Draft provisions for nature reserves come under fire

The Environment Ministry’s new draft law regarding the status of nature reserves that was submitted last Friday received a barrage of criticism on Tuesday during its discussion in the relevant parliamentary committees.

Scientific bodies and environmental groups insisted installations for renewable energy and energy transmission and storage networks within protected areas would cause irreparable damage. 

However, the ministry made minor concessions, the most significant being removing the provisions that allowed energy transmission networks, new roads and others in the core parts of protected areas defined as Zone A and those permitting mining and tourist accommodation in core areas defined as Zone B.

Still, many of the other provisions of the draft remained, to the chagrin of environmental groups.

“We would have expected after the devastating fire in Dadia that the controversial provisions would be withdrawn,” said Theodota Nantsou from WWF.