Celebrating International Biodiversity Day Center for the Environment is organizing projection of documentary about food (in)dependance and discussion about the unsustainable use of natural resources in the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The projection will be held Monday, 22nd May, in the Center for the Environment, Miše Stupara 5, at 19:30.
Our country is one of rare in Europe that is rich in fauna and flora, that are adapted for life in this area, and this represents remarkable wealth in genetic diversity. Threats to diversity are exploitation of mineral resources, introduction of invasive species, habitat loss, unsustainable agriculture and others. Special threat for biological and genetical diversity is the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) monocultures and excessive use of pesticides.
“Center for the Environment delivered the initiative for the ratification of the GMO amendment to the Ministry of foreign trade and economic relations in August 2016[1], and in February 2017 we got the answer that the initiative didn’t get a positive opinion from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republic of Srpska. We asked for a meeting with representatives from all relevant institutions from Republic of Srpska, this Ministry as well, but we are still waiting for the answers. We do not see the reason to reject this initiative, which is completely harmonized with all the relevant laws in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said Marina Kuburić, from Center for the Environment.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is legislation about GMOs, but legislation on different levels is not harmonized. Implementation of this legislation is very week, which is proven by rare controls that find illegal GM crops in our fields. One of the reasons is lack of information for producers and consumers.
“We intend to organize the round table with the topic “GMO- trends in EU and the state in Bosnia and Herzegovina” with relevant experts, representatives of government and NGOs, with the goal to exchange information, so the public could be better informed”, points out Viktor Bjelić, vice president of Center for the Environment.
The campaign for the ratification of the GMO amendment to the Aarhus convention by Bosnia and Herzegovina is conducted with the help of GEKKO and Grassroots foundations from Germany.
Contact:
Marina Kuburić, marina.kuburic@czzs.org, 065 379 348
Viktor Bjelić, viktor.bjelic@czzs.org, 065 444 454
[1] Ratification of the GMO amendment would secure information access and citizens involvement in the process of decision making about intentional introduction and putting on the market GMOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
