27 November 2008 | The Macedonian and Albanian parliaments started an initiative to form a regional group for the protection of the environment, in which the parliaments of Bulgaria, Serbia and Kosovo are also expected to participate.

The joint group for the protection of the environment, which would create the structure for the realisation of the initiative, was formed recently during a meeting in Tirana, the Macedonian Dnevnik newspaper wrote today.

The formation of the Balkans green group was initiated by the NGO Balkan Bridges and one of its priorities is the realisation of the laws connected to the environment, according to the publication. Concrete activities are planned for the border regions, such as the protection of the Ohrid and Prespa Lakes –which lie on the border between Macedonia and Albania, in which the local government and NGOs will participate.

At the same time, the European Commission said today that it had sent written warnings to Bulgaria for its failure to implement the EC laws for the protection of the environment, national media reported today. The letters cite two separate instances – the first is country’s failure to create an adequate system for the management of household waste in Sofia and the second is about the environmental impact assessments required under the wild birds directive.

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