Abstract
A country’s economic situation, its political establishment, and the prevailing environmental conditions have a significant impact on the institutional system required for efficient environmental protection measures. During our work, we reviewed the institutional changes and legislation regarding environmental protection which have occurred over the past 20 years as well as the role of changes in the government. In summary, it can be concluded that significant changes occurred during the past two decades. The names, organizational structures, operations, and scopes of ministries have undergone regular changes over the years. In Hungary, there has been no separate ministry of the environment since 2010, and this area is regulated only on the state secretary level. In contrast, in the V4 countries and the Carpathian Basin, environmental protection is regulated on the ministry level.