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Serbia: Attempt to ‘Punish’ Serbian NGO Animal Shelter ? – Investigation Report Into Vaccination ‘Procedures’ Uncovers Discrepancies

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

** Latest 10/09/09 ** :

Today, additional government pressure is being placed on NGO shelters within Serbia.

We refer to our recent post of 31/07/09 (link below) and veterinary inspectors who wrote to EPAR shelter and demanded that 174 dogs at the shelter must immediately be re-vaccinated. As we declared in the post, “All of the dogs which the inspectors require to be vaccinated were vaccinated on 21/07/2008, almost one year ago to the day”.

Link: https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/serbia-ngo-requests-to-government-ministry-for-information-about-zoo-animals-result-in-order-from-ministry-for-ngo-to-re-vaccinate-its-animals-or-face-massive-fine/

On 10/09/09, EPAR shelter have received another letter from the republic veterinary inspection information department declaring that veterinary inspectors will visit EPAR shelter to see if vaccinations of the 174 dogs which were demanded on 24.7.2009 have been undertaken.

The Director of the Veterinary station is one Mr Antun Orcic; he is the husband of veterinary inspector Matilda Orcic. Mr Orcic did not want to do the booster vaccinations of all 174 dogs.

Regardless, Veterinary Inspector Matilda Orcic demanded that booster vaccinations be given, even though the dogs were vaccinated approximately one year ago and according to our investigations (see report below), the duration of the vaccination is 3 YEARS. According to us, the dogs are still covered by their current vaccination, and will be for around another 2 years.

EPAR shelter have sent a request/letter to the veterinary station today, declaring that any vaccinations on any dogs must be financed from the republic budget, as this is in agreement with the Veterinary law.

It must be made very clear that EPAR shelter, which is simply an NGO which undertakes the care and protection of stray dogs delivered to the shelter, are not the legal owner of all the strays. The owners of unmarked, unsterilised stray dogs which often end up at EPAR shelter are in some circumstances the tax paying citizens of Subotica City. These taxes should contribute to the national budget, which should provide (out of the national budget) for the costs of vaccinating stray dogs at EPAR shelter. It is not the responsibility of an NGO to suddenly be declared the ‘owner’ of all stray dogs at its shelter, and subsequently have to independently cover the costs of all the vaccinations.

These stray dogs at EPAR shelter may or may not have had a past owner – if they did, the owner would have been a taxpayer. As the government does not have any system to aid identification of an animals owner, such as a microchip, the past owner of many animals simply cannot be identified. But, because of this, either the original owner of the animal, or the state (if never owned animals) are responsible for the vaccination costs of dogs at EPAR shelter, not the NGO. This declaration is clear in Article(s) 140. and 141. of the Veterinary Law.

It would appear that by declaring EPAR shelter as the ‘owner’ of all strays which come through their front gate, and requesting they (EPAR) pay for animal vaccinations, the government are attempting to punish EPAR shelter in yet another way.

Article 55. of the Veterinary Law allows for shelters to take in the animals, but for official veterinarians to visit the shelter, do any necessary vaccinations, and then forward to the state a monthly reoprt of the number of animals vaccinated. The vets are subsequently financed for their vaccinations out of the state budget. See report below for detailed information.

So, EPAR shelter is Not the legal ‘owner’ of the stray dogs at its shelter. It is simply a haven providing a home and shelter for the animals. Now the government are attempting to ruin EPAR shelter by forcing costs and fines onto them for failing to cover costs for animal vaccinations which should not financially be their responsibility anyway !

The vaccination costs of stray animals living at a shelter is NOT the obligation of the shelter, it IS the obligation of the government.

Is this a Serbian government attempt to destroy EPAR shelter and the animal welfare organisations / shelters of Serbia ?

** Possibly the following investigation which has recently been undertaken may be the reason why there are attempts to destroy EPAR shelter. We leave you to read the report below into our investigation and decide for yourself if what is happening is pure chance, or if there is a deeper reason why the veterinary profession and the government may wish to silence EPAR shelter. **

Please read on for full details of our investigation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

INVESTIGATION REPORT

We have an opinion now that the veterinary profession in Serbia, may be undertaking unnecessary work in relation to routine animal vaccinations, possibly charging both individual Serbian citizens and at the same time, the Serbian state, for the costs of the same (ie. One single) unnecessary vaccine.

Overview:

Under Serbian law, Article 55 of the Veterinary legislation demands that:

1) everybody who is the owner of an animal(s) must contact veterinarians who have a permit for undertaking the program of control for infective animal disease(s).

2) it is the responsibility of the animal(s) owner to keep vaccination documentation for a period of at least 2 years.

But owners of animals do not have any more obligations with regard Rabies vaccination(s). This is specifically a vaccination which must be performed / undertaken by a qualified veterinarian.

As far as we see, the term ‘vaccination’ means both 1) the physical vaccine (vial) itself and 2) the administration (application) of that vaccine to any animal.

A ‘vaccinator’, ie. the veterinarian, is one who vaccinates.

Important: Veterinarians do not have a legal permit for the distribution of vaccines, but only for the administration (giving) of a vaccine to an animal.

The vets receive (via a distribution network) doses of the vaccine for Rabies which is called ‘Nobivac Rabies’.

For 2007, the veterinarians within Subotica city alone were given 15,000 doses of the Nobivac Rabies vaccine.

In 2008, 35,980 doses of the Nobivac Rabies vaccine have been allocated in Subotica.

NOBIVAC RABIES : An inactivated vaccine for the immunization of dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, goats, foxes, ferrets and horses, and in principle all healthy mammals against Rabies.

Source – http://www.intervet.com/ipg/companion-animals.aspx

SAV contacts / Serbian campaigners have previously requested, and now actually have documented evidence of the numbers of vaccines provided (distributed) to veterinarians in all major cities within Serbia. It is understood that the Republic of Serbia has paid a Dutch company named ‘Intervet’ for the legitimate, legal supply of all vaccines used in the Republic of Serbia.

‘Marlo Pharma’ http://www.intervet.com/contacts/serbia_and_montenegro.aspx of Belgrade were the organisation responsible for the importation (into Serbia) and distribution within Serbia of the vaccine (including needles etc) to all the specific veterinary institutes around the country. The other organisation is called ‘Net Vet’, also of Belgrade; who have a permit for the importation of ‘Rabdomun’, a very similar Rabies vacine. The registration of both vaccines detailed is undertaken by a state organisation named ‘Agencija za lekove’ – a public agency with responsibilities for both human and veterinary medicines.

The veterinary institutes around the country were then responsible for forwarding on – allocating / distributing the vaccine doses to the regional / local veterinary facilities, who would then be responsible for the vaccination of any animals requiring innoculation within their specific region.

The current arrangement is that all the veterinary stations involved in this programme, being those which are located throughout Serbia, each send a monthly report to the National Veterinary Institute and the Veterinary Department of Serbia, detailing specifically how many doses of the (Nobivac Rabies) vaccine they have given in their individual national region (municipality) for that (1 month) period.

As a result, once they have been supplied with the monthly information from the individual (municipal) regions, the Republic of Serbia (government) then finances (pays back) the individual regional / municipal veterinary stations for undertaking their monthly vaccination work – ie. the administration of the dose of vaccine to animals by the vaccinator.

But, now, following campaigners investigations, the vaccination rules seem to have changed a little.

The alleged situation now is that Mr. Micovic, the Director of the government Veterinary Department, is personally demanding that veterinary stations undertaking the application of antirabies vaccines can now ask the individual animal(s) owner to pay for the ‘application’ of the (Nobivac) Rabies ‘vaccination’ to their animal !

A conflict of terms it would appear to be, between ‘application’ and ‘vaccination’.

Individual animal owners are being told to finance a Rabies ‘application’ of the vaccine, whilst a Rabies ‘vaccination’ can be paid for directly from the national budget, without any cost to the animal owner.

This alleged ‘demand’ by Mr. Micovic is simply that, nothing more than a demand by him; it is not Serbian law / legislation, and is completely in opposition to the Serbian Veterinary law, Articles 140 and 141, which specifically state that antirabies vaccinations MUST BE FUNDED from the Republic of Serbia’s budget !

So, if the public are all specifically being asked (demanded via Mr. Micovic) to individually fund the ‘APPLICATION’ of the antirabies vaccination out of their own pocket for their own animal(s), where is all the money going which has been allocated and should be provided free of charge to Serbian animal owners by the Serbian Republic for exactly this same thing – in this case termed a ‘VACCINATION’ ?

We have concerns that the system now in place can allegedly lead to TWO individual charges and payments being made for every SINGLE (individual) Rabies vaccine administered to animals; ie: we try to inform that:

1) The animal owner is individually charged by the regional veterinary station for the ‘APPLICATION’ of the vaccination; one payment made directly by the animal(s) owner;

2) Using the parallel system available, veterinary stations involved in the ‘VACCINATION’ programme, continue to send a monthly report to the national Veterinary Institute and the Veterinary Department of Serbia, detailing specifically how many doses of the vaccine they have administered to animals (ie. vaccinated) in their specific region / municipality for the latest (1 month) period.

In each of the 135 cities within Serbia the prices being charged by veterinarians for the ‘APPLICATION’ of a vaccine to individual animals varies considerably. It is 800 dinar in Belgrade, 500 dinar in Subotica, and 800 dinar per animal in Novi Sad, for example.

On 31/07/09, various telephone calls were made by SAV and Serbian campaigners to the European manufacturer of the anti Rabies vaccination at their contacts in both the Uk and Serbia. In both cases, we were verbally informed that the re-vaccination (ie. Booster) times for animal species depended largely on the Rabies situation within individual nations.

Reference to the vaccination manufacturers web site Data Sheet http://www.intervet.co.uk/Products_Public/Nobivac_Rabies/090_Product_Datasheet.asp states that the duration of immunity is 3 years, and that for dogs and cats, booster vaccinations only need to be given every 3 years after the primary vaccination.

SOURCE – Nobivac Rabies – Data Sheet information detailed below:

—————————————————————————–

Introduction

Company name: Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health

Address: xxxxxxxxx

Milton Keynes, England, Uk.

Xxxxxx

Telephone: 01908 xxxxxxx (Customer Support Centre)

Telephone: 01908 xxxxxxxx (Switchboard)

Fax: 01908 xxxxxxxx

Website: www.intervet.co.uk

Presentation

Inactivated vaccine containing > 2 I.U. Rabies virus strain Pasteur RIV per dose. Also contains Aluminium phosphate as an adjuvant. 0.1 ml Thiomersal are added as a preservative.

Uses

For the active immunisation against rabies to reduce clinical signs and mortality.

Onset of immunity: an adequate serological response (> 0.5 I.U.) has been demonstrated 2 to 3 weeks after vaccination.

*** Duration of immunity: *** 3 years. ***

Dosage and administration

A single dose inoculation of 1 ml is sufficient irrespective of size, species or breed of animal. Sterile equipment should be used for administration. Avoid contamination of vaccine with traces of chemical sterilising agents. Do not use chemicals such as disinfectant or spirit to disinfect the skin prior to inoculation.

Primary course and booster vaccination:

Dogs & cats

Primary vaccination age*	3 months or older
*** Booster vaccination	every 3 years ***

————————————————————– Data sheet End ————–

As well as checks in the Uk, checks within Serbia undertaken on 31/07/09 can reveal that the national Serbian policy for Rabies re-vaccination is in accordance with the manufacturers guidance; ie. every 3 years.

This 3 year re-vaccination period was verified by a very distinguished authority at the Serbian Faculty of Veterinary Medicine via e mail on Thursday, September 03, 2009. SAV and also Serbian contacts have copies of this mail as evidence should it be required in future.

Taking the individual Subotica ‘application’ charges of 500 dinar being demanded from each animal owner, and with almost 36,000 vaccine doses being provided to Subotica in 2008, does this not mean that there is a maximum potential of

500 dinar x 36,000 doses = 18,000,000 dinar to be made for ‘applications’.

The current exchange rate is approximately 1 Euro = 92 Serbian dinar.

500 dinar (Subotica charge) divided by 92 dinar/Euro = approximately 5.4 Euros per ‘application’ in Subotica.

=> 5.4 Euros per ‘application’ x 35,980 doses (2008) in Subotica = 194,400 Euros.

These are additional finances to the ‘vaccination’ funding being provided out of the state budget.

So, if the monthly paperwork is being submitted for the (state funded) ‘vaccination’ of animals in any region, whilst at the same time veterinarians are charging individual animal owners for the ‘application’ of a vaccine, one has to ask

So where is all the ‘application’ money going ?

– money which is being taken directly from the public for a procedure which, according to our information regarding Serbian animal welfare legislation, should be provided to veterinarians indirectly via the state budget ?

To date, the Serbian government have declined to provide any responses.

This report and post is now being provided to Members of the European Parliament who have responsibilites with the EU Animal Welfare Intergroup – http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »

USA: Act Now for Queenie – please make a phone call or send a fax by Wednesday!

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Act Now for Queenie

Please make a phone call or send a fax by Wednesday!

queenie

(September 8, 2009 update) – It has been 19 days since the USDA confiscated Jewel and Tina, but left Queenie (aka Boo) behind in Leggett, Texas in the hands of the incompetent Will Davenport, who has gravely endangered the health of all three elephants. With each day that passes, IDA is more concerned about Queenie’s welfare as she remains at the mercy of a man who has shown repeatedly that he is incapable of providing her with proper and humane care.

This video contains heartbreaking and disturbing footage of Queenie, chained to a tree in Texas, swaying neurotically behind Will Davenport after the truck carrying Tina and Jewel to the San Diego Zoo had pulled away. (The video, made by Davenport’s friends in Polk County, contains many untruths, but does provide some interesting footage of the elephant confiscation.)

Even if you have already called the USDA, please take a moment by Wednesday to leave a telephone message for the Secretary of Agriculture and email the Administrator of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to urge the agency to return to Leggett immediately for Queenie and send her to a sanctuary where her safety and well-being can be assured. It’s very important to contact both USDA officials.

Tell the USDA:

It is inconceivable that the agency would leave Queenie in the “care” of Davenport, who has racked up countless Animal Welfare Act violations since receiving his USDA exhibitor’s license just two years ago.

The many outstanding legal issues regarding Will Davenport’s conduct (including his defiance of a federal order during USDA’s first confiscation attempt on August 15) provide a clear avenue for them to help Queenie.

You hold the agency directly responsible for Queenie’s welfare. After all she has been through, Queenie must be retired from public display and sent to either the PAWS sanctuary in California or The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Since Queenie has no pressing health issues requiring intensive veterinary care, she can go immediately to a sanctuary. There is no excuse for sending her to a zoo.

Note: Do not allow the USDA to tell you that they have no jurisdiction over Queenie’s care since Davenport voluntarily surrendered his USDA license – the agency has plenty of legal avenues to pursue to bring Davenport to justice and secure Queenie’s rescue.

USDA Contact Information:

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
Phone: 202 720-3631, Fax: 202-720-2166

Acting APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea
Phone: 202-720-3861 Email: Kevin.A.Shea@usda.gov

Contact Congress Too!

As your Congressperson and Senators to contact Secretary Vilsack in support of Queenie’s rescue and transfer to a sanctuary. If they have been responsive in the past, be sure to thank them for their previous help in securing Tina and Jewel’s confiscation, but let them know that Queenie has been left behind in dire circumstances.

Find your federal representatives here.

Please continue to call and email these officials until Queenie is safely housed at the PAWS sanctuary in California or The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

Background on Queenie

Queenie is an Asian elephant who is estimated to be 52 years of age. She has been “owned” by the Davenport family for at least two decades and has been trucked around the country and forced to perform in circuses and to give elephant rides for years. In 2006, an undercover investigator for Animal Defenders International videotaped Queenie (also known as Boo) and another elephant named Chrissy being abused by Mike Swain, an employee of the Bailey Brothers Circus, a Davenport family operation.

In March 2007, USDA inspectors documented the continued abuse of Queenie, who was found in poor condition at a fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colorado. The inspection report from that time states:

“[The elephant has] excessive dead skin over most of her body and doesn’t show evidence of proper bathing for quite some time. She has urine staining and what appears to be urine scalds on her back legs. The pads on this elephant had excessive growth and there were numerous flaps of skin that had trapped debris in them. The cuticles were also excessively long.”

Queenie also had “multiple wounds draining yellowish exudates inside the left ear” . . consistent with the improper use of an ankus in the ear.”

The handler was “not properly trained or experienced.” “[He] had to continuously rely on excessive and inappropriate use of the ankus to get the elephant to perform the behaviors he was asking for during the rides and performances. . . during the rides and performances, the handler was observed repeatedly jabbing and hitting the elephant with the ankus. Several times during the elephant ride, the handler used the ankus to hit the elephant and she reacted by throwing her head and changing her gait demonstrating irritation at the action of the handler. . . This is inappropriate and abusive use of the ankus and such use is likely to cause trauma, behavioral stress, physical harm or unnecessary discomfort . . . ” (Emphasis added).

Queenie must not be left at the Davenports’ mercy. Ask USDA to act promptly to send her to a sanctuary!

For more information, please see http://www.helpelephants.com/tina_jewel_and_queenie.html

In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner, San Rafael, CA 94901
Tel. (415) 448-0048 Fax (415) 454-1031
idainfo@idausa.org

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, CIRCUS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

Uk: Public Pressure Stops Matador Appearence at Uk Bookstore, but Armani Have Designed New Matador Costume – Action Required – Please Read On

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

A message from the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) – http://www.league.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=1514

A big thank you but now we need you to contact Armani!

Dear all

On Friday, we asked you to contact your local Waterstone’s to enquire whether or not “the last British bullfighter”, Frank Evans was due to make an appearance to promote his book.

Well, we’ve just had a call from Deborah Tilley, the Head of PR at Waterstone’s, to say that their stores have been inundated with calls and emails, and they have withdrawn all the planned appearances for Mr Evans.

Your urgent action has made a real difference and has prevented the shameless promotion of bloodsports on our high street.

Sadly, Waterstone’s aren’t the only company to get involved in this sordid business.

Today we’ve heard that the fashion designer Giorgio Armani has designed a new costume – or traje de luz – for the matador in the annual Corrida Goyesca bullfight.

You’d think Armani would have more taste than to support such atrocities, but sadly not.

The Armani deed is done, but perhaps you’d like to email Rod Manley, Giorgio Armani Public Relations, to tell him what you think of their support for bullfighting and urge them not to repeat this public endorsement.

Click here to email Rod Manley, Giorgio Armani Public Relations

Many thanks for your support – LACS

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

India (Noida and Mumbai): Loads of Beautiful Doggies Looking for New Homes – Can You Help ?

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

PLEASE CROSSPOST – SAV

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Madhu Goyal <madhu_goyal@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Subject: FW: pic of lab daschund mix princess in noida
To: madhu_goyal@hotmail.com

** NOIDA **

Hello

This has to be the most unusual looking dog I’ve ever seen, and about the cutest. Please call the number given below and take her home.

Her present owner is seriously ill and cannot care for her.

Owner seriously ill, so 1 year old very friendly princess needs a loving home as soon as possible. she is golden lab and daschund mix–very loving,

please call vidhi at spca noida to take her home:

ph:9818085256

thanks

shampa dasgupta

all doglovers please visit our happy tails adoption website:

www.freedogadoption.in

If one person in 50 were to give an Indian Dog a home, there would be no strays left in India.

** MUMBAI **

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Disha Sharan disharan@gmail.com

Hello people,

As you must be aware (through my earlier mails), there is a litter of 7 puppies at my home…waiting to be adopted.

Here are some of the details:

Above: ‘Beagu’

motu yawn

Above: ‘Motu’

Above: ‘Snoopy’

Above: ‘Dolly’

Above: The Seven Musketeers !

Gender: ALL Males

Age: 1.5 months

Colour: (4 plain + 3 multi-coloured)

Medication: Deworming done

I would be grateful if your could forward this mail including the pics to your friends/ friends of friends/ clients, etc.

These pups are very healthy and are getting chubbier by the day!

They are being given the royal treatment (read chicken soup, pedigree, cerelac, eggs, regular baths) so in no way are they inferior to the pedigrees that you come across.

Please feel free to pass on my number (or my e-mail id, if the people are not known very well).

Thanks in anticipation,

Disha Sharan.

9 8 1 8 0 7 8 3 9 2.

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

Victory Nepal !: The Monkey Farms Will Close and ALL the Monkeys are to be Freed!!!

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Victory Nepal — The Monkey Farms Will Close and ALL the Monkeys are to be Freed!!!

6 September, 2009 12:21

VICTORY — Nepal’s government has decided to permanentlly halt the breeding of monkeys and all the monkeys are to be released from the farms back into the wild!!!

Links:

http://www.gatewaytohell.net/

http://www.gatewaytohell.net/tour_operators.html

http://www.gatewaytohell.net/campaign_materials.html

Poster:

Poster: GTH Team

The Nepalese government had previously banned the export of monkeys after international pressure, with over 50 protests in 13 countries and countless emails being sent to the Nepalese decision makers and anyone else who could influence them. Finally, through the tireless work of the local Stop The Monkey Business campaigners, and despite American “diplomacy” which at times verged on the point of blackmail, the Nepalese government has accepted the inevitable and decided to close the farms and release the monkeys.

Forestry Minister Deepak Bohrais is quoted as saying, “We have decided not to allow the monkeys to be exported [so] we will ask [the breeders] to release the monkeys within a week.” An Under Secretary of the Ministry was also quoted as saying “The Ministry has come to the conclusion that the monkeys should be released to their natural environment.” A letter from the Ministry of Forestry ordering their immediate release has been sent to Pravesh Man Shrestha, an American paid veterinary surgeon who has been breeding monkeys for the past five years. He has visited the SFBR for “training” and was also present during the American trapping expeditions in 2004 when the monkeys were taken from the wild, (it is alleged that at least some of the monkeys were taken from holy temples).

No monkeys were ever exported from Nepal, despite at least one scare when 25 monkeys were less than one week from being transported to the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in the United States! This attempt showed the desperation of the Americans and really exposed the importance of the international campaign. For the SFBR to get even 25 of Nepal’s monkeys might have been enough for them to replenish their breeding stocks for 20 years or more.

Thanks to a rapid international mobilisation and swift diplomacy on the ground, the monkeys were saved and a petition was made to the Supeme Court of Nepal to outlaw any exports until the legality of monkey farming was decided. After “consultation” Minster Bohara came to the conclusion that it was illegal to export the monkeys, although in reality this decision was forced upon the Ministry because the Supreme Court was about to rule that exporting monkeys was not in the “public interest” of the Nepalese people. Faced with either a humiliating defeat or making a popular decision and profiting from the situation, he made the obvious choice.

The most important factor in the Supreme Court’s decision was the image Nepal would portray to potential travellers, and again this was where international solidarity really counted for Nepal’s monkeys! The massive volume of emails being sent from the all over the world and all the visible demonstrations shaming Nepal in front of thousands of passers-by, (especially at the Tourism Expos), was simply too much for them to ignore. The affects of the huge information campaign directed to Nepal’s tourism industry and constructive dialogue with many Nepalese Ambassadors also had a big impact on the decision, and this pressure combined with the persistance and tenacity of the local campaigners in Nepal was more decisive than the American’s threats. With the export ban in place, nearly 400 monkeys had remained caged in the breeding farms awaiting an uncertain future, described as “private property” the Nepalese government claimed they were powerless to act. Now, 6 months after the export ban was imposed, monkey farming has also been banned and all the monkeys from the farms are to be rehabilitated back into the wild!

The G2H Team would like to pay tribute to the latest Minister of Foresry, Minster Bohara, who has shown the compassion and enlightenment that embodies the true spirit of the Nepalese people in defending Nepal’s sacred monkeys from the greed and arrogance of the American bio-medical research industry. To close the farms was a hugely courageous decision in the face of immense pressure from American “diplomacy” and we now call on Nepal’s government to reject any demands for compensation from the greedy Americans, who will no doubt want to recover some of the $8M US tax dollars they lost in this corrupt venture.

Whilst this victory in Nepal is an amazing achievement, it should never be forgtten that the battle to save Nepal’s monkeys was about more than the nearly 400 monkeys who will now run free where they belong, or even for their offspring who will now be born into their natural environment. The campaign to save Nepal’s monkeys was an opportunity to strike a savage blow against the global primate research industry where it was weakest. In the American’s own words they admit that their breeding “stock” of “indian type” rhesus have now become “dangerously inbred” and there is a desperate shortage of fresh DNA to replenish their “stocks”. Nepal represented one of the last few places they could harvest these precious animals and so there can be little doubt the Americans would have turned Nepal into another Mauritus, had they not met such strong resistance.

If the current export bans remain in India, Bangladesh and now Nepal, then in a few short years we could finally have removed the precious “indian type” rhesus monkey, (an entire sub-species), from research labs altogether. Many “scientists” agree that the results from the “indian type” rhesus often cannot be reproduced in the “chinese type” rhesus, thus we can hope to see a lot of “research” data invalidated because it can no longer be reproduced due to a lack of suitable victims!

There are too many people who deserve to be mentioned for their part in this fantastic achievement, from those who organised the protests to those who sent a single email or signed a petition, however some simply cannot go without mention…such were their immense contributions to the campaign: Manoj Gautman, (award winning activist and the true saviour of Nepal’s monkeys), who campaigned for Nepal’s monkeys from the very start and the mastermind behins the Stop Monkey Business campaign in Nepal; Lucia de Vries, (freelance journalst and Stop The Monkey Business activist), who was responsible for the internationalisation of the campaign and instigator of the involvement of G2H;
Shirley McGreal (founder of the IPPL), who provided endless research, support and practical advice on primates to the STMB campaign; Michael Budkie, (Stop Animal Exploitation Now), who provided such valuable data from the SFBR about the farms; their funding, population and mortality rates of the monkeys which provided us with such damning evidence; Dr Jane Goodall, (Conservationist), who had such constructive dialogue witht the Nepalese government and provides funding for Manoj’s “Roots and Shoots” conservation group, and so many more people who’s names we won’t mention, but who’s dedication and hardwork we’ll never forget.

We sincerely hope that those of you who have read this far are now feeling inspired to take action for other campaigns. The anti-vivisection movement is making great gains and there are so many great campaigns that are worthy of your support. We firmly believe that the abolition of primate experiments in Europe is a realistic and achievable goal, which could even represent a tipping point for global primate research, and we urge all of our European supportersto work this goal.

The activists who worked on the Nepal campaign are moving on to other projects and the Gateway To Hell campaign is now disbanding, but the fight against the global primate industry continues. Many great victories still lie ahead and many weaknesses are yet to be exploited, however the global primate trade is on our doorsteps and this is where it must also be fought. We will continue to monitor the situations in Nepal and with Air Mauritius closely, and if needs must then the Gateway to Hell campaign will return to action. G2H was always about taking on the primate supply chain at it’s weakest points, and in our view it’s weakest points are currently in our own countries, so we hope to see more pressure against the primate abusers on a local level.

Great changes can be made by the smallest things, so please support your local campaigns in whatever way you can; but the greatest lesson we can learn from this campaign is the importance of international solidarity, global action results in global change, so think globally and act locally!!!

The full magnitude of thiis achievement is yet to be realised…but on behalf of the nearly 400 monkeys who are about to experience life in their natural environment, and on behalf of their offspring who will never know captivity, we offer you our heartfelt gratitude and thanks. There will be no further response from the G2H email address so, for those who wish to offer thanks or congratulations, we instead ask that you offer them to the Enlightened and
Honourable Minister Deepak Bohara who is the true saviour of Nepal’s monkeys.
Telephone: 977-1-4220067
Fax: 977-1-4223868
Email: info@mofsc.gov.np

Finally we leave you with the inspirational words of Margaret Mead,
(Anthropologist & Peace Activist):–

Address:–

Enlightened and Honourable Minister Deepak Bohara
Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation,
Singhadurbar,
Kathmandu
Nepal

“Never forget that a small group of dedicated, thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Until we are all free,
The Gateway to Hell Team

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

USA: Save Wolves So We Can Slaughter Them?

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Subject: ACT/ Save Wolves So We Can Slaughter Them?

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY / PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST
9/5/09: Save Gray Wolves So We Can Slaughter Them?

The gray wolf, also called timber wolf, is the largest wild member of the
Canidae family and an ice age survivor originating during the Late
Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago…

Today their fate is uncertain, amid pressure to kill wolves at the behest of
cattle ranchers vying for autonomous grazing grounds. The removal of
Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolves from the list of endangered wildlife is
also a gift to logging, drilling and hunting industries.

Private industries have persuaded federal agencies like the Forest Service,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and Bureau of Land Management to poison prairie dogs,
haze buffalo, roundup wild horses…and delist wolves for open season.

Taxpayers spent millions to recover the very same wolves the Obama
administration is now letting Greater Yellowstone states kill. There is no
comprehensive federal wolf plan…just a bunch of guys in camouflage gunning
down wolves in Idaho and Montana.

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EMAIL BLOCKS: Sample letter follows. Full contact info at end of alert.
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EVERYONE, SEND COMMENTS TO:
feedback@ios.doi.gov, Secretary_of_the_Interior@ios.doi.gov,
contact@fws.gov, Director@fws.gov, Dan_Ashe@fws.gov, Rowan_Gould@fws.gov,
MountainPrairie@fws.gov, idfginfo@idfg.idaho.gov, fwpgen@mt.gov,
governor@gov.idaho.gov, jkreizenbeck@gov.idaho.gov, BrianSchweitzer@mt.gov,
governor@mt.gov

President Barack Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
WEB CONTACT FORM ONLY, NO PUBLIC EMAIL ADDRESS

IDAHO & MONTANA RESIDENTS ONLY, ALSO SEND COMMENTS TO:
STATE IDAHO LEGISLATORS:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/howtocontactlegislators.htm

STATE MONTANA LEGISLATORS:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/find%20a%20legislator.asp

NATIONAL IDAHO & MONTANA LEGISLAORS IN WASHINGTON DC:
http://www.Congress.org
http://www.vote-smart.org/
http://www.senate.gov
http://www.house.gov

***KINSHIP CIRCLE CANNOT GUARANTEE ALL EMAILS WILL WORK***
During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses.
Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.

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ASK FOR A FORMATTED LETTER (WORD DOC): info@kinshipcircle.org
Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail.
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Dear President Obama, Secretary Salazar, State and Federal Officials:

I am shocked that the Obama administration has activated a Bush-era rule to
remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species list. The delisting of
Greater Yellowstone wolves basically sanctions their slaughter.

Montana opens fire on 9/15/09 with a 75-wolf limit. Idaho’s race to kill up
to 25% of its wolves (during this season alone) began on 9/1/09. Idaho’s
Fish and Game Department hopes to sell 70,000 permits. That’s too many
trophy hunters to unleash on a wolf population that has not fully rebounded.

Idaho’s estimated 1,000 wolves cannot withstand an annual hunt. Yet this
year officials set a 330-wolf quota — with Idaho hunters allowed to take
220 wolves. The state’s Nez Perce tribe may kill another 35 wolves.

Where is the intelligent strategy to sustain the very wolves that Americans
salvaged from near extinction? Instead, we are asked to standby as Idaho and
Montana aim for possibly the largest wolf bloodbath since the 1930s.

It is not too late to halt the hunt and renew Endangered Species Act
safeguards for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. I urge you to take
meaningful action to reinstate protections now.

At the very least, suspend this irresponsible wolf “management” plan until
it undergoes the type scientific scrutiny the Obama administration
advocates. Secretary Salazar’s original verdict to delist wolves didn’t
assess biological repercussions. It failed to consider Idaho’s policy for
the unsustainable killing of hundreds of wolves.

During the Bush administration, conservation groups convinced a federal
court to reject the same delisting rule. This time, 13 groups filed a
similar lawsuit to restore endangered species status for wolves.

Wolves are key to thriving ecosystems. But state plans seem more focused on
eradication than ecologically balanced wildlife populations. The federal
government needs to defend the wolves that U.S. citizens invested millions
in tax dollars to save.

Thank you,

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FULL CONTACT INFORMATION
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President Barack Obama
The White House / 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW / Washington, DC 20500
comments: 202-456-1111; switchboard: 202-456-1414; fax: 202-456-2461
web form: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W. / Washington DC 20240
email: feedback@ios.doi.gov, Secretary_of_the_Interior@ios.doi.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, NW, Room 3256
MailStop 3238 MIB / Washington, DC 20240-0001
ph: 1-800-344-9453; email: contact@fws.gov
Sam D. Hamilton, Director: Director@fws.gov
Dan Ashe, Deputy Director: Dan_Ashe@fws.gov
Dr. Rowan W. Gould, Deputy Director: Rowan_Gould@fws.gov
USFWS Mountain-Prairie Region: MountainPrairie@fws.gov

Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 25 / Boise, ID 83707
Walk-in Address: 600 S. Walnut / Boise, ID 83712
ph: 208-334-3700; fax: 208-334-2148, 208-334-2114
email: idfginfo@idfg.idaho.gov
web form: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/inc/contact.cfm

Montana Department of Fish and Game
Joe Maurier, Director, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
1420 East Sixth Avenue / P.O. Box 200701 / Helena, MT 59620-0701
ph: 406-444-2535; fax: 406-444-4952; email: fwpgen@mt.gov

Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter
Office of the Governor, Idaho
P.O. Box 83720 / Boise, Idaho 83720
ph: 208 334-2100; fax: 208-334-3454
email: governor@gov.idaho.gov
Jason Kreizenbeck, Chief of Staff: jkreizenbeck@gov.idaho.gov
web form: http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html

Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor, Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801 / Helena MT 59620-0801
ph: 406-444-3111; fax: 406-444-5529
email: BrianSchweitzer@mt.gov, governor@mt.gov
web form: http://governor.mt.gov/contact/commentsform.asp

IDAHO & MONTANA RESIDENTS ONLY: Contact your federal and state legislators
STATE – IDAHO LEGISLATORS
IDAHO RESIDENTS – http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/howtocontactlegislators.htm
State of Idaho Legislature, ph: 208-334-2475
State Capitol / Boise, ID 83720-0001

STATE – MONTANA LEGISLATORS
MONTANA RESIDENTS – http://leg.mt.gov/css/find%20a%20legislator.asp
Montana State Senate, fax:406-444-4875
PO Box 200500 / Helena, MT 59620-0500

Montana State House of Representatives, fax: 406-444-4825
PO Box 200400 / Helena, MT 59620-0400

NATIONAL – LEGISLATORS IN WASHINGTON DC
Find your federal Idaho or Montana legislators + contact info:
Congress.org – http://www.Congress.org
Project VoteSmart – http://www.vote-smart.org/
USA Senate – http://www.senate.gov
USA House of Representatives – http://www.house.gov

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS
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Two Idaho hunters kill wolves on opening day
http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/884635.html
Wolf hunting now legal but still controversial
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/03/wolf.hunt/index.html
Reinstate Federal Protections for Northern Rockies Wolves
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/165659664?z00m=19787956
Idaho Wolf Tags Went On Sale August 24, 2009
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/releases/view.cfm?NewsID=5055
U.S. Fish & Wildlife / Gray Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains
http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/

PHOTO COLLAGE CREDITS: Idaho hunters kill wolves on opening day:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/884635.html
National Geographic, Joel Sartore; bricabrackorner.com/Wolf3W.jpg;
2008 PiedType.com.jpg; West Yellowstone, Montana 2/9/08:
http://jugalbandi.info/2008/03/gray-wolves/

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Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

Serbia: ‘Stara Planina’ – The Environmental Destruction Evidence Continues to Build

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Below you will see many photographs of a nature reserve area called ‘Golema Reka’ which is located within the region of Stara Planina. Please see our past links on Stara Planina at:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/240809-global-launch-of-campaign-to-save-stara-planina-animals-and-plants-international-supporters-your-individual-help-is-essential-please-copy-and-send-letter-given-in-post-below/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/serbia-more-major-environmental-destruction-planned-your-help-needed-to-raise-global-awareness/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/serbia-environmental-destruction-at-babin-zub/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/01/15/serbia-beautiful-environmental-region-of-serbia-to-become-ski-centre-please-read-and-take-action/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/serbia-please-give-your-petition-support-to-save-serbian-beautiful-river-rzav-from-government-and-industry-abuse/

A petition about Stara Planina can be signed by clicking on the following link.

Please give just one minute of your time to sign this.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-staraplanina-petition

Golema Reka is according to the Serbian government, allegedly, the most protected nature estate within Serbia.

Over the last few years during construction of the huge ski resort at Stara Planina, massive environmental damage has taken place at Golema Reka. More than 3,000 hectares of very old Mountain Beech forest has been destroyed and roads have illegally been constructed through the forests – new roads constructed where according to legislation, only existing forest roads should be maintained.

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Beautiful natural rivers and brooks have been diverted and are now routed through concrete pipework to comply with the planners wishes. This has now led to mountain areas becoming dry; areas of the mountains that were once served by the passing rivers. The new, man made dryness of the land has now resulted in rockslides.

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For only two (2) months of the year will there be any remote possibility of adequate ski snow in the region of Stara Planina, but this is only if there is a temperature range of 0° C ± 2° C. – but regardless of the time of year, and including these two months mentioned, artificial snow producing equipment has now had to be purchased to make enough snow for future visitors to the resort. There is a likely chance that with global warming, the artificial snow making equipment may very well have to be used throughout all twelve (12) months to produce enough ski snow, which includes the ‘better’ two month natural ‘ski snow’ period !

During the winter period 2008, for example 23^rd / 24^th February, there was NO natural snow in the regions of Stara planina and Babin zub; February is a traditional Winter month when one would expect snow in a ski resort region. It did not happen at Stara planina; so one has to question the logic behind the whole planning and management of this programme. Stara planina is an area of outstanding natural beauty in relation to both its flora and fauna. Any natural ‘ski snow’ season will last only two months, with the use of machines to produce enough additional ‘snow’ for visitors to ski on. This is a project which has cost a great deal of money to construct; and for what ? – what financial costs can be attributed to a lot of permanent environmental damage as is being done here in this region ?

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Serbian campaigners have information that allegedly, one Mr. Mladjan Dinkic, who was the President of the Ski Society of Serbia, has now resigned and gone elsewhere due to charges made regarding environmental (flora and fauna) destruction at Stara Planina. Possibly Mr. Mladjan Dinkic is trying to avoid any current or future personal charges or prosecutions in relation to the environmental damage and construction decisions and procedures undertaken years ago in relation to the design of Stara Planina. But quite rightly, regardless of peoples past or current involvement with the facility, campaigners are correctly calling for all parties involved to be investigated and further legal action to be taken where necessary, regardless of their past or their current involvement with the project.

Below is the charge made in relation to environmental damage at Golema Reka. Firstly written in its original Serbian, and then followed by an English translation.

Of special interest is the last paragraph, which declares that the Government representative at the public debate on the changes to the regional plan for the Knjazevac municipality, one of the areas affected by the work at Stara Planina, was one Mr. Ljubomir Jovanovic, who it is understood has since been arrested and investigated under accusations that he was engaged in the misuse of money from budgets associated with the the construction of ‘tourist objects’.

Investigations are on-going by campaigning organisations within and outside of Serbia. Further information and photographs will be published as things continue and more information is obtained.

The charge made in relation to environmental damage at Golema Reka, which can be read below, provides full details of the rerasons why questions have to be asked about the entire history of the planning for Stara Planina.

Please take time to read the charge and to view all the pgotographs of the environmental damage being done for a ski resort which at best, will only have 2 months of natural snowfall each year.

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Serbian Original Charge

Ministarstvo unutrasnjih poslova

Ministarstvo zastite zivotne sredine i prostorno planiranje

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede sumarstva i vodoprivrede

Zavod za zastitu prirode Srbije

Predmet: Prijava po saznanju da je u Strogom Prirodnom Rezervatu Golema Reka na Staroj planini, najvecem zasticenom pririodnom dobru u Srbiji, I kategorije doslo do narusavanja i degradacije prirodnog ambijenta i odlika, unistavanje biljnih zajednica, izazivanje erozija i to zbog neplanskog izvodjenja radova na pravljenju/prosirenju puta ka Babinom Zubu kroz strogi prirodni rezervat Golema Reka, gde inace nisu dozvoljeni nikakvi radovi.

Strogi Prirodni rezervat Golema Reka obuhvata autohtonu sumsku zajednicu tipa prasume koju sacinjava zajednica planinske bukve Luzulo-Fagetum serbicum, a namenjen je za ocuvanje genofonda i nalazi se u granicama zasticenog prirodnog dobra “Stara Planina” na kojoj su razvijene reliktne polidominantne sumske zajednice, koje izgradjuju biljne vrste endemskog i reliktnog karaktera, a kao posebno vredna podrucja su izdvojeni rezervati kojima samo ime kaze sta zapravo predstavljaju a Zakonom o zastiti prirode je precizno definisano kakav stepen zastite im je namenjen zbog znacaja koji imaju!!! Nikakva izgradnja pa ni izgradnja puteva osim odrzavanja vec postojecih sumskih puteva nije predvidjena , cak je i zabranjeno bilo sta raditi sto moze dovesti u pitanje ocuvanje i opstanak strogog pririodnog rezervata.

Obavestavamo sve nadlezne da je tokom 2007-2008 god. radovima na prosirenju puta ka Babinom zubu doslo do narusavanja prirodnog dobra i stete po Strogi rezervat prirode”Golema reka”. Prilikom prosirenja puta izvodjac radova je nasipao zemlju, stenje i sut duz trase puta, a niz padinu pokrivenu bukovom sumom prasumskog tipa, cime je ugrozio integritet sumske zajednice i reke koja tuda tece(Golema reka).

Narusavanje biljnog pokrivaca pokrenulo je proces erozije, koji je dalje ugrozio kvalitet podloge i povrsinskih voda.

Osnovano sumnjamo da je neko od angazovanih na ovim poslovima zlonamerno premestio tablu sa obavestenjem o rezimu zastite (uklonio tablu sa nosaca, i vratio je sa druge strane nosaca, tako da se stice utisak da SRP “Golema reka” prestaje tamo gde zapravo pocinje), u cilju zbunjivanja javnosti i nadleznih inspekcijskih organa.

Osnovano sumnjamo (na osnovu cinjenice da su radovi otpoceli pre usvajanja izmena prostornih planova opstina Pirot i Knjazevac, koji su ustvari naknadno prilagodjavani s predumisljajem , kako bi se legalizovale nezakonite radnje ) da su radovi otpoceli bez odgovarajucih odobrenja, i da nisu sprovedeni u skladu sa vazecim planskim dokumentima u trenutku pocetka radova.

Takodje, osnovano sumnjamo (na osnovu kamiona sa drvnom gradjom primecenih na lokaciji), da se sa podrucja SRP “Golema reka” i drugih zasticenih podrucja Parka prirode “Stara planina” protivpravno sece suma i izvlaci drvna gradja, mimo nadleznosti i planova Javnog preduzeca”Srbijasume”, koje je nadlezno za staranje o Parku prirode.

Koristimo priliku da napomenemo da je izgradnja puta finansirana sredstvima Nacionalnog investicionog plana, a da je predstavnik Vlade na javnoj raspravi o izmenama prostornog plana opstine Knjazevac bio LjubomirJovanovic, kasnije uhapsen i pod istragom, pod optuzbom da je umesan u pronevere novca iz NIP u vezi sa izgradnjom turistickih objekata.

** ENGLISH TRANSLATION ** (below) – bold and underline added where cosidered necessary.

Subject:

Filing a report after receiving information that in the strict Nature Reserve “Golema Reka” in the region of Stara Planina, largest protected Nature estate in Serbia of the I category, the disturbance and degradation of the natural surroundings and its characteristics has already taken place, including the destruction of plant communities, induction of erosion due to the unplanned execution of road construction/widening towards Babin Zub through the strictest Nature Reserve “Golema Reka”, where otherwise no construction or other human activities are allowed.

The strict Nature Reserve “Golema Reka” encloses the primeval autochtonous forest community of Mountain Beech Luzulo-Fagetum serbicum, with the purpose of protecting the gene fund and is within the borders of the of the protected estate Nature Park “Stara Planina” on which survive relict, polydominant forest communities, composed of plant species of endemic and relict charactreistics and as specially valuable regions are designated as reserves, their names describing what they actually represent and are thus protected according to the laws dealing with Nature Protection in which it is precisely defined what degree of protection is offered due to their significance!!!

No construction, including that of roads is expected, except the maintainance of existing forest roads and it is forbidden to undertake any activities which may endanger and question the survival of these Nature reserves.

We inform all officials that in the years 2007-2008, during the widening of roads, towards Babin Zub, the disturbance of the Nature estate resulted, including damage in the strict Nature Reserve “Golema Reka”. During road widening, the contractor spilled soil, rocks and debris along the road track as well as down the adjacent slopes covered with beech forests of the primeval type, thus threatening the integrity of the forest community, including the river flowing through (Golema Reka, meaning “Huge River”).

Disturbance of vegetation cover initiated the process of erosion which consequently threatens the quality of substrate and surface waters.

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We have reason to doubt that somone engaged in the described activities purposely, with evil intentions, moved the sign which informs about the degree of protection offered to this region (moved the sign from the posts, returning the sign backwards so that it looks as if the Reserve “Golema Reka ends where its boundries should actually begin) solely with the intention of confusing the public and inspection officials.

We also believe not without reason (according to the fact that the works started before the change of the regional regulatory plans for the Pirot and Knjazevac municipalities , these being changed afterwards, with the intention to legalize afterhand these illegal operations) that the works began without proper permissions and were not processed in accordance to the valid plan documents at the time of the onset of activities.

We also have reason to doubt (witnessing the presence of trucks with lumber at the location), that from the region of the strict Nature Reserve “Golema Reka” and other protected areas of the “Stara Planina” Nature Park, trees are unlawfully cut and the lumber hauled out, avoiding the officials and violating the lumbering plans of the company “Srbijasume” (SerbiaForests) which is the official guardian of the Nature Park “Stara Planina”.

We take the opportunity to mention that the construction of the road is financed from the budget of the National Investment Plan and that the representative of the Government at the public debate on the changes in the regional plan of the Knjazevac municipality was Mr. Ljubomir Jovanovic, later arrested and investigated under the accusation that he was engaged in the misuse of money from the above mentioned budget , all connected with the building of tourist objects.

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Photographic Evidence:

** Photographic Evidence – First Set (Above and Below)

– Nature Reserve “Golema Reka” **

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** Photographic Evidence – Second Set (Below) ** –

The region of Babin Zub, and include destruction of plant communities, induction of erosion due to the unplanned execution of road construction/widening towards Babin Zub through the strictest Nature Reserve “Golema Reka”, where otherwise no construction or other human activities are allowed.

Photographs taken on 23^rd/24^th February 2008.

Mid February – the time for Winter snows and skiing !