Sanctions were imposed only on regular employees of the forestry, but environmentalists remind about a succession of investigations in late years, which show that violations by timber producing companies never happen without protection from highest level and often are conducted against the will of the regular foresters.
In order the put an end to the vicious practice the directors of the forestries to be assigned mainly for political reasons, WWF calls for urgent amendments to the Forest Act.:
- Leading cadres to be assigned only through public competitions.
- The competitions to be preceded by an open consultation with the employees of the forestries and the other stakeholders
- The putting into practice or the rejection of the decisions from the consultation to be implemented through public announcement of the arguments and with a definite mechanism for their review.
“The experience shows that good management of forestries depends mostly on the management and forestry knowledge of the leading cadres,” says Eng.Alexander Dunchev, forest expert at WWF. “Today, on account of the political dependence and the lack of long-term security, for the management of forests are mainly sought cadres, which are willing to serve private or political timber production interests, especially during elections”, he adds.
WWF signals about Systematic violations in forests above the town of Sarnitsa
