on support for appropriate role of Croatian public and civil sector in accession negotiation

1.The European Green Party, on its third council meeting in Kyiv, welcomes a start of the Accession Negotiations with Croatia.However we are concerned with current insufficient provisions for public participation in legislative process, as Croatia jet did not ratify Aarhus convention, or implemented necessary procedures for ensuring appropriate transparency and participation of civil sector in decision making.

2.Recommendations:

 We invite Croatian Government to ensure appropriate conditions and procedures for effective public participation in the Accession Negotiations, especially of the advocacy oriented segment of civil sector active in the field of democratization, environment protection, sustainable development, human rights and gender issues.

 In addition, ensuring a local communities role in management of natural resources (water, forest, landscape, especially Adriatic coastline…) with appropriate protection from large investors privatization, should be one of the top priorities for Croatian government in the process of Accession Negotiations.

 European Green Party, with its members in the European Parliament, is dedicated to actively support Croatian civil sector and Zeleni for Zagreb efforts in ensuring those goals.