OSCE facilitates public hearings for Tajikistan’s draft environmental code

KURGAN-TYUBE, Tajikistan, 29 May 2013 – A set of public hearings on the draft Environmental Code started today in Kurgan-Tyube, facilitated by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The aim of hearings is to familiarize all related governmental institutions, agencies, business entities and civil society with the draft legislative document and give them the opportunity to participate in its finalization.

At today’ event participants developed recommendations and agreed that the Code should consolidate the main existing environmental legislative documents and regulatory mechanisms into one framework document.

“The new Code will fill gaps in Tajikistan’s existing environmental legislation with respect to international best practices and standards,” said Eric Hamrin, OSCE Field Officer in Kurgan-Tyube. “If adopted, it will contribute to realizing the constitutional right of citizens to a favourable environment and to ‘greening’ the country’s economy.”

Makhmadsharif Khakdodov, a Member of Parliament and Head of the Ecological Commission said: “The OSCE has been supporting the Working Group for the development of the Code and we are very grateful for that. Public hearings will give us a chance to consider each comment and incorporate it into the final version of the document”.

Additional public hearings will be conducted in all regions in Tajikistan, in Kulyab, Khorog, Garm, Khujand and Dushanbe, and it is expected that the final document will be submitted to the Parliament for approval by the end of 2013.