Hrvatska je na putu prema Europskoj uniji morala udovoljiti nizu zahtjeva. Unija je uvjete propisala na sastanku Europskog vijeća u Kopenhagenu 1993. godine, a prva skupina tih uvjeta uključivala je i zaštitu ljudskih prava i osobito prava manjina. Zaštita manjina bila je posebno važna u kontekstu oružanog sukoba koji se vodio na području bivše Jugoslavije. Tijekom devedesetih Hrvatska je postala strankom međunarodnih ugovora Vijeća Europe koji su se odnosili na zaštitu manjina: Okvirne konvencije za zaštitu nacionalnih manjina i Europske povelje za zaštitu regionalnih i manjinskih jezika. Prihvaćanjem ugovora Hrvatska se podvrgnula i međunarodnom nadzoru primjene i poštivanja svojih međunarodnih obveza. Prikazom i analizom izvještaja nadzornih tijela može se pratiti i u kolikoj je mjeri Hrvatska uspjela u tome. ; On its path to the European Union, Croatia had to fulfill a number of requirements. The EU defined the accession requirements at the meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993. The first group of requirements included the protection of human rights, especially minority rights. The protection of minorities was especially important in the context of armed conflict in the former Yugoslavia. In the 1990's Croatia became party to the international agreements of the Council of Europe related to the protection of minorities: Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. By ratifying these agreements Croatia has become subject to international monitoring of the application of its international obligations. The analyses of reports of monitoring bodies can show to what extent Croatia has succeeded in the implementation of these agreements.
In this article I will examine the powers and activities of NATO-led Kosovo forces (KFOR) and their impact on human rights protection in Kosovo. Through this examination, I seek to answer the following questions: which KFOR actions affected the human rights of Kosovars? Does KFOR carry out responsibilities and abide by the obligations normally imposed upon nation-states? And is there a solution available when the alleged violator is KFOR? KFOR is responsible for carrying out military tasks and for 'shouldering' UNMIK and local security forces in some civilian peace-building tasks. In the course of the exercise of its mandate, there were alleged complaints of human rights violations by KFOR. The legal implications of these alleged complaints against KFOR (in)actions will also be discussed. ; In this article I will examine the powers and activities of NATO-led Kosovo forces (KFOR) and their impact on human rights protection in Kosovo. Through this examination, I seek to answer the following questions: which KFOR actions affected the human rights of Kosovars? Does KFOR carry out responsibilities and abide by the obligations normally imposed upon nation-states? And is there a solution available when the alleged violator is KFOR? KFOR is responsible for carrying out military tasks and for 'shouldering' UNMIK and local security forces in some civilian peace-building tasks. In the course of the exercise of its mandate, there were alleged complaints of human rights violations by KFOR. The legal implications of these alleged complaints against KFOR (in)actions will also be discussed.
Europskom poveljom utvrđuje se i obveza utemeljenja te svekolikoga pomaganja rada tzv. prekograničnih televizija. Zemlje koje imaju svoje manjine ili dio svoga naroda koji je konstitutivan i suveren u drugim državama imaju pravo i obvezu, zajedno s tim državama, za njih osigurati elektroničke medije i TV kanal na njihovu materinjem jeziku. To se pravo, međutim, u Bosni i Hercegovini onemogućava i čak zakonski zabranjuje. Uređenje elektroničkoga medijskog prostora što ga u Bosni i Hercegovini provodi međunarodna zajednica vjerna je slika unutarnjega ustavnog ustroja koji nameće ta ista zajednica. Procesi globalizacije i modeli liberalnodemokratskoga uređenja služe samo kao izgovor i opravdanje potpune političke i kulturne unitarizacije zemlje i nepravedne podjele BiH na dva entiteta, iako je ona zemlja triju suverenih naroda. ; The European charter also determines the obligation of establishing and comprehensive helping to the functioning of the so called trans-border televisions. Countries which have their minorities or a part of nation, who is constitute and sovereign in other countries, have a right and obligation, together with those countries, to provide them the electronic media and a TV channel in their mother tongue. That right is thwarted and even legally forbidden in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Arranging of the electronic media space, which is in Bosnia and Herzegovina implemented by the international community, is a real presentation of the internal constitutional structure which is imposed by the same community. Processes of globalization and models of the liberal-democratic arrangement serve only as an excuse and justification of the complete political and cultural unitarianism of a country and unjust division of BiH in two entities, although it is a country of three sovereign nations.
Uredba (EZ) br. 864/2007 Europskog parlamenta i Vijeća od 11. srpnja 2007. o pravu koje se primjenjuje na izvanugovorne obveze (Uredba Rim II) sadržava pravila o mjerodavnom pravu za izvanugovorne obveze i jedan je od najvažnijih izvora europskoga međunarodnog privatnog prava. Zbog nemogućnosti pronalaska kompromisa u vezi s odgovarajućom poveznicom za povrede prava osobnosti u zakonodavnom postupku donošenja Uredbe Rim II europski zakonodavac odlučio je isključiti povrede prava osobnosti iz polja primjene Uredbe Rim II. Budući da to pitanje nije uređeno relevantnim izvorom europskoga međunarodnog privatnog prava, sudovi svake države članice EU-a primjenjuju nacionalna kolizijska pravila. U Republici Hrvatskoj krajem 2017. godine donesen je novi Zakon o međunarodnom privatnom pravu koji je na snagu stupio u siječnju 2019. godine. Hrvatski je zakonodavac u novom Zakonu odlučio proširiti primjenu Uredbe Rim II i na ona pitanja koja su isključena iz njezina polja primjene, što za posljedicu ima činjenicu da će se na hrvatskim sudovima pravo mjerodavno za povrede prava osobnosti određivati prema općoj odredbi Uredbe Rim II koja se temelji na poveznici mjesta nastanka izravne štete. Iz navedenoga razvidan je utjecaj europskoga prava na hrvatsko međunarodno privatno pravo, ne samo u slučajevima koji ulaze u polje primjene izvora europskoga međunarodnog privatnog prava nego i u slučajevima koji samim tim izvorima nisu pokriveni. Cilj je ovoga rada ispitati je li pristup prihvaćen u novom Zakonu o međunarodnom privatnom pravu najbolji izbor za slučajeve povrede prava osobnosti, posebice imajući u vidu polemike koje su se vodile oko adekvatnosti poveznice mjesta nastanka štete za predmete povrede prava osobnosti tijekom zakonodavnog postupka donošenja Uredbe Rim II. ; Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations (Rome II Regulation), containing rules on applicable law for non-contractual obligations, is one of the most ...
Zaštita žrtava intenzivirala se posljednjih 40-ak godina uz znanstvenu podršku i razvoj viktimologije. Paralelno s međunarodnim ustrajanjem na zaštiti ljudskih prava te s jačanjem stručne spoznaje o važnosti povijesno marginalizirane uloge žrtve u kaznenim postupcima europskog kontinentalnog kruga međunarodnopravna svijest o obvezi države da zaštiti žrtve najtežih kaznenih djela i pruži im potporu defi nirana je brojnim međunarodnim dokumentima. U tom smislu za europski pravni prostor značajnu ulogu ima i Direktiva 2012/29/EU o uspostavi minimalnih standarda za prava, potporu i zaštitu žrtava kaznenih djela, koja je izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o kaznenom postupku implementirana u hrvatsko zakonodavstvo. Međutim osim danas već nesporno dostatne normativne podloge o zaštiti žrtava u kaznenom postupku postavlja se pitanje dobivaju li doista žrtve u praksi zaštitu i podršku koja im je osigurana kroz zakonske odredbe. Vođene tom mišlju, autorice su provele istraživanje među odjelima za podršku žrtvama i organizacijama civilnog društva kao glavnim službama za pružanje pomoći i podrške žrtvama tijekom kaznenog postupka u svrhu preispitivanja načina, učestalosti i potencijalnih praktičnih izazova s kojima se žrtve susreću prilikom korištenja svojih prava u praksi. ; Victim protection has intensifi ed in the last 40 years with the scientifi c support and development of victimology. In parallel with international insistence on the protection of human rights and the strengthening of professional knowledge on the importance of the historically marginalised role of the victim in criminal proceedings in the European continental circle, international legal awareness of the state's obligation to protect and support victims of serious crimes is defi ned by numerous international documents. In this sense, Directive 2012/29/EU on the establishment of minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, which was implemented in Croatian legislation by amendments to the Criminal Code, also plays a signifi cant role in the European legal area. However, apart from the already unquestionably suffi cient normative basis of the protection of victims in criminal proceedings, the question arises as to whether victims in practice really receive the protection and support provided to them through legislation. Guided by this opinion, the authors conducted a short survey among victim support departments and civil society organisations as the main services for assistance and support during criminal proceedings in order to review the ways, frequency and potential practical challenges that victims face in exercising their rights in practice.
U državama zapadne Europe 1990-ih povećava se broj osoba koje traže međunarodnu zaštitu. Suočene s velikim iz bjegličkim krizama, a u kontekstu proklamirane slobode kretanjana području Europske unije i postojećih razlika u nacionalnim sustavima azila, države članice intenzivnije razvijaju suradnju na području azila i migracija. Do stupanja na snagu Ugovora iz Amsterdama 1. svibnja 1999. područje policijske i pravosudne suradnje u kaznenim stvarima pripadalo je tzv. »trećem stupu« prema kojem su politika azila, migracijska politika i politika vezana uz državljane trećih zemalja definirane samo kao »pitanja od zajedničkog interesa« i pripadala su u suverena prava država članica. Ugovorom iz Amsterdama ustonovljuje se »zajednički europski sustav azila«, a zajednička politika azila postaje dijelom »prvoga stupa«. Potpisivanjem Sporazuma o stabilizaciji i pridruživanju u procesu pridruživanja EU Republika Hrvatska preuzela je obvezu implementiranja načela i pravila pravne stečevine Europske unije u nacionalno zakonodavstvo, koja obuhvaća i pravila o azilu, u okviru Poglavlja 24.: Pravda, sloboda i sigurost. ; The number of individuals who sought international protection increased in the west European countries during the 1990s. Faced with huge refugee crises and bound by the proclaimed free movement of people in the EU territories and the differences in the national asylum systems, the Member States were developing intensive interstate co-operation in the fields of asylum and migrations. Before the Treaty of Amsterdam entered into force on May 1, 1999, police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters had belonged to the third pillar of the European Union. It meant that asylum policy, migration policy, and policy concerning citizens of the third countries defined merely as »the issues of mutual interest« and belonged to the sovereign rights of the Member States. The Treaty of Amsterdam established »Common European asylum system« and the common asylum policy became part of the first pillar. By signing the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement with the EU, Croatia has assumed the obligation to incorporate the principles and rules of the EU acquis communautaire in its legislation. This includes the asylum regulations contained in Chapter 24 »Justice, Freedom, and Security«.
U svibnju 2013. godine ponovno je izmijenjen i dopunjen Pomorski zakonik Republike Hrvatske. Promjene su, među ostalima, i u dijelu o prijevozu putnika i njihove prtljage. Ovim izmjenama i dopunama vodilo se računa o usklađivanju s normama Europske unije. Posebno izdvajam zakonski tekst o obvezi primjene Uredbe 392/2009 Europskog parlamenta i Vijeća o odgovornosti prijevoznika u prijevozu putnika morem u slučaju nesreća. Time se Republika Hrvatska (a prije toga i ratifikacijom u veljači 2013.) obvezala primjenjivati Protokol, odnosno Atensku konvenciju iz 2002. o prijevozu putnika i njihove prtljage morem, uz intervenciju Međunarodne pomorske organizacije (IMO) u tekst Konvencije zbog visine odgovornosti, kako to vrijedi za cijelo područje EU-a. Prihvaćanjem spomenute Uredbe pruža se veća zaštita putniku jer se u međunarodnoj plovidbi i u nacionalnoj plovidbi brodovima klase A i B uvodi objektivna odgovornost za njegovu smrt ili tjelesnu ozljedu u slučaju pomorske nesreće. Na prijevoz putnika i prtljage u nacionalnoj plovidbi brodovima koji ne spadaju u klasu A i B primjenjuju se postojeće odredbe Pomorskog zakonika koje su se prije njegove izmjene zasnivale na Atenskoj konvenciji iz 1974. ( s protokolima), a to znači i daljnja primjena pretpostavljene krivnje. ; Maritime Law of the Republic of Croatia was changed and amended in May, 2013. Changes are, among other things, related to carriage of passengers and their luggage. These changes and amendments served for harmonization with European Union norms. I specially point out the legal text about the obligation of applying Regulation No 392/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the liability of carriers of passengers by sea in the event of accidents. With that the Republic of Croatia (and before that with ratification in February 2013) committed itself to applying Protocol or Athens Convention from 2002 relating to the carriage of passengers and their luggage by sea, with intervening of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the text of the Convention due to the level of responsibility, as it is valid for the entire EU area. Adopting the mentioned Convention offers better protection to passengers because during the international and national carriage by A and B class ships objective responsibility for his death or bodily harm in the event of accident is introduced. The existing regulations of the Maritime Law, which were based on the Athens Convention from 1974 (with protocols) before its change, are used for the national carriage of passengers and luggage by ships which are not class A or B and that means further applying of presumed guilt.
Tijekom jedanaest godina rada Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog rata prikupio je veliku količinu arhivskoga gradiva nastalog djelovanjem pojedinaca, odnosno javnog arhivskoga gradiva nastalog tijekom Domovinskog rata, a koje je završilo u posjedu privatnih osoba ili raznih udruga te kao takvo ustupljeno Centru. Riječ je o raznolikom gradivu, konvencionalnog i nekonvencionalnog karaktera, vojne i civilne provenijencije, čiji su stvaratelji bili pripadnici hrvatskih snaga, snaga Jugoslavenske narodne armije i pobunjenih Srba, civilne osobe, državni i vojni dužnosnici ili zainteresirani pojedinci. U radu će se prikazati osnovne značajke i vrste takvoga gradiva, načini akvizicije, postupak vrednovanja i pohrane te njegova dostupnost, historiografska vrijednost te sumirati stečena iskustva. ; For different reasons the important records from the period of the Homeland War were also kept or are still kept by the private holders, whether these records were created by institutions or individuals, associations and organizations. By acknowledging the importance of such records and the sensitivity in its acquiring the Croatian Memorial-Documentation Centre of the Homeland War has started to collect them ever since it was established in 2005. By establishing the Centre as the central institution for archival and scientific research of the Homeland War, the Centre is recognised in the public as a trustworthy institution to which everyone interested to hand over the records can turn to. The private holders of the archives from the Homeland War can be divided into those who are the creators of archives and those who in various ways became possessors of public archives. The Centre can acquire records of private holders in two ways; mostly through donations, and partly by purchasing records that are particularly valuable and that were created as someone's authorship. After acquiring, the records are registered, appraised and classified, after which they form individual fonds or they supplement existing fonds and collections. Among the conventional archives, besides military documentation, the Centre acquired various newspapers, magazines and official papers, military maps, political and military posters, caricatures etc. The majority of the acquired records were digitized, due to a more efficient storage and keeping, as well as the desire of holders to keep the originals. The majority of archives from private holders are unconventional records (photographs, video and audio clips), i.e. the re-recorded and digitized conventional records. The archives acquired from individual private holders were in terms of subject and quantity appraised as a rounded off whole and after the archival processing it was decided to form personal papers. By the end of 2016 the Centre had ten of them. Besides these, the Centre also stores memoirist records of private holders, whether it concerns records created by structured interviews or written entries of the direct participants of the Homeland War. The Centre published part of these in 17 books as part of its publishing activity. Also, several photo-monographs were published based on the received or bought photographs from the private holders. Among the private holders from which the Centre got the archives are also the historians-researchers who gave or deposited in the Centre the materials they used, after finishing a certain research or a book. The majority of the acquired and processed archives of private holders are available to researchers through fonds and collections of the Centre. The basic problem regarding the acquiring of the records of private holders pertains to certain indistinctness in the Act on the Archives and the ignorance of holders regarding their obligations prescribed by the law which entails relinquishing of the public archives to the Centre. Besides ignorance, some of the holders advertently kept these records in their keeping mostly out of fear of misuse and the negative perception of the activity of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. However, after the acquittal of the generals Gotovina and Markač in late 2012 and the greater public recognisability of the Centre, the inflow of archives from public holders has been increased. Another problem in acquiring records of this kind is the parallel activity of certain individuals and associations with similar archival activities. As far as arranging is concerned, due to the large quantities of acquired records and their stockpiling in the future it will be necessary to pay greater attention to their appraisal and disposal. Still, it could be said that the archives of the private holders prominently features in the Centre's professional archival policy and that so far the important amount of such records had been acquired. Despite certain difficulties concerning their processing, these records are an important source for archivists, researchers and historians, particularly for subjects that are wider than the more usual political and military ones.
RIJEČ UREDNIŠTVAZa ovogodišnje lipanjske Dane hrvatskoga šumarstva održana je panel rasprava o trenutnoj situaciji u šumama Hrvatske. Naziv rasprave bio je "Hoće li nas šume nadživjeti?". Svrha skupa bila je informirati širu javnost o stanju šumskih ekosustava, ali i o promjenama koje se događaju u njima. Govori li sam naziv skupa dovoljno o ozbiljnosti situacije u kojoj se nalaze naše šume? Promijenjeni klimatski uvjeti koji vladaju na početku 21. stoljeća, donijeli su mnogo neprilika u šumama posljednjih pet godina. Tome treba pribrojiti i nikad veću trgovačku globalizaciju, što doprinosi bržem i lakšem širenju invazivnih vrsta bolesti i štetnika. Danas gotovo da nema ni jedne značajnije šumske vrste drveća koja nema svojih problema. Šume Gorskog kotara sastavljene od jele, bukve i smreke stradale su uslijed klimatskih ekstrema, a potom potkornjaka, nizinske šume hrasta lužnjaka napadnute su hrastovom mrežastom stjenicom, a šume poljskog jasena ubrzano propadaju uslijed više čimbenika, posebice Halare, dok dalmatinske borove šume ozbiljno ugrožava borov potkornjak. Tu su i šumski požari nakon kojih uslijed erozija nestaje i šumsko tlo, što umnogome onemogućuje sanaciju i vodi degradaciji šume. Tako ugroženim šumama smanjuju se financijska sredstva za njihov zaštitu i obnovu, što je sad i definitivno ozakonjeno Zakonom o šumama (NN 68/2018) koji je stupio na snagu 4. kolovoza 2018. O prijedlogu zakona pisali smo u Šumarskom listu 5-6/2018. Saborska rasprava nije donijela zaokret u odnosu na zakonski prijedlog koji je usvojila Vlada Republike Hrvatske. Zakon je ustvari na tragu programa Vlade RH za područje gospodarstva, poljoprivrede i ruralnog razvoja iz listopada 2016. godine. Šumarstvo se u tom programu spominje u potpoglavlju "Aktivno upravljanje šumama, veća proizvodnja i više radnih mjesta u domaćoj drvnoj industriji" s rečenicom: Izmjenom zakonske regulative Vlada će poboljšati i otkloniti poteškoće u načinu raspolaganja šumama i šumskim zemljištima, provoditi razminiranje šuma i šumskog zemljišta, sprječavati ilegalne sječe i trgovine i poticati razvoj domaće drvne industrije koja proizvodi drvni proizvod. Smatramo da takav program baš i nije poticajan za šume i šumska zemljišta. Razminiranje je svakako unaprjeđenje u upravljanju i gospodarenju šumama koje se provodi godinama, kao i najavljeno sprječavanje ilegalne sječe i trgovine, samo za to nema dovoljno pozitivnih pokazatelja, jer je takva djelatnost postala jako unosna na štetu šume i šumovlasnika / šumoposjednika. Početkom godine donesen je i Zakon o poljoprivrednom zemljištu (NN 20/2018, na snazi od 9. ožujka 2018.) koji je propisao, kao i Zakon o šumama, izdvajanje iz šumsko-gospodarske osnove zapuštenog poljoprivrednog zemljišta koje se može privesti poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji i mogućnost davanja takvog zemljišta sukladno Programu raspolaganja u zakup ili prodaju. Omogućeno je i za zemljišta izvan građevinskog područja koja se u katastru vode kao poljoprivredna zemljišta, a u pravilu su zapuštena, da se uključe u šumskogospodarsko područje, jer su troškovi njihovog privođenja poljoprivrednoj namjeni veći od tržišne vrijednosti ili ukupnog iznosa zakupnine toga zemljišta. Ove odredbe trebale bi napokon omogućiti svrsishodnu raspodjelu zemljišta na poljoprivredno i šumsko te njihovo stvarno korištenje. Novi Zakon o šumama uvažio je višegodišnje primjedbe obveznika plaćanja naknade za općekorisne funkcije šuma (OKFŠ), što je u javnosti i medijima često prvo bilo na udaru kao nepotreban i neshvaćen "parafiskalni" namet. Sad se 90 % dosadašnjih obveznika (oko 180 tisuća) izuzima iz plaćanja naknade, jer je prag za obvezu plaćanja godišnji prihod ili primitak veći od 3 milijuna kuna uz zadržanu visinu stope naknade od 0,0265 %. Uvaženo je i traženje jedinica lokalne samouprave o povećanju stopa šumskog doprinosa, pa su one povećane s 3,5 % na 5 % i za jedinice na potpomognutim područjima s 5 % na 10 % prodajne cijene proizvoda na panju. Zakon je uveo i definiciju šumoposjednika: javni šumoposjednik ovlašten za gospodarenje šumom i/ili šumskim zemljištem u vlasništvu Republike Hrvatske, javna ustanova čiji je osnivač Republika Hrvatska i njezine znanstveno-nastavne sastavnice, koje svoju znanstveno-nastavnu djelatnost i znanstvenoistraživački rad obavljaju iz područja šumarstva, pravna osoba čiji je osnivač i vlasnik jedinica lokalne samouprave, a kojoj se odlukom Vlade povjerava gospodarenje te privatni šumoposjednik s podjelom na male (do 20 ha šume i/ili šumskog zemljišta), srednje (od 20 do 300 ha) i velike (većim od 300 ha) šumoposjednike. Za šumskogospodarsko područje ustanovljuje se Registar pri Ministarstvu koji se vodi u elektroničkom obliku, a bit će dostupan pod određenim uvjetima. Registar će sadržavati i dio za izvješćivanje potreban za ispunjavanja međunarodnih i nacionalnih obveza iz sektora šumarstva. Zakon predviđa i izdvajanje namjenskih sredstva u poseban fond za razvoj drvne industrije, što je također jedna od predviđenih aktivnosti u programu Vlade iz 2016. godine.Novi Zakon o šumama pokušao je uvažiti razne promjene koje su se dogodile od donošenja prošloga zakona iz 2005. godine, a koje su nivelirane izmjenama i dopunama kroz proteklih 13 godina, njih ukupno osam. Pokušao se uskladiti i s drugim zakonima iz područja poljoprivrede, zaštite prirode i okoliša, te strategije EU za šume i sektor koji se temelji na šumama. Potrebno je još uskladiti i donijeti sve podzakonske akte vezane uz zakon.Pitamo se hoće li odredbe novog Zakona o šumama biti na tragu rješavanja nagomilanih problema u šumama Hrvatske?Uredništvo ; EDITORIALA panel addressing the current condition of Croatian forests was organized on the occasion of Days of Croatian Forestry that were held in June 2018. The title of the discussion was "Will forests outlive mankind?" The purpose of the panel was to inform broader public of the condition of forest ecosystems, as well as of the changes taking place in them. Does the title of the panel reflect the seriousness of the danger facing our forests? In the last five years, changed climate conditions occurring at the beginning of the 21st century have inflicted major problems to the forests. Add to this general market globalisation, which contributes to the faster and easier spread of invasive diseases and pests. There is not one important forest tree species today that does not have problems. Forests of Gorski Kotar, which are composed of fir, beech, and spruce, have succumbed to climatic extremes and to attacks of bark beetles. Lowland forests of pedunculate oak are infested with the oak lace bug, while forests of narrow-leaved ash are rapidly deteriorating under the cumulative action of several factors, particularly Halare. Dalmatian pine forests are severely threatened by the pine bark beetle. Forest fires also cause extensive damage. The subsequent erosions lead to the loss of forest soils, which greatly hinders recovery and contributes to the degradation of forests. The financial means needed to protect and regenerate such forests are being minimized and this has now definitely been incorporated in the new Forest Act (Official Gazette 68/2018), which came into effect on August 4th, 2018. A parliamentary discussion did not bring about any changes with regard to the proposed act, which was adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The Act in fact follows the Government programme for the field of economy, agriculture and rural development of October 2016. In the said programme forestry is addressed in the sub-chapter "Active management of forests, higher production and more work places in the domestic wood industry" with the following sentence: By changing legal regulations, the Government will remove obstacles and improve ways of managing forests and forest land. It will also undertake demining operations in forests and forest land, prevent illegal felling and trade and stimulate the development of domestic wood industry which produces wood products. In our opinion, such programme is not really stimulative for forests and forest land. Demining is certainly an improvement in the management of forests and it has been carried out for years, and so is the announced prevention of illegal felling and trade. However, there are not enough positive indicators for this, since these activities have become very profitable at the detriment of forests and forest owners. At the beginning of the year the Agricultural Land Act was passed (Official Gazette 20/2018, in effect since March 9th, 2018), which regulated, as did the Forest Act, the exclusion of abandoned agricultural land from the forest-management plan and its conversion to agricultural production, as well as the possibility of leasing or selling such land in accordance with the Disposition Programme. The Act also allows for the land outside construction areas, which is listed as agricultural land in the land register but is abandoned in reality, to be included in the forest-management area, since the cost of converting the land for agricultural purposes is higher than the market value or the total amount of rent for such land. These provisions should finally enable a rational division of land into agricultural and forest land, and consequently its proper usage. The new Forest Act has also adopted long-lasting objections made by those obliged to pay a non-market forest function fee. The public and the media often harshly criticized this fee as an unnecessary and incomprehensible "parafiscal" tax. Now, 90% of those obliged to pay the fee (about 180 thousand subjects) are exempt from paying the fee, since the threshold for the obligation has been set down at an annual income or profit higher than 3 million kuna, while the rate of the fee has been retained at 0.0265 %. Demands by local self-management units to raise the rate of forest contribution have also been adopted, and it has accordingly been raised from 3.5 % to 5 %, while for units in subsidized areas it has been raised from 5 % to 10 % of the selling price of the product before felling. The Act also defines a forest owner: a public forest owner authorized to manage a forest and/or forest land owned by the Republic of Croatia, a public institution whose founder is the Republic of Croatia and its scientific-teaching components which carry out their scientific-teaching activity and scientific-research work in the field of forestry, a legal person whose founder and owner is the local self-management unit and which is entrusted with management by a Government decision, and a private forest owner. Private forest owners are divided into small (up to 20 ha of forests and/or forest land), medium (from 20 to 300 ha) and large (more than 300 ha) forest owners. A Register of a forest-management area in the electronic form will be established by the Ministry, and it will be available under certain conditions. The Register will contain a reporting part needed to fulfil international and national obligations in the forestry sector. The Act also provides for the allocation of earmarked means into a special fund for the development of the wood industry, which is also one of the activities in the Government programme from 2016. The new Forest Act has attempted to incorporate different changes taking place since the previous Act of 2005 was passed. There have been a total of eight changes, which have been adjusted by revisions and amendments over the past 13 years. The Act is also coordinated with other laws from the field of agriculture, nature and environment protection, and the EU strategy for forests and forest-based sector. All by-laws related to the Act need to be coordinated and passed.We wonder whether the regulations of the new Forest Act will try to solve the growing problems in the forests of Croatia. Editorial Board
