Opinions & Interviews

Natalia Minchenko: Participation in Bern Convention will harmonize wildlife laws of Belarus, EU

MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) – Belarus’ participation in the Bern Convention will allow harmonizing environmental conservation laws of Belarus and the EU member states, chief of the biological and landscape diversity department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Natalia Minchenko told BelTA commenting on the accession of Belarus to the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.

“The accession to the convention will allow us to expand and strengthen contacts with our partners from the Council of Europe and European states, give us an opportunity to settle issues that now go against the interests of our country,” Natalia Minchenko said. For example, at present European laws do not allow the import of wolf trophies from Belarus, while Belarus cannot buy eel larva because our country is not member of the EU.

Belarus decided to join the Bern Convention mainly because the convention extends to almost all European countries, including Belarus’ neighbors. Belarus’ participation in the convention will allow it to establish an international dialogue in the European region, get more opportunities to take part in projects and programs implemented on the European level, like the Emerald network, the program to preserve the European bison.

“The accession to the convention pursued political goals, i.e. we wanted to forge ties between Belarus and the countries of the EU and Europe. For instance, Europe is implementing a program on bison reproduction. Belarus has made some progress in this field, but Europe does not know about it. However, now that Belarus is party to the convention, it will be able to get access to the program and tell the others about its achievements,” she said.

The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats was signed in Bern on 19 September 1979 and came into force on 1 June 1982. The Bern Convention is a binding international legal instrument in the field of nature conservation. Its aims are to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats and to promote European co-operation in that field. The signatories are 50 countries, including 45 members of the Council of Europe, the EU and African states, including Burkina Faso, Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal. Belarus was not party to the convention, but had an observer status there. In line with Article 20 of the Bern Convention, the document will become legally binding for Belarus three months after the accession application is submitted to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

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