site.btaTimber to Be Transported by Electronic Ticket

Timber to Be Transported by Electronic Ticket

Sofia, March 10 (BTA) - As of mid-April, timber, produced in
state forests in Bulgaria, will be transported by an electronic
ticket, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Georgi Kostov
said. He took part in a round table on: "Statutory changes in
the forestry sector for enhancing control" held in Sofia on
Tuesday.

On March 4, Parliament voted to impose a temporary suspension on
 the export and shipment of unprocessed timber in a bid to crack
 down on illegal logging. The moratorium will be in effect for
three months from the day of its gazetting. During these three
months, legislative changes will have to be proposed to lead to
a lasting solution of the problem of illegal logging.

The e-ticket system will be fully applied by the end of
September and, owing to it, the timber will be followed from
logging to the warehouses. Its introduction will cost around
10,000 leva per forestry farm.

The establishment of an on-line system for following the
movement of timber through an e-ticket is one of the changes
envisaged in Ordinance No. 1 on control and protection of
forests. The software is owned by the Executive Forest Agency
and will be provided free of charge to registered foresters.