Croatian Greens Oppose Golf Courses in Forests

Environmentalists and local governments in Croatia are opposing a legal proposal to allow the State Property Ministry to "green light" the construction of golf courses inside forests, bypassing the views of the local authorities.

"The proposal is unconstitutional because it enables the ministry to cut out the counties, towns and municipalities from the decision-making process. It derogates democratic processes," Vjeran Pirsic, a veteran ecological activist, told BIRN.

He said the articles in the law removing veto powers from local authorities as well as from Croatian Forests - the state company managing the forests - should be cut from the proposal.

Croatia's Agriculture Ministry, responsible for proposing legal acts concerning forests, on August 3 opened the process of public discussion on the proposal.

By September 5, all those interested may put their comments or suggest amendments to the proposal, before the government places it in parliamentary procedure.

Under the proposal, the State Property Ministry - which was formed by the current government in October - will gain an important role in deciding the fate of golf courses inside forests.

Croatia's association of town councils has already expressed its concerns, fearing towns will be cut out of the decision-making process entirely.

The proposal forms part of the ministry's plans to speed up the process of encouraging foreign investments, in this case, constructing golf courses and accompanying resorts.

Although the Agriculture Ministry insists that the state will not allow the construction of golf course inside so-called "good-quality forests", but only in "sparse woodland", Pirsic is not reassured.

"It seems as if everything is being done along the lines...