Region: Zakarpatya and Ivano-Frankivsk regions
Essence of the case: Protection of valuable mountain range, glassier lakes, Emerald network site, wetlands from construction of ski resort «Svydovets»
Essence of the problem:
In May 2017, Rakhiv and Tyachiv state administrations adopted the decisions on approval of the detailed plan of the territory (DPT) and decided on functional designation of 14000ha for recreational usage, including 1400 ha for construction, 430 of forests to be logged to allow construction of all the resort infrastructure (square of construction 50 000 м2), the length of new roads – 90 km, length of ski lifts – 53 km.
Planed construction will take place outside of the villages. The resort will accommodate 23 ski lifts of different variety and length, location of 230 km of ski slopes of different complexity and with 100 % snow coverage. This will create winter infrastructure for 22 000 people at the same time. Engineering networks will be located on the valleys of main rivers: Black Tysa, Dovgana, Stanislav.
During the development of the detailed plans of the territory, violations of national norms and international agreements was happening, no environmental assessments were taking place.
Svydovets mountain range is the habitat for 42 plant species and 51 animal species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Such habitats might disappear as a result of investment implementation. In general, near 93 species from the Red Book of Ukraine and tenths of species from regional and international endangered species lists will be endangered due to the project implementation. Anthropogenic impact on this territories which consist from unique habitats of endemic, relicts, arctic-alps species of flora and fauna, will create destruction of Emerald network site, designated in 2016.1
Svydovets is a unique territory with mountain marshes. Three rivers which compose the river basin of transboundary river Tisa originate from Svydovets area.
More details about the problem in the articles: (in Ukrainian)
Стратегічна екологічна оцінка та детальні плани територій. Розбираємося в тонкощах нового законодавства:
https://day.kyiv.ua/uk/blog/suspilstvo/strategichna–ekologichna–ocinka–ta–detalni–plany–terytoriy;
Горам теж потрібен закон. Чому важливо мати якісні детальні плани території та не варто поспішати з ОВД. Приклад Свидовця:
https://day.kyiv.ua/uk/article/tema–dnya–cuspilstvo/goram–tezh–potriben–zakon;
Свидовець: влада «забула» про дію деяких законів?
https://day.kyiv.ua/uk/blog/suspilstvo/svydovec-vlada-zabula-pro-diyu-deyakyh-zakoniv;
Як не втратити перлини Карпат: цінні гірські території Свидовець і Боржава
https://eco.rayon.in.ua/topics/521094-yak-ne-vtratiti-perlini-karpat-tsinni-girski-teritorii-svidovets-i-borzhava
Protection on national level:
1.Litigation concerning challenging of DPT of the Svydovets ski resort .
Applicants are challenging the decision of Rahiv and Tyachiv regional state administrations on approval of the DPT due to the violations of the procedure of public participation of DPT, procedure of the redevelopment of urban planning documentation at local level, absence of SEA of DPT.
The decision of the court of first instance (claims satisfied): http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/71714520;
The decision of the appeal court (decision of the court of first instance revoked): http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/73842742;
The decision of the High Administrative Court of the Supreme Court (the case send for reconsideration to the court of first instance): https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/100079348;
The decision of the court of first instance (claims satisfied): https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/105461324;
In July, 19, 2022 the bench of judges of Zakarpatya Regional Administrative Court issued a decision to declare illegal the decision of Tyachiv State Administration dated 31.05.2017 № 214 “On approval of the DPT” and decision of Rahiv state administration dated 15.05.2017 №135 “On approval of the DPT of touristic ski resort “Svydovets” outside of the settlements».
The defendants filed an appeal, which is now under consideration of 8Th Administrative Appeal Court. On 15 December, 2022, the appeal court held its final hearing and decided to rule in favor of defendants – Tyachiv and Rahiv State Administrations, canceled the decision of the court of first instance and rendered a new decision to deny the claims of the plaintiffs. The full text of the decision could be found here: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/107901830. Applicants prepared second appeals and addressed them to the Supreme Court. The Motion of the Supreme Court of Ukraine dated 25 January, 2023 the cessation proceedings were opened on the basis of complaints of plaintiffs and EPL. The Supreme Court Motion could be found here: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/108594094.
2. The procedure of EIA of Svydovets ski resort construction
In 2018 the local authorities filed a Notification on planed activity, as the start of EIA procedure: https://tyachiv–rda.gov.ua/news/549-ocnka–vplivu–na–dovkllya–turistichnogo–kompleksu–svidovec.html
Protection at international level:
Appeal to the Bern Convention concerning protection of valuable habitats of Svydovets.
1 http://natura2000.eea.europa.eu/Emerald/SDF.aspx?site=UA0000259&release=2;
2 http://ecozakarpat.gov.ua/?page_id=61;
Video resources (in Ukrainian):
Онлайн дискусія “Цінні гірські території Свидовець і Боржава: як зберегти перлини Карпат“, 9 червня 2022 р.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asM2aqKlHBI
Сталий розвиток Карпат VS масштабні гірськолижні курорти Буковель та Свидовець, 16 лютого 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P47Ffhqn09A
Онлайн дискусія Яке майбутнє у Свидовецького гірського масиву? 15 грудня 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CGyR-nXPP8
