public involvement, this report, "Status of Public Participation Practices in Environmental Decision Making in Central and Eastern Europe: Case studies of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia," provides an assessment of the current state of affairs in the region. It examines the legal and non-formal framework for public participation in environmental decision making, evaluating the ongoing practices, summing up achievements and limitations, and identifying future needs. This report also serves as a benchmark for measuring future progress of public participation in environmental protection.

The report consists of country reports drafted by authors from their respective countries and edited by the REC Initiative Team in cooperation with public participation experts both from Western and Eastern countries. Authors used a questionnaire to gather comparable information from the countries. A copy of the questionnaire is included in Annex 2. The Regional Overview summarizes both accomplishments and problems in the CEE region and identifies needs. The draft report was commented on and discussed during the workshop organized by the REC on June 23-24, 1995 in Visegrad, Hungary, attended by authors and resource persons John Bonine, Jiri Dusik, Ralph Hallo, Tatjana Kluvakova, Susan Casey-Lefkowitz and Stephen Stec.

The following partners were involved in preparing the country reports:

Andrian Vaso, Violanda Theodhori, Elizabeth Henna, Alexander Kodjabashev, Inge Perko Separovic, Petr Kuzvart, Maret Merisaar, Sándor Fülöp, Csaba Kiss, Una Blumberga, Arvids Ulme, Linas Vainius, Mihail Dimovski, Jerzy Jendroska, Jan Jerzmanski , Barna Bartha, Ingrid Belcakova, Andrej Klemenc and Milada Mirkovic. Content editing was carried out by Laszlo Karas, Dane MacKaughan, Jim Sebastian, Helen Carr, and Magda Tóth Nagy. The Regional Overview was written by Steve Stec (CEELI expert on legal aspects of public participation) and Magda Toth Nagy, (REC expert on non-formal public participation), with substantial contributions from members of the REC Initiatives Team.

English language editing and proof-reading for the final report was conducted by Helen Carr, with additional help from James Lambert and Jim Sebastian. Copy editing was done by Manivone Marvin. Desktop publishing and publication layout was conducted by Cynthia Fedler and Sylvia Magyar. Assistance in project coordination was provided by Melita Rogelj, Dane MacKaughan and the REC Initiatives Team, whereas the whole project was coordinated by Magda Tóth Nagy.

I would like to thank them all for their dedication and commitment.

I would also like to thank the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and the Environment of the Netherlands for its financial support of the report.

Stanislaw Sitnicki
Executive Director

REC * PUBLICATIONS * STATUS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION * PREFACE