President Volodymyr Zelensky will not sign draft law No. 9665 on improving liability for offenses in the field of forest use and combating illegal timber trafficking.
The adviser to the president on communications Dmytro Lytvyn told Suspilne about this. According to him, the time for imposing a veto has already passed.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted this bill on October 10. It was signed by the speaker of the parliament, and on October 15 the document was sent to the president for signature. Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet signed it.
What is the law about?
The law strengthened the responsibility for those who are engaged in massive felling and processing of wood. However, society was most outraged by large fines and even imprisonment for "storage, transportation or sale of wood without proper documents." Because of this, the document was nicknamed the "law on fines for firewood".
The law stipulates that when the value of wood is estimated at more than 30 thousand hryvnias, the fine can be from 34 thousand to 51 thousand hryvnias, or restriction of freedom for up to three years.
If this value exceeds 90 000 hryvnias, then the fine is from 170 000 to 425 000 hryvnias, or imprisonment for five to seven years.
Owners of firewood must have documents on where and how they purchased it — receipts, checks, invoices, etc.
The law also contains a provision on punishment for haying and grazing cattle, harvesting reeds, arbitrary harvesting of wild fruits, nuts, mushrooms, and berries in areas where it is prohibited or allowed only with the permission of forestry. Fines — up to 850 hryvnias.
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