— Disappointments are related to the fact that attention was mainly paid to information, and not specific cases, which improved the situation in some way, educational things. They are also important, but do not have a proper effect without
real affairs. Any organizations should have done this and wanted to do it, but have done just now, under the Year of Ecology. The installation of some waste treatment facilities was planned and so on. There was a chance to attract resources
and solve some complicated issues related to the protection of valuable territories, but it was not executed. However, I would like to note that our ministry started working on a law on regional and local protected areas. Unfortunately,
this process is behind closed doors. We prepared our comments on this bill, but it is on pause and its fate is unknown.
We had a Ministry for Nature Management, now it is for natural resources; they have new documents coming
out, powers have been delimited, powers of our executive authorities to reserve territories under SPNAs were clearly specified. Previously, it was not clearly specified, and it was the reason why the reservation was refused. Perhaps now,
when it is done properly, it will help to reserve the territories while the survey is underway, before the SPNAs are established.