Public outcry to support Russian nature
WWF Global Network
October 15, 2000
Gland, Switzerland - WWF, the conservation organization, today announced that over the past two months more than 3 million signatures have been collected throughout Russia to support a nation-wide referendum on a decree issued by President Putin that practically suppressed any impartial management of environmental issues in the country.
President Putin decided in May 2000 to dismantle the State Committee for Environment Protection and the Federal Forestry Service, and to transfer the responsibility of environmental impact assessments and nature conservation to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Following numerous unsuccessful attempts to establish constructive dialogue with the decision-makers, the non-governmental environmental organizations, including WWF, decided to call for a national referendum, as a last resort to restore the system of environment control and monitoring.
Two million signatures are required by the Russian law to launch a national referendum. Voters will have to decide whether they are for or against imports to Russia of radioactive materials for storage and processing, the establishment of an independent federal body for environment protection, and the creation of a legally independent state forestry service.
"The decree deprived the population of one of the basic rights guaranteed by the Russian Constitution - the right for healthy environment," said Igor Chestin, Director of WWF Russian Programme Office. "By signing for the referendum, Russian citizens have demonstrated their high concern for preserving our nature".
Today, a public meeting was held in front of the House of the Government. Different public events took place in other regional capitals all over country, which WWF sees as another demonstration of the Russian population's high concern for the future of the country's nature and environment.
The 3 million signatures will now be submitted to the regional election committees, which will check their validity, and forward them the central election committee. This body will then report to the President Putin. Within 10 days, the President must send the report to the Constitutional Court, which has one month to confirm whether the referendum complies with the Constitution. Then, the President will issue the decree on the referendum, which will be held 2 to 3 months later. The referendum will cost dozens of million US dollars, to be paid out of the Russian budget.
"This is the cost of the lack of understanding and dialogue between the authorities and the public," added Igor Chestin. "However, the price to pay for the Referendum is still low compared to the possible disastrous consequences that the suppression of any environment control in Russia could have."
For further information:Dr.I.Prokhorova, Director of Development, WWF Russian Programme Office, tel: + 7 095 727 09 39; direct line: + 7 095 727 09 32 ; mobile: + 7 095 760 64 92 ; fax: + 7 095 727 09 38 ; e-mail: IProkhorova@wwf.ru