The Prosecutor General’s Office reminded of responsibility for violations in specially protected natural areas

In Belarus, 9 percent of the country's area is specially protected natural areas. Protecting the environment and taking care of natural resources is everyone’s duty. This was recalled by the senior prosecutor of the Department for supervision in the spheres of ecology and land use of the Prosecutor General’s Office Inna Derman at a press conference in the House of Press, the correspondent of sb.by reports.

According to the speaker, damage caused to the environment in specially protected natural areas is subject to compensation by the person who caused it, voluntarily or in court. For violation of the legislation “On specially protected natural territories” administrative and criminal liability is provided. To preserve, restore and reproduce valuable natural components and objects, according to the legislation, regimes for their protection and use are established.

- There are a number of prohibitions in these territories, in particular, the discharge of wastewater into the environment, the washing of motor vehicles, the burning of dry vegetation and other restrictions, the speaker listed. For non-compliance with the regime of protection and use of specially protected natural areas, liability is provided in the form of a fine. For individuals, it is up to 30 basic values, for individual entrepreneurs - up to 100 basic values, for legal entities - up to 500 basic values.

At the same time, criminal liability is established for intentional destruction or damage to valuable natural complexes or objects of specially protected natural territories. As punishment, along with fines and correctional labor, arrest, restriction of liberty and imprisonment for up to three years are provided.

As Inna Derman noted, the Prosecutor General’s Office ensured supervision of strict compliance with the legislation on specially protected natural areas. During inspections of nature reserves and monuments of republican and local significance, omissions in the work of competent structures were revealed, in connection with which prosecutorial response measures were taken.

- To eliminate the identified systemic shortcomings, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, in pursuance of the instructions of the Council of Ministers, developed an action plan, the completeness and timeliness of the implementation of which are under the control of the prosecutor, the expert stressed. To date, a number of activities have already been completed. In each district of the republic, responsible officials have been appointed, they are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining issues related to the management of nature reserves and monuments. Local executive and administrative bodies, state environmental institutions re-examined the plans for the management of reserves, updated them and developed new ones.

In addition, as part of fulfilling the requirements of the prosecutor’s office, state environmental institutions and other management structures placed more than one thousand information and informational signs in specially protected areas. These signs inform not only about the borders and the regime of protection, but also about the established prohibitions when they are on them. On the interactive map, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection has mapped the boundaries of the biosphere reserve, national parks, sanctuaries, natural monuments of republican and local significance. This will help tourists plan routes and avoid disruptions, and help professionals ensure sustainable management and monitoring of ecosystems.

The Ministry of Natural Resources also organized work to control the permissible recreational load in specially protected natural areas. Tourist, recreational and recreational activities are carried out in compliance with the permissible load standards approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

- At the request of the prosecutor’s office, illegally erected structures on the territory of specially protected objects, such as summer camps for cattle and illegally erected recreation areas, were dismantled, Inna Derman said. Among the typical violations are unauthorized placement of tents, parking lots, mechanical vehicles, fire breeding.

The implementation of the action plan for the preservation and restoration of valuable natural complexes, as well as compliance with the regimes of protection of nature reserves and monuments remains under the control of the prosecutor's office. Prosecutors pay increased attention to the implementation of legislation on the protection of wildlife habitats and the growth of wild plants included in the Red Book. Liability is provided for both the unauthorized seizure and destruction of such animals and plants. This entails the imposition of a fine on an individual from 20 to 30 basic values, on an individual entrepreneur - from 20 to 150 basic values, on a legal entity - from 35 to 500 basic values. Both the instrument and the means of committing the offence may be confiscated.

- During the prosecutor’s inspections, separate violations of this legislation were revealed, the speaker noted. In particular, planned measures to preserve biological diversity for a number of species of Red Book animals and plants were not developed. The inspection established that not all places of growth and habitat of animals and plants are transferred under protection. At the same time, the facts were revealed when restrictive prohibitions were not lifted from the territories on which the Red Book species no longer grew and lived. Excessive restrictions prevented organizations from fully carrying out economic activities in these territories.

In accordance with the requirements of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Natural Resources has developed a set of measures, the implementation of which will ensure compliance with the legislation on the conservation of animals and plants included in the Red Book. Surveillance measures by the prosecutor’s office will continue.