Currently, the perpetrators of the illegal felling of trees have not yet been identified. Still, the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Polissya District insists that the responsibility lies with local governments. The question remains: will the city council agree to compensate for the damage voluntarily, or will the case be transferred to court?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From an appeal to millions in losses: how it all began<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The story began with a message from an active citizen, Oleksandr Lada, which was sent to the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Polissya District via the “EcoZagroza” platform on January 28, 2025. This statement became the basis for an urgent inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In March 2025, environmental inspectors and representatives of the Kostopil City Council conducted a joint inspection of the territory mentioned in the complaint. Unfortunately, the worst assumptions were confirmed: mass felling of trees was discovered on a plot of communal property owned by the city council near the village of Yapolot, Rivne district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“1,554 pine trees were illegally cut down in the specified territory,” the State Environmental Inspectorate noted. Experts calculated the costs incurred by the environment, and the total amount amounted to 4,888,086 hryvnias 39 kopecks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The search for the guilty is an unexpected burden on the city council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The collected materials were transferred to the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Rivne region to identify persons involved in the illegal cutting of trees on communal lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, as reported by the Rivne district police, “materials regarding the illegal cutting of trees have been registered, but the persons involved in this offense have not been identified.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This may seem like a dead end; however, the head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Polissya District, Yevgeny Medvedovsky, explains that the law has its requirements: “by the council”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Does this mean that we will have to go to court?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, the responsibility for these millions of losses lies with the Kostopil City Council. The State Environmental Inspectorate has already sent an official request for compensation for 4,888,086 hryvnias 39 kopecks and suggested that the City Council take measures to compensate for the damage within a month voluntarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“In case of refusal to make voluntary payment, the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Polissya District will be forced to take legal action for forced collection,” Yevgeny Medvedovsky emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This situation is an essential signal for all local governments: they are responsible for the state of forests and natural resources on their territory, and negligence in these matters can lead to significant financial losses. Only time will tell whether the Kostopil City Council will admit its responsibility and voluntarily pay for the damages caused, or whether the case will go to court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Currently, the perpetrators of the illegal felling of trees have not yet been identified. Still, the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Polissya District insists that the responsibility lies with local governments. The question remains: will the city council agree to compensate for the damage voluntarily, or will the case be transferred to court? From an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":16121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n