The Basin Principle in the Organization and Functioning of the Prosecutor’s Office

The paper analyzes the dynamics of applying the basin approach in the Russian legal system to regulate legal relations in the field of water resource use and protection. It examines the application of the basin approach in shaping the legal regime of water bodies and the system of authorized bodies responsible for direct water management and protection. The influence of the basin principle on the structure of environmental prosecutor’s offices is also analyzed. The paper highlights the Schemes for the Integrated Use and Protection of Water Bodies (SKIOVO) as a key element of strategic planning for water management and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems. It further assesses the impact of basin councils on the development of such schemes and the water management situation in specific basins. However, the implementation of these schemes is deemed ineffective due to weak oversight mechanisms and the absence of prosecutors in basin councils. Based on the analysis of changes in the legal framework, the author concludes that the role of basin councils has weakened, their coordinating function has been effectively diminished, and SKIOVO no longer carries mandatory force. Additionally, there is no accountability for non-compliance with these schemes. Against the backdrop of declining water quality and shrinking reserves of clean freshwater, the paper emphasizes the importance of prosecutors obtaining information on the implementation of SKIOVO to take timely legal action and enforce judicial measures ensuring compliance. This includes monitoring the adoption of socioeconomic development and territorial planning documents in regions within the respective basin’s boundaries.