Lukashenko demands prompt forest clean-up
The President of Belarus has been reported today by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Nazarov and Forestry Minister Vitaly Drozhzha on how Belarusian forests are being cleaned up after January disaster
“Immediately after, all of you (Government and local authorities under the State Control Committee’s supervision because nobody relieved the latter from responsibility for forests) were tasked to restore order as soon as possible, and in winter. The reason was clear: the swampiness of forests is great, the groundwater is standing high, and it is not always possible to get into the forest, as you say, in spring and even more so in summer – to get there to save the areas affected by the windfall. Time presses as well, since this wood will become unusable, and we will not be even able to use it for firewood. Therefore, it was necessary to quickly eliminate those consequences,” Aleksandr Lukashenko addressed those present.
Based on the Government data, the windfall was detected on an area of twenty-eight thousand hectares. “Well, this is, of course, a point at issue,” the President commented. “Farmers and foresters are good at telling larger or smaller lies – depending on how it might be beneficial. Therefore, let us assume that at least 28,000 hectares needed to be sawn on site and then be further transported for processing. Nine hundred thousand, almost a million cubic metres of forest, have been taken into account.”
The Head of State noted, “Before the long weekend, 93 percent of this volume, or 840,000 cubic metres, had been stockpiled – as the Government reports. The main task now is to take all timber out by roads by March 15th, as planned – so that it will be possible to work in spring and summer. I know a lot has been done. The Forestry Ministry has redirected its forces and machinery to the most affected areas. Resources of non-state companies with logging complexes and individual entrepreneurs have been attracted.”
The President also emphasised that command and administrative methods alone are not enough to cope with the tasks. “It is necessary to get those engaged in wood processing interested – especially agricultural enterprises. I have already said: up to the point that some sites are allocated for timber harvesting free of charge,” he said.
At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that – based on the State Control Committee’s reports – there are certain complaints about the work of the Forestry Ministry. “The inventory of the areas with wind-broken trees has not been properly carried out. There are facts of unjustified logging of healthy growing stock. This is absolutely unclear. We need to harvest the forest that may die; in turn, we start sawing normal trees that can grow for another year... There are cases of distortion of information about the work actually performed – the so-called false reporting. I am warning you: someone might be put in prison for doing this. Proper accounting of harvested wood is not always ensured, and this creates prerequisites for corruption and theft,” the President stressed.
Mr. Nazarov was ordered to take the elimination of these problematic issues under personal control.
Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised, “Timber is the most valuable resource for our country. No matter what sanctions are imposed against us, there is not enough timber in the world; by hook or by crook, they will come and ask to buy it – both the European Union and our southern neighbours. Actually, it is quite a different matter. At the same time, both the financial results from processing and obtaining maximum profit are important. We do not simply need to clean forests up: we should get an effect from this. We should get money from this. But each plot, each tree must be approached wisely.”
The Head of State added that, based on the information he receives, there are places where harvesting is not only economically impractical but can even lead to disruption of the ecosystem. “These are minor aspects. I think you will figure out where it is necessary to harvest, and where, maybe, it is not necessary to get in as you will then cause more harm. But I would like this to be an exception,” he said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he would like to hear of the work already done and also get detailed information on how raw materials would be processed and what economic effect this would produce.
