Environment Minister: Forest Guards should become the DNA of forests

Forest Guards should be an elite group, to become an institution similar to the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), and to this purpose we earmarked from the budget for the current year funding for increasing staff, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests Cristiana Pasca-Palmer stated on Thursday. 

"My vision on the environmental concerns is one [...] in which I want us to have a change of paradigm, in the sense that the environment should not be regarded as an obstacle. The natural capital is an opportunity for sustainable development and a transition towards the green economy. I would like the environment to be much better integrated in the sectorial fields and for the population and the decision-makers at Government level to have a greater awareness (...) Forests are one of the country's strategic resources and I salute the decision to include this natural capital in the strategic sector. The situation of forests is a complex one and everyone knows very well how things are. In reality, we will not be able to fix in 10 months the problems accumulated over several years, but there are steps we can take. I am referring here to the control and regulation field, for instance the Forest Guard should be an elite group, for which we have a budget to increase staff. The Forest Guard should be an elite group, a sort of DNA of the forests. The Forests Radar or SUMAL (editor's note: national timber tracking electronic system) need more efficiency and more transparency," the Minister said in a press conference. 

On the other hand, Pasca-Palmer stated that the list of priorities for her mandate includes green economy, biodiversity and waste. 

"Fostering a transition towards green economy - in very concrete terms, I would like us to have a programme to support entrepreneurship in the green sector. Here we can refer to organic agriculture, ecotourism or green buildings. Another priority is biodiversity. We are planning to establish the National Agency for Protected Areas. The waste sector represents another major and complex problem - there are issues related to infringement and to the country target we took on at a European level," the Environment Minister added. 

She also announced that the 'Rabla' (Jalopy) car scrappage scheme will continue in 2016, but checks are necessary on the possible resulting improvement of air quality in cities. 

The minister mentioned that the environmental stamp legislation will not be changed, as it consistently feeds the environmental projects budget. AGERPRES