Experts rated the work of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets at 4 on a ten-point scale in 2023, in particular due to the lack of transparency and accountability of the ministry.
The rating "Wartime Government. How the Cabinet of Ministers coped with its work in 2023" was compiled by specialized experts, Focus reports.
It is noted that in 2023, the government of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal received an overall score of 5.7 points, and in 2021 – 5.4. Of the 23 officials who received an assessment of their performance, only three had a lower score than Strilets, and three had a similar score.
According to experts, the fact that Strilets represents Ukraine at international events mainly in person raises the status of delegations and the level of importance of environmental protection during the war and the consequences of Russian military aggression.
Experts also positively assessed the launch of the waste management information system. This will help overcome illegal dumping and pseudo-recycling.
"But all the positive points are the result of public pressure and critical assessment of the European Commission," the article emphasized.
It is noted that in 2023, Strilets did not solve the long-term problems of the Ministry of Environment, namely, the lack of transparency and accountability of the ministry's work.
"Ruslan Strelets is the only minister in the last four terms of office who does not communicate with public organizations, either on his own initiative or upon request," all experts emphasized.
According to the head of SaveDnipro public organization Iryna Chernysh, as before, the planning of the most important reforms, such as the reform of industrial pollution, takes place behind "closed doors." And the co-founder of the movement "Batteries, surrender!" Lyubov Kolosovska added that the terms of implementation of reforms are constantly shifting.
Experts emphasized that in recent years, the Ministry of Environment has been developing environmental regulations and laws that often contradict each other. The recent law on the maintenance of solid household waste in landfills does not take into account landfills, where in fact 99% of all household waste is buried.
The head of the Waste Management Association, Nicole Danilova, noted that this indicates insufficient attention to key problems in the field of ecology.
According to Yehor Hrynyk, a biologist from the non-governmental organization "Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group", the issue of the expansion of protected areas, illegal logging and preservation of forest biodiversity has not yet been resolved.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in the official report "Ukraine 2023" the European Commission assessed the country's progress in the field of environmental protection and climate change at "2" on a five-point scale – "a certain level", and in February 2023 Ukraine received a "1" – " initial level of training".
Previously, EcoPolitic analyzed how the environmental policy of Ukraine has changed over the last year.
