A Transcarpathian environmentalist believes that the abolition of the moratorium on the export of “log wood” will not be a disaster for the Carpathian forest (OPINION)

The moratorium on the export of "log wood" is an economic issues and has nothing to do with the environment.

This opinion was expressed by the known in the region expert on ecology in the comments that Uzhgorod.in had asked to give on the hot topic – the possible abolition of the ban on export of the so-called "log wood" (raw industrial wood), which is believed to result in disaster for the Carpathian forests.

This is what the environmentalist of the Association "Ecosphere" Oksana Stankevich-Volosyanchuk said about it:

"The moratorium on the export of logs is primarily an economic issue and has nothing to do with the environment. From the outset, this initiative was lobbied by woodworking companies to buy cheap wood that grows in state forests and is our property. Any owner having a product wants to sell it at a higher price, to cover the expenses and to invest in further production. Therefore, for the duration of the moratorium, the state suffered losses by losing money on the free market of wood.

And what is needed to protect the forests of the Carpathians is not a moratorium, but reforming of the forestry industry and effective law enforcement system."    

"So let’s not talk about a moratorium, but about free markets, transparent auction procedures, effective laws, professional law enforcement agencies and reforming of the old Soviet system, elimination of corruption schemes – which is more difficult, but also more necessary" – Mrs. Oksana said.

Meanwhile, on the initiative of representatives of the woodworking industry, a strike against the possible abolition of the export of raw wood has been announced.