State Geodetic Administration presents project in Krka National Park of recording the special legal regime as a contribution to efficient management in protected areas

The State Geodetic Administration held a public presentation in Laškovica to present the project “Recording the special legal regime as a contribution to efficient management in protected areas”. The project, with the abbreviated name EPPR, includes eight national parks and ten nature parks, including two strict nature reserves.

For many protected areas, it is not known exactly which cadastral plots lie within the park boundaries, as they are not recorded in the official registers. Due to the unestablished external boundaries of protected areas, their management bodies often face difficulties in preventing activities that are contrary to the Nature Protection Act. The EPPR will lay the foundations for recording and implementing the pre-emption right in official registers in all protected areas that form the Natura 2000 network in the national park category. This project will also raise public awareness by enabling insight into up-to-date, precise and transparent information about the status and rights in protected areas.

„The State Geodetic Administration is leader of the project entitled “Recording the special legal regime as a contribution to efficient management in protected areas”. The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the legal institutions managing protected areas have been involved in the project since the very beginning. The EPPR will establish clear boundaries for each protected area, ensuring visibility and transparency, for the purpose of more efficient management of protected resources. The State Geodetic Administration and engaged economic geodetic entities are working to achieve the set project goals, and also on a series of other projects aimed at digitalising and simplifying access to geospatial and cadastral data in the scope of the State Geodetic Administration"- stated Marinko Bosiljevac, senior specialist advisor in the office of the General Director of the State Geodetic Administration.

The EPPR project will not limit the rights of landowners in protected areas. All legal provisions are already applied pursuant to the Nature Protection Act.

„Every day, we are witness to the beauty of the Krka River, and every day we are again impressed by this natural phenomenon. Seven waterfalls, some would call them the magnificent seven, are part of this protected area. The Krka abounds in endemic species of flora and fauna, and we are proud of the exceptional cultural and historical heritage of this area. By establishing the outer boundaries of Krka National Park in the cadastral plan, we will be able to ensure better management and protection, to the benefit of the park and the local community"- stated Krka National Park expert advisor Gordana Goreta.

The public presentation at Krka National Park was also the start of the public insight process that will last for one month, until 7 July. All those interested in that period can check to see whether their lands fall within the boundaries of the protected area.

„With regard to private owners and their rights and responsibilities within the protected area, it is necessary to stress the legal elements that can be beneficial to all those who own lands in that area. The pre-emption right, expropriation, and the right to compensation of damages were described in detail at the public presentation, and are also available on the project website", - stated EPPR project leader, Mladen Pandža.

The project was co-financed from European Union funds within the Operational programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014–2020 in the amount of HRK 31,173,724.75, with a total project value of HRK 36,574,970.00. The EPPR project began on 1 February 2019 and is scheduled for completion on 31 December 2022.

For more information, visit the following websites:

eppr.dgu.hr 

https://katastar.hr/

https://geoportal.dgu.hr/

https://bioportal.hr/

https://geoportal.nipp.hr/