Association Sunce received one case in March this year via the Green Phone, from the island of Šolta, which deals with the intended project “Setting vineyards on the island of Šolta”, which should be carried out by a private company.

In the Study on the mentioned request, it is stated that the intended project wishes to perform the procedure on a location that is in the area of ecological network (area HR4000024- carbonate rocks with chasmophytic vegetation) and is adjacent to the area HR3000094 - flooded or partially flooded sea caves, reefs, Neptune grass.

It is important to emphasise here that for the projects for which by a special regulation governing the protection of the environment it is necessary to make an evaluation of the need for environmental impact assessment, the Preliminary evaluation is done within the procedure for the evaluation of the need for assessment. Also, the applicant (a private company) failed to submit a request for preliminary assessment of the environmental acceptability of the ecological network, although it is planning to implement the procedure by clearing, ripping, and crushing stones on the territory of the ecological network in the above area HR4000024- carbonate rocks with chasmophytic vegetation.

Similarly, the opinion that for the said project is not necessary to conduct a Major evaluation of the project for the ecological network was given by the body which is not competent to do so (State Institute for Nature Protection). Due to the above, we consider that it is necessary to implement the procedure of Preliminary assessment and combine it with the Evaluation of the need to assess the impact on the environment and inform the public thereof in a timely manner, particularly in order to preserve listed habitats, and with regard to the size and manner of conducting the procedure.

Association Sunce, in the appeal to the Decision of Splitsko-Dalmatinska County, the Department of construction, municipal services, infrastructure and environmental protection of 15 April this year, which states that for the planned intervention it is not necessary to conduct an assessment of the environmental impact, has proposed to the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection to dismiss the relevant Decision, return the case for renewed decision with the mandatory implementation of the procedure of Preliminary assessment of eligibility of the procedure for the ecological network in accordance with special regulations and to inform the public about everything. The Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, in its Decision of 28 May this year, upheld the appeal of the Association Sunce and dismissed the Decision of Splitsko-Dalmatinska County and returned case for renewed proceedings. With this decision, the case was closed in favour of the notifier.