Dear readers,
another half of the year has passed in which we have worked diligently on your applications sent through the Green Phone service. To remind you – the Green Phone is a free tool that provides citizens with information and advice and helps solve environmental problems in local communities.
The semi-annual report for 2021 shows a record number of applications – 162. Out of the total number, 118 applications have been resolved so far, while we continue to work on the rest. The legal team of the Sunce Association does not neglect any application it receives, and the cases from 2019 and 2020 continue to be resolved with dedication.
The largest number of reports, 64 of them, refers to improperly disposed waste, and with the arrival of warmer days, there is an increased number of reports related to illegal construction. When it comes to counties at sea, illegal construction most often involves filling and arranging beaches contrary to regulations. In this context, on the Sunce website we have highlighted positive examples in practice, i.e. cases in which our reports have resulted in a change and positive action by the authorities (LINK – Available only in Croatian).
In addition to resolving citizens’ complaints, in our work on the Green Phone we strive to educate the public and encourage citizens to use the legal tools at their disposal for the purpose of environmental protection. In addition, the website of the Sunce Association published an article on the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (LINK – Available only in Croatian).
Most calls received are from areas outside Split, which indicates the growing expansion of the Green Phone in two coastal counties covered by the Sunce Association – Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva.
The Green Phone will continue its work in the coming months, and our readers will be informed of the overall results early next year, which we hope will be even more successful and better.
We can and must be cleaner, greener and more beautiful!
Best regards,
Sunce Association legal team