The Environmental Inspectorate currently has the right to conduct proceedings in environment related misdemeanours; the status of investigative body will permit it to take over the proceeding of environmental crimes. Until now the Environmental Inspectorate carried out the initial investigative work in the case of environmental crimes, thereafter handing the material over to the police who, at the direction of the Prosecutor’s Office, led the proceedings in the matter to a conclusion. “This change allows for serious and complicated environmental crimes to be dealt with in depth. The expanded rights of the Inspectorate mean that proceedings in the case of crimes will be conducted from beginning to end by the same body, which also has the necessary environmental competency available. Naturally, this also means a greater degree of responsibility than previously,” stated Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus. Environment related violations of law and criminal matters have continuously decreased. “If for example in 2006 there were a total of 8000 violations, then last year there were 5587. The number of commenced criminal matters decreased during the same period from 149 to 27. Efficient monitoring surely has played a significant part in this pleasing trend,” added the Minister. Each regional department of the Environmental Inspectorate, of which there are four, will have one investigator and one senior investigator. The composition of the Inspectorate will not increase; instead, the existing powers of offices will expand. |
