Movement "Open Coast" set up in Russia to protect Black Sea shore

In January 2011, a new public movement named "Open Coast" was founded in Russia with the aim to conduct a "broad public monitoring" and inform citizens about "most obvious violations of their fundamental right to unobstructed use of the natural resources of Russia."

The founders of the "Open Coast" note that the idea to form a public movement in defence of shores of water bodies and recreation zones was born in the course of the fight for the nature in the Gelendzhik District of the Krasnodar Territory.

According to its organizers, the "Open Coast" will combat the practice of delivery of recreation zones of cities and towns into private hands, and seek demolition of illegal fences and termination of build-up of shorelines of water objects. Also, the movement advocates in favour of amendments to the legislation to ensure making changes of the status of recreation zones of dwelling settlements exclusively through referenda, and plans to demand development and adoption of a special federal programme for development of the Russia's Black Sea coast at the level of standards, which do not degrade our civil and human dignity."

The new social initiative was already supported by the activists of the "Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus," who have promised to render their support and assistance.