Law No. 786 “On protected areas”.

This Law establishes legal, organizational and economic basis of protected areas, tasks, functioning and zoning thereof. The Act consists of 13 Sections divided into 53 articles: (1) general provisions; (2) management of protected areas; (3) organization of protected areas; (4) state nature reserves; (5) national parks; (6) state wildlife sanctuaries; (7) state zoological parks; (8) state nature monuments, and ecological and ethnographic areas; (9) dendrological parks and botanical gardens; (10) natural resorts, medicinal, healthcare and recreational areas; (11) protected areas of international significance; (12) modalities of protection of protected areas; and (13) conclusive provisions. Protected areas shall be classified as international, national and local (Art. 3). Protected areas shall be exclusive property of the state (Art. 4). Social associations and citizens shall take part in organization, protection and management of protected areas (Art. 9). Protected areas shall be subject to state registration (Art. 10). Land of protected areas shall pertain to state forest fund classified as land of nature protection, recreational, historical and cultural heritage (Art. 16). Protected areas shall be used by citizens for recreational, healthcare, cultural purpose and for ecological tourism (Art. 18). Protected areas shall carry out the following tasks: (a) conservation of biodiversity; (b) biological monitoring; (c) research; (d) participation in environmental audit; (e) staff training; and (f) spreading of ecological knowledge (Art. 20).