site.bta50-60 Bulgarians Convicted of Illegal Logging Every Year

50-60 Bulgarians Convicted of Illegal Logging Every Year

Sofia, October 8 (BTA) - Between 50 and 60 people are convicted of illegal logging in Bulgaria every year, Executive Agency for Forests CEO Toni Krustev said on Thursday, as quoted by the Agriculture and Food Ministry. Krustev and Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Georgi Kostov attended a meeting in Sofia with Jeremy Wall, a representative of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

During the meeting, directorate chiefs at the Agriculture and Food Ministry and experts with the Executive Agency for Forests presented problems and trends in the Bulgarian forestry sector and provided statistical data about illegal logging in the country over the last 10 years.

Kostov said sustainable forestry should be based on maximizing the proceeds from forests. In a country like Bulgaria, where forests are mostly state-owned, it is necessary to use what are known as green instruments, he said.

Wall said the issues in the Bulgarian forestry sector are very similar to those in other Balkan countries. He said legislative changes are planned in connection with the ecosystems in the EU.

Experts said the management of private forests also needs to be supported. There are 700,000 private forest owners in Bulgaria and they should receive aid to ensure the sustainable development of forestry resources, they said.

The meeting also discussed the implementation of a European Parliament regulation and the cooperation between the Executive Agency for Forests and the public and private sectors.