Rights of citizens to free access to natural resources (theoretical and legal regulation issues)

The right of citizens to free access to natural resources for their personal and domestic needs is an inalienable right deriving from the natural dependence of man on nature, which is the basis of his life. Purpose: to examine theoretical issues concerning the substantive characteristics of the right to use general natural resources and its content at the current stage of legal regulation; to analyze current legislation, governing the right of citizens to free access to natural resources. Methods: such general scientific methods as system analysis, comparison, formal logic and such special legal methods as conceptual-legal, comparative-legal, interpretation of legal norms are applied. Results: the study makes it possible to establish that the citizens’ right to free access to natural resources is not always available to the public, that is, to all citizens. Meeting one’s own needs in the process of natural resource use carried out by citizens is not an exclusive feature of the right to general use of natural resources. In some cases, it also involves the implementation of special use of natural resources resulting from a treaty or a decision of a governing body. Deficiencies and gaps in legislation have been identified with regard to the regulation of restrictions on the right of citizens to free access to natural resources and the responsibility for violating them.