A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed today between the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the Public Institution National Park “Mavrovo”, the Macedonian Ecological Society and the Global Conservation Foundation.
This confirmed the partnership and the framework for joint cooperation for planning, organizing and implementing works and activities for the promotion of the protection of the extremely rich biodiversity and the diverse climatic, topographical and geological characteristics of the protected area of Mavrovo and the transformation of this national park which will overcome the open issues in the establishment of sustainable management of the natural values of this protected area.
This partnership completes the necessary resources and capacities for the preparation of a Study for the revaluation of the natural values of the protected area NP Mavrovo, which will reexamine the zoning of the national park established with its proclamation in 1949 and, consequently, a Management Plan will be prepared.
“As the Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, it is a particular honor and pleasure for me to emphasize the already established cooperation with our partners the Global Conservation Foundation, the Macedonian Ecological Society and the Public Institution National Park Mavrovo in the process of re-proclamation of Mavrovo a protected area in the category of national park as an obligation arising from the Law on Nature Protection, but also as a real need for the advancement of the protected area and for solving open issues in the sustainable management of natural values in the Park” – Minister Shukova pointed out.
In addition to the fact that the Study for the Revaluation of the natural values of NP Mavrovo is a legal obligation, it is conditioned by a series of changes that have occurred in this protected area from the time of its proclamation until today, which requires recording and an appropriate management plan.
Part of them are the nomination for Dlaboka Reka in NP Mavrovo to the UNESCO World Heritage List “Beech Rainforests (Century Forests) of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe”, an existing and enacted amendment and supplement to the urban planning documentation of the area of NP Mavrovo, as well as for other infrastructure projects that can directly affect landscape and biological diversity, National Red Lists and Draft National Reference Lists for habitats, plants and animals included in the EU Habitats and Birds Directive, included in the EU Birds Directive, present on the territory of NP Mavrovo, the Dossier for NP Mavrovo as an Emerald area according to the Bern Convention and as a future Natura 2000 area according to the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, the open case from the Bern Convention at the Council of Europe for North Macedonia, the Ecological Corridor: Buković (Sretkovo ) and Buković (Kolari), as a continuation of the cross-border ecological corridor Mavrovo (MK) – Korab Koritnik (AL) – Mount Munela (AL), determined the ecological corridor of movement of large animals, as well as the Memorandum for the cross-border area between North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo signed on 10.12.2022 by the three ministers.
With this activity, the MOEPP and the Government of RNM make a big step forward and respond to the recommendations of the Berne Convention for the open file for NP Mavrovo.
After signing the memorandum, the director of the Public Institution National Park Mavrovo, Samir Ajdini, thanked everyone who helped in this process to, as he said, “get rid of the calvary we have been struggling with for ten years”.
- “I hope that this will be an initial “cap” for the protection of our protected area, for our beautiful area to be even bigger and for our employees to have an even greater motivation for work”, added Ajdini.
The president of the Macedonian Ecological Society Skopje, Slavco Hristovski, after signing the memorandum, expressed his satisfaction and mentioned that the MES with its research activity has been present in NP Mavrovo for thirty years and will continue to provide its expert support to the Mavrovo National Park and its employees.
The Director of Global Conservation for Europe and Asia, Mustafa Genen emphasized that they provide help and support to the Ministry as well as to the Mavrovo National Park, to ensure the safety of the environment.