From today the war for change in the Bulgarian forests enters a new stage!
I have just submitted to the National Assembly / NA / a proposal to hear the Minister of Agriculture with the full report on the most striking schemes in state forestry and hunting, with specific data on the draining of BGN 37 million in 2022 alone – money that instead of they invest in the forest, sink into pockets and black boxes. Hundreds of unprotected small businesses have been harmed, either shutting down their businesses or being forced to pay exorbitant prices to survive. Dozens of large „our“ companies associated with mayors and parties such as GERB and MRF are profitable, for which there are always preferential conditions to buy wood for no money and to monopolize logging, often speculatively inflating prices.
And there are already signs of a frantic revolt of „our companies“ against the announced measures to protect forests, forestry, competition and small businesses (including the strict protection of 10% of the forest area for the protection of centuries-old forests, the electronicization of timber trade, the separation of timber from the sale of timber, the removal of restrictive conditions in „local trader“ auctions and long-term contracts, the updating of initial auction prices, etc.).
In the calls for protest against the change in the forests, you will hear that:
„The ban on logging in centuries-old forests leads to a shortage of timber and a speculative rise in prices.“ But it is a lie: Data from April 2022 of the Executive Forest Agency / EAG / show that the extraction of large timber from old forests has already reached record levels for the last 5 years, while the protection of centuries-old forests is a top priority in European strategies for biodiversity and forests. The prices of wood and wood products are growing exponentially (most of them twice in 1 year) mainly due to the growing demand on the international markets.
„E-auctions distort competition and raise prices due to a lack of transparency.“ But it is a lie: Electronic auctions, unlike paper auctions, have proven to be the best solution in Europe and Bulgaria for increasing competition, preventing cartels and rigged auctions, and real bidding, and less losses for forestries from the sale of timber.
„Restrictive conditions in favor of ‘local traders’ and long-term users with long-term contracts are needed to protect business investment and local livelihoods.“ But it is a lie: According to the opinions of EAG with outgoing №IAG-22744 / 16.09.2021 and №IAG-24380 / 05.10.2021, letter with outgoing №04-00-185 / 10.06.2021 of the Agency for public procurement, as well as the Decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition with КТACT-846-26.07.2018, the restrictive conditions related to „root extraction“, „local traders“, or a period of more than 5 years for long-term contracts are in protection of individual companies, which leads to abuses of these rights, to unfair state aid for some companies to others and to restricting access to public wood resources for all other companies.
Why did you come here? Because for years these problems have been covered up, small businesses have been destroyed with no one to complain to, and „our companies“ and many others have been included in the schemes to please and sustain power. But with the proposal to hear the Minister of Agriculture in the National Assembly / NA / and with the forthcoming entry of a draft resolution of the NA with measures to suspend forestry schemes, we make the most acute problems in the forest sector to be put on public debate at the highest level, not to block highways.
The proposal for hearing of the Minister of Agriculture in the National Assembly (entry №47-254-00-52 / 13.04.2022) with attached report and analyzes for the draining of BGN 37 million from part of the state forestry and hunting farms in Bulgaria.
Source: Alex Dountchev
