Pristina, April 22, 2022 – On the occasion of 22 April, World Earth Day, the Ombudsperson seeks that each of us, without distinction, undertake actions to protect the Earth, as a source of life, the health as well as a human right.

This year the World Earth Day finds the country in almost the same situation as it was last year, without any visible concrete actions as per prevention of degradation and land protection.

Although country’s Constitution defines environmental protection as the responsibility of all of us as well as the value on which the constitutional order is based, orientation of the policy towards improving the land condition, as an integral part of the environment, has not been observed. Degradation, change of land use, pollution with waste and discharges of untreated water, exploitation without any criteria of gravel, rocks and quarries, forest degradation, the impact of lack of proper spatial planning and unbalanced urban development, have continued to be present. No changes have been noticed neither from the rehabilitation measures which would affect the improvement of the environmental conditions.

The importance of undertaking action for protection and rehabilitation of land, sustainable forest management, and combating desertification and land degradation is specified in Objective 15- for Sustainable Development.

The Ombudsperson, by recalling the liability for protection of the environment for present and future generations, according to the concept of sustainable development, on this marked day requests that the country’s institutions direct their policies towards land protection and rehabilitation by paying attention to balance between economic needs, social welfare with environmental ones.