The Council of the Republic today approved amendments to the Forest code. Among the innovations of the bill is the simplification of the mechanism for issuing permits for logging. This was reported to journalists today by the first Deputy Minister of forestry Valentin Shatravko, BelTA correspondent reports.
The first Deputy Minister said that it would be easier for legal entities and individuals in Belarus to receive plots for timber harvesting. Now it is necessary to make changes to the forest management project. Once the amendments are adopted, this will no longer be necessary. "Such decisions will be made by the forestry enterprises themselves, so that the population can freely harvest wood in the forest. This procedure will be simplified, " he said. The Ministry of forestry expects that the issue will be resolved in a day or two. The simplification of permits will also enable forestry enterprises to deal more quickly with the consequences of natural disasters.
Important innovations relate to artisans. It will be easier for them to make out the harvesting of branches of hazel and other shrubs for making crafts. Harvesting of such forest resources in the bill is attributed to the secondary forest management.
Valentin Shatravko added that the amendments to the Forest code provide for strengthening the responsibility of tenants of forest areas, if they do not harvest the entire volume of wood. "This responsibility is proposed to strengthen the payment of the tax value for the entire volume of wood that is leased," he said.
There are eight issues on the agenda of today's meeting of the Council of the Republic. Senators approved amendments to some laws on legal protection of integrated circuit topologies. Parliamentarians will consider bills on amendments and additions to the laws on flora, on the safety of genetic engineering, a number of international treaties.
News Agency "BelTA"
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