Environmental crimes in domestic and European Union law

Antonović Ratomir (Institut za srpsku kulturu, Priština - Leposavić), antonovicr@gmail.com

The main problem discussed in this paper is environmental crime, which has recently been on the rise, both in the European Union (EU) and in the Republic of Serbia. On the domestic front, a particular aspect of environmental crime is reflected in acts of forest theft occurring in the border zone with Kosovo and Metohija. Such mismanagement of the environment has led to confrontations between the perpetrators of these crimes and the local population, which has produced qualified consequences. Countering environmental crime, therefore, requires the implementation of stricter measures to prevent and punish offenders, as demonstrated by the analysis of the criminal act of forest theft, which poses a much greater security and legal risk than mere material damage. From an environmental perspective, this type of crime has significant environmental consequences, which underscores the importance of timely prevention of such harmful activities.

Keywords: Serbia, environmental crimes, forest theft, European legislation