BACEVIC: Water resources are property of state

(Milan Bacevic)

Water resources represent natural resources, they belong to the state and cannot be alienated, regardless of whether a source of water is located on a private or state-owned property, says Minister of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial Planning Milan Bacevic.

Commenting on an ad for the sale of a land lot with a source of drinking water and exploitation rights at a price of EUR 0.5 billion, Bacevic pointed out in a statement to RTS that the only thing that can be sold was the right to explore that water resource.

- One can sell a location, land lot where such souurce of water is situated, but water as a natural resource cannot be sold because water is a public resource and a property of the state by law - Bacevic stressed.

Minister Bacevic explained that two ministries were currently responsible for a single resource, voicing his expectation that a new law would change that.