Almost UAH 3 million in damage caused to the environment by the illegal felling of trees in the Stryi district has been reimbursed to the budget. The funds were recovered from the Stryi City Council on the basis of a court ruling that has entered into legal force, as reported by the Stryi District Prosecutor’s Office.
The case concerns the illegal felling of 311 trees of oak and alder species on a forest management land plot in the Stryi district. The violation was detected by staff of the State Environmental Inspectorate in Lviv region during a joint inspection of forest stands.
According to an expert report, the damage to the environment amounts to almost UAH 3 million. Under the law, the local self-government body on whose territory the forest is located is obliged to ensure its protection and is liable for the losses if the persons responsible are not identified.
On this basis, prosecutors filed a lawsuit seeking recovery of the damage caused to the state. The court of first instance fully upheld the claim, and the court of appeal later left this decision unchanged, agreeing with the arguments of the prosecution.
It is reported that the court’s decision has now been enforced and the damage has been fully compensated.