Public participation and access to justice in environmental matters in Croatia
Abstract
Environmental protection is often achieved through participation in administrative procedures by the interested public in the form of interested parties. Such parties are able to participate in administrative procedures through which, for example, building permits and environmental permits are issued. In this manner, the public is able to challenge administrative decisions in front of first-instance and second-instance bodies in administrative procedure, and, subsequently, in administrative disputes in front of competent administrative courts. However, in many sector laws this opportunity is being bypassed by narrowing the possibility to participate in administrative procedure. Croatia is also a party to the Aarhus Convention, which guarantees the possibility of the public concerned (having only factual interest to prove) to participate in administrative procedures regarding administrative matters. Furthermore, the possibility to partake in spatial planning will also be analyzed in this paper, as spatial planning has a huge impact on the environment. Therefore, this paper will analyze the opportunities and challenges for public participation and access to justice in environmental matters in Croatia.
References
Bienenfeld J (2007) Dokumenti prostornog uređenja, Pravo i porezi, 46(3), pp. 23–31.
Borkovi I (2002) Upravno pravo, Zagreb, Narodne novine.
Britvi Vetma B & Stani i F (2021) Ten years of General Administrative Procedure Act in Croatia, in: Duret P & Ligugnana G, eds., New Challenges for Administrative Procedure in Europe: A Comparative Perspective, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiana, pp. 13–34.
Đerđa D (2010) Opći upravni postupak u Republici Hrvatskoj, Zagreb, In~enjerski biro.
Krbek I (1928) Stranka u upravnom postupku, Zagreb, Tisak I naklada jugoslavenske btampe.
Krijan P (2006) Komentar Zakona o općem upravnom postupku, Zagreb, Informator.
Ljubanovi B (2006) Posebni upravni postupci u Republici Hrvatskoj, Hrvatska javna uprava, 6(3), pp. 20–22.
Ljubanovi B (2010) Novi Zakon o op em upravnom postupku i posebni upravni postupci, Hrvatska javna uprava, 10(2), pp. 325–328.
Majstorovi B (1957) Komentar Zakona o općem upravnom postupku, Beograd, Nova administracija.
Medvedovi D (2006) Pravci modernizacije op eg upravnog postupka, Informator, 5500, pp. 1–4.
Medvedovi D & Ofak L (2011) The legal position of associations in environmental protection proceedings in the Republic of Croatia, The Scientific Journal Facta universitatis Series Law and Politics, 9(1), pp. 81–82.
Medvedovi D (2012) Stranka u upravnom postupku, in: Foreti D & Slovini J,eds., Komunalno gospodarstvo, Zagreb, Novi informatory, pp. 15–31.
Ofak L (2014) Ograni avanje pravnog polo~aja stranke u posebnim upravnim postupcima, Hrvatska i komparativna javna uprava, 14(4), pp. 978–1014.
Ofak L (2020) Croatia, in: Deketelaere K, ed., IEL Environmental Law, Netherlands, Kluwer Law International BV, pp. 1–354.
Ofak L (2021) The approach of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia towards the protection of the right to a healthy environment, Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Law, 16(31), pp. 85–98.
Popovi S (1978) Opbte upravno pravo, Beograd, Savremena administracija.
Stani i F (2017) Sudjelovanje javnosti i pristup pravosuđu u procesima prostornog planiranja, Zbornik radova Veleučilibta u aibeniku, 11(1–2), pp. 31–52.
Stani i F (2019) Abecedarij upravnog postupka (5), Informator, 6573, p. 25.
Sikic M & Stanicic F (2009) Uređenje ~abe u posebnim upravnim postupcima, Hrvatska pravna revija, 9(4), pp. 43–52.
Vitez Pand~i M (2019) Stranka u postupku ishođenja građevinske dozvole, Hrvatska i komparativna javna uprava, 19(2), pp. 305–327. doi: https://doi.org/10.31297/hkju.19.2.6
