Many EU member states and the profession also oppose the European Commission's forest management strategy, complaining about the draft's imbalance in the recognition of long-term, diversified forest management. Eleven EU member states, including Hungary and Romania, objected to Frans Timmermans' idea in a joint letter.

The attempt by the European Commission to make forest management impossible, ignoring the opinions of the member states and the European Parliament, is unacceptable, said Minister of Agriculture István Nagy in connection with the New Forest Strategy. The announcement of the Ministry of Agriculture on Monday informed that, according to the head of the ministry, the published document ignores the social and economic role of forests and represents a distorted approach that is not in line with sustainability and the ideology of the circular economy.

The minister reminded that despite the fact that 11 European Union member states, including our country, protested to Frans Timmermans, the Executive Vice President of the European Commission, against the preparation of the common strategy and his approach, the published document did not take the criticisms into account. István Nagy emphasized that the role of forests in the protection of biodiversity and the fight against climate change cannot be denied. Therefore, increasing the areas covered with trees and preserving the existing forest areas is a priority for our country. "However, we refuse to create strategies with a one-sided approach, reaching over our heads and ignoring the interests of farmers and society, which will disable 500,000 forest owners and tens of thousands of farmers in our country," emphasized the minister.

He explained: in addition to the imbalance of the strategy, the committee is expanding beyond its powers provided in the EU treaties and is planning a marked, central regulation of the forestry policy falling under the competence of the member states. The document completely ignores and does not build on the professional results achieved so far in relation to the management and maintenance of forests in individual member countries. Without formulating concrete ideas and determining the resources, it devotes a lot of space to the commission's campaign aimed at planting 3 billion trees, but does not even mention the successful European afforestation programs that have been taking place for several decades in the framework of rural development and will continue to be implemented in the future, added the head of the ministry.

István Nagy put it this way: "we believe that good decisions can only be made in relation to forests by taking into account the protection, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Whoever, by abandoning any of these, plans to subordinate the management of this important natural resource to a single system of criteria, makes a serious mistake". According to the minister, no one can seriously think that the path to the preservation of forests is through dictates that destroy farmers, reads the statement of the AM.

They are also protesting in Romania

The powers of the member states, the principle of subsidiarity, the diversity of European forests and the practical issues of sustainable management must also be taken into account when such a draft is prepared," Minister of Environment, Water Affairs and Forestry Tánczos Barna told the Krónika about the draft.

The head of the ministry reminded that forest management can be classified under the jurisdiction of the member states, and accordingly, each EU member has developed a system framed by legislation regarding the management of its own forest base.

"There was no consultation with the Forestry Standing Committee or the member states, the proposal is not the result of joint preparation. We ask that we discuss the forestry strategy," the head of the ministry insisted to Krónika. As he said, he is confident that a constructive debate can develop instead of unilateral decision-making.

Source: MTI, Kronika.ro

Photo: MTI Photo: Attila Balázs