In Lviv region, indictments have been submitted to court against two former forestry officials accused of illegal logging in forests and abuse of office that caused serious consequences. This was reported by the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the investigation, in 2022 the director and the chief forester (first deputy director) of one of the subdivisions of the “Carpathian Forest Office” branch of the SE “Forests of Ukraine” unlawfully issued logging permits for regeneration felling, on the basis of which trees were cut down.
The investigation established that the director unjustifiably signed and issued logging permits, as a result of which more than 26 hectares were cleared, with at least 1,068 trees of various ages and species felled. The environmental damage in this episode exceeds UAH 4.5 million.
Using a similar scheme, the chief forester issued unlawful logging permits, on the basis of which a further 116 trees were cut down over an area of more than 7 hectares. The damage in this instance is estimated at almost UAH 700,000.
Both defendants are charged with illegal logging in forests and abuse of office that caused serious consequences (Part 4 of Article 246, Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The pre-trial investigation in the proceedings was carried out by the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation based in the city of Lviv.
Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt has been proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a guilty verdict of the court.