Skopje, 3 May 2022 (MIA) – The Government on Tuesday adopted a document on a need to declare Lake Ohrid a category III protected area – Natural Monument. In addition, the Government instructed the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning to organize a public debate on the proposal until June 30, 2022, on the basis of which a final proposal will be prepared to declare Lake Ohrid a category III protected area – Natural Monument. According to the Government, the initiative is in line with UNESCO recommendations on the protection of Lake Ohrid in order to enable protection, preservation and sustainable use of natural values in accordance with the Law on the Protection of Nature. “The initiative will enable progress in the implementation of national legislation on nature protection, the National Strategy for Nature Protection with Action Plan (2017-2027), the National Strategy for Biodiversity with Action Plan (2018-2023), as well as progress in the implementation of obligations within EU directives on habitats and birds, obligations within international conventions, ratified by our country, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Berne Convention, CITES, the Bonn Convention, Ramsar Convention, etc.,” reads the press release.