Reforming the forest industry without depriving the forest enterprises of the State Forestry Agency of their legal status

The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on Environmental Policy and Nature Management discussed proposals for the adoption of the Resolution on the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine regarding the prevention of the creation of a unitary state commercial enterprise "Forests of Ukraine".

Our colleague Dmytro Karabchuk, head of the NGO "ForestCom" also took part in the extended meeting of the Committee. During the speech, he suggested that in the case of the adoption of the reform, it should be modified in such a way that it does not conflict with the state policy of decentralization, as well as the adopted State Forest Management Strategy of Ukraine.

Namely, that state forestry enterprises remain legal entities, each of which, upon joining the "Forests of Ukraine" association, retains the rights of a legal entity, and the newly created state association operates on the basis of the Law "On Enterprises in Ukraine".

Noting that forest management should be carried out in accordance with the National Forest Policy, agreed strategies and programs based on the principles of sustainable forest use, taking into account regional climatic, natural and economic features and based on the rules and principles developed by the Forestry Department as a central body of the executive power on matters of state policy formation.

Thus, the preservation of legal entities of state-owned forestry enterprises will avoid potentially negative aspects of the reform: uncertainty with the payment of taxes to local communities, mass reductions, economic burden, lack of expertise on regional features of forest growth, and will reduce corruption risks, which are primarily associated with the centralization of finances "in the same hands".

The content of the presentation materials regarding the detailed vision of reforming the forestry and hunting industry based on international experience and national characteristics.