RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Illegal logging and the protection of forests

Decision makers in Bucharest are trying to stop illegal logging

Illegal logging and the protection of forests
Illegal logging and the protection of forests

, 09.03.2017, 13:50

In the National Afforestation Program, adopted 7 years ago, Romania stipulated the increase of forest surfaces between 2010-2035 by 442,000 hectares. This is a mission which analysts sarcastically label as impossible.



Because, according to statistics, forest areas can be extended only by 6,379 hectares per year, given the current pace of afforestation, be it artificial or natural, on the one hand, and the pace of logging, on the other. That means Romania would need 60 years to implement the national afforestation program scheduled for only 25 years.



According to the National Institute of Statistics, the forested area has been extended, though, and this growth is mainly due to redeveloping forested pastures and to introducing degraded and non-forested lands into the forestry stock as established by the Forest Code.



However, in 2015, a Greenpeace Romania report showed that, in reality, 3 hectares of forest are lost every hour because of illegal logging. Recently, the Romanian ecologists have revealed that the main wood processor on the Romanian market, the Austrian company Holzindustrie Schweighofer, offered bonuses for the wood illegally cut from Romania’s forests, and this stringent issue has eventually reached Romania’s Parliament and Government.



The civil sanctions for illegal logging and illegal wood transport will be maintained at the level provided for in the government order issued by the former technocratic government, which actually toughened these sanctions. The MPs in the agriculture committee have agreed to also maintain the measure providing for the confiscation of the vehicles transporting the wood cut illegally.



They will however reanalyze the sanctions for the employees in the forestry field who don’t notify the authorities on the wood theft or are accessories to it. Secretary of state with the Environment Ministry, Şteţco Istrate, admits that the measures are necessary to discourage illegalities.



Şteţco Istrate: “The employees in the forestry sector could avoid receiving criminal sanctions, they might receive only civil sanctions. We want to strike a balance between the employees’ salaries and the sanctions to be imposed on them in case of illegalities. We do not want sanctions to be eliminated. As regards illegal logging, we will not relax any sanctions. On the contrary, we’ll introduce further sanctions regarding timber traceability.”



The debate on the law, article by article, will start next week, and the Agriculture Committee is to draft a report that will be submitted to the plenum of the Chamber of Deputies, which is a decision-maker. Meanwhile, the barbaric illegal logging in Romania’s mountains continues, newspapers write.


Signing of the protocol (foto:
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

Transition program towards F-35, launched

The Romanian Air Force’s transition program to 5th generation aircraft has been launched.   Romania’s decision to acquire advanced fighter...

Transition program towards F-35, launched
Energy (foto: EdWhiteImages / pixabay.com)
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

The National Energy Strategy, adopted

Using local resources, reducing imports and making massive investments in production capacity are important elements of the new National Energy...

The National Energy Strategy, adopted
European Commission (photo: © European Union - Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Christophe Licoppe)
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Photo: aep.ro
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels

NATO welcomes Romania’s continuous efforts and its significant contribution to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security, NATO...

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Romania’s economic growth estimate has been recalculated by the European Commission (EC), at a value well below the initially established...

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company