MINISTER PRAISES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MINISTRY'S ACHIEVEMENTS

ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - Summarising the work of Croatia's Environmental Protection Ministry last year, Minister Bozo Kovacevic applauded that an entire series of environmental protection and zoning issues were launched. He also believes that another positive achievement was that legislature that governs this field was equally applied to everyone. #L# At a press conference on Tuesday, Kovacevic informed journalists of a new law to be adopted that will protect nature, as well as legislature relating to zoning, construction, and construction without proper permits. Reporters were mostly interested in what the Ministry was doing to protect the Adriatic Sea and whether or not it was preparing itself for any possible accidents that might be caused by tankers transporting oil from Omisalj. Steps that the Ministry is taking are a guarantee of effective protection, he said and announced that a team would be formed that will be concerned solely with waste waters. Oil tankers will not be allowed to expel dangerous waste waters into the open sea but either have to transfer them to filtering ships or store them at oil terminals, he said. Other positive achievements by the Ministry last year was the adopting of an environmental protection and waste management strategy, the first national study on the climate, and reports on the situation in spatial planning and environment and the quality of seawater on Croatian beaches. He noted that the ministry had issued all building permits required for the construction of the Zagreb-Split Highway. Asked to comment on speculation that he was going to leave the ministry and take up post as an ambassador, Kovacevic said that he hoped he would remain in his ministerial position. (hina) sp/ha sb