Posted on August 3, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Hi all;
Well things on the site have been quiet for the past week or so, but we have been working behind the scenes on a new project.
We cannot say that much about it at the moment, but it does involve the EU Enlargement Commission; Serbia’s current attempts to join the EU at present, and the fact that Serbia is NOT enforcing it own rules of law – or laws / legislation; which is what a nation seeking EU accession has to show and prove it is doing to the EU Enlargement Commission PRIOR to EU membership.
We are working with both Serbian and Austrian campaigners to take the issues of animal welfare; or the lack of, a lot further now. Via all of our contacts, as well as those of our Austrian colleagues; we will have the ability to make massive contacts with both the EU and its Parliament, as well as giving the reports we are producing to our Serbian campaigner friends who will then be able to approach the Serbian government directly also to ask what we know will be some very embarrassing questions for the government.
Combined with the fact that we know that the EU has authorised over the period 2014-2020 that it provides Serbia with over 1.5 BILLION Euros to get it s house in shape, we are asking, as UK and Austrian (EU) taxpayers providing contributions to this funding; what are we getting back from the Serbian government with regard animal welfare improvements within Serbia.
Over the last week we have now produced the almost final draft of our first report to the EU. There will be several more over the coming months which will target specific issues in particular. This first report is best described as an ‘overview; which outlines the situation for Serbian animals; the lack of legislation implementation by the serbian government; as well as the huge financial incentives that the EU is giving to Serbia in order that it enforces application of the ‘rule of, law’ – something which we know is NOT being implemented at the moment regarding Serbian animal welfare law.
The documents we hope will cause problems with the EU and Serbian governments. As the EU is providing over 1.5 BILLION Euros to Serbia for pre EU accession, we have the right to ask questions and to ask exactly where our EU money is going and what it is being spent on.
At the moment, not on animal welfare. We hope that via our reports and the massive links we have across the EU, we can make a difference. We will probably be publishing each report on this site as we produce it; so you can get an idea of what we are doing.
We hope that this will be a positive move for Serbian animal welfare. The EU must enforce what it preaches on its europa website. We aim to question lots about the whole system and its apparent current failures.
Regards Mark.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, DOCUMENTS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 3, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
A Minnesota dentist’s killing of the famous lion has sparked outrage, but it remains to be seen whether it will spur a crackdown on big game hunting.
With one shot of his bow, Walter Palmer went from being a Minneapolis dentist to the world’s most reviled big game hunter.
The public outcry following his hunt of Zimbabwe’s famous tourist attraction, Cecil the Lion, has not only led to the closure of his dental office but could be a galvanizing force in altering the trophy hunting industry in the United States that’s fueling wildlife loss in Africa, according to conservationists.
Killing rare animals is nothing new for the dentist, who has crossbow records for killing a menagerie’s worth of wildlife, including rhino, warthogs, buffalo, and more. But none of his kills brought a spotlight on the contentious issue of trophy hunting until he and his hired Zimbabwean hunters lured the black-maned Cecil out from the protection of national park boundaries with bait.
The heavily studied lion—he had a GPS collar on when he was shot—wandered wounded for 40 hours before finally being tracked down and shot with a gun by the hunters.
“I’ve never seen any sort of animal issue resonate like this before,” said Beth Allgood, campaigns director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare. When she first heard the reports about Cecil’s death at the hands of a Spaniard, Allgood was a little surprised, but then it was revealed the hunter was an American—a story line Allgood with her 20 years in conservation work is familiar with.
“Americans don’t like to accept the role we play in wildlife trade,” Allgood said.
“We like to look at China fueling demand and Africa not doing enough to protect these animals, but when it comes to lions, we have a big part in it.”
Americans travelling to Africa make up more than 60 percent of the foreign-participated lion trophy hunts carried out each year, according to John Jackson, president of the lobbying group Conservation Force. About 15,000 hunters make the trek annually, and a majority of them want to bring back a trophy, Jackson said. The group argues that lion hunts are integral to the species’ conservation, and the big game industry—worth $675 million in South Africa alone—brings in money for habitat expansion and species conservation efforts.
But those efforts haven’t stemmed the rate at which lions are dying off. Across the continent, there has been a 60 percent decline in lions over the past 30 years. Habitat loss and poaching have contributed to the demise, but hunting also plays a role, said Allgood.
Oxford University (UK) professors have also been studying the effects of big game hunting on lion populations in Zimbabwe. Of the 62 lions they tagged in the region, 24 have been shot and killed by sport hunters. Ten have died from other causes.
There were once 200,000 lions roaming Africa. Today, there are fewer than 32,000.
That has prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider listing African lions as a threatened species.
The move could potentially limit the countries from which big game hunters can bring back lion trophies. Eleven countries currently allow lion hunt safaris, but new regulations would require these countries to show FWS officials that their lion populations are healthy and managed properly, and that plans are in place to conserve the species.
But listing the lion only puts a Band-Aid on a bigger issue, argues Eric Jensen, a University of Warwick professor who studies public engagement in wildlife issues.
“The problem is a long-standing association between hunting large animals and masculinity,” Jensen said. “While most Americans don’t support the activity, it still resonates with key ideas like Davy Crockett and Theodore Roosevelt. The fact that in 2015 people are still travelling thousands of miles to kill exotic animals and bring back trophies shows that there are deep-seated cultural problems in Western societies, where such behavior should be unthinkable.”
Pro-hunting advocates argue that removing the older lions like 13-year old Cecil, who are less prone to breed, is actually beneficial for species populations because it allows more vigorous and youthful cats to mate more successfully.
That was not the case with Cecil, however. Hwange National Park officials said Cecil had been muscled out of his pride five years ago by a younger, stronger male. He subsequently mounted a comeback by forming a coalition with another older male lion named Jericho. For the past 18 months, Cecil had been back in charge of two prides—one of which consists of three lionesses and seven cubs under seven months old. Without Cecil to protect them, researchers who have been studying the animal expect a new lion to come in, take out Cecil’s cubs, and start his own bloodline.
“It’s called the ripple effect,” Allgood said. “You take out a pride leader like Cecil, and in the fight for dominance, the other males kill the young cubs.”
The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force said the $54,000 Palmer spent to kill Cecil pales in comparison to the millions of dollars the big cat would have garnered in tourist dollars over the course of his life.
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Posted on August 3, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
1.5 BILLION Euros as sweetners for Serbia’s EU pre accession; and still the EU is doing very little about enforcing animal welfare legislation in Serbia – the ‘rule of law’. Is that not what all pre-accession states are supposed to prove to the EU prior to them becoming member states of the EU ?
For animal welfare, truckloads of EU cash going into Serbia from the EU taxpayer – but the Enlargement Commission doing very little in return to EU citizens and actually asking Serbia why it is NOT enforcing its own laws on animal welfare – the ‘rule of law’ as the EU spouts !!
The following was sent to use by Vesna in Serbia – it is un edited or modified. What you see is what you get.
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Dear all,
Money that Serbia received from the EU through the IPA funds, EUR 203 million, 2013. is not known where was spent because the situation in Serbia has not changed much since 2013. And still the executive power does not respect and does not apply the applicable law and not EU legislation in the field of nature, although the domestic Law on Nature Protection registered Article, to EU legislation has applied in domestic legislation. But this does not applies.
The latest debacle shows that the executive and legislative power have the greatest impact profiteers and tycoons, is passing amendments to the Regulations on closed hunting season.
In this case, it is for one month, from 28 June 2015 to 29 July 2015 changed 3 times.
To the end it turned out that despite the ban handed down turtle dove hunting, can be hunted, and this year, which is a kind of degraded Regulations, turtle dove Streptopelia turtur, which is located on the European Red list of endangered species will be killed this year in Serbia. This was done for the profiteers in the field of hunting, which have ravaged the fauna of Serbia.
In addition, the EU has long been banned all exports of meat of game from Serbia to the EU. (Council Regulalation No. 338/97 of 9.December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein) .
In the hunt for turtle doves and quail comes a lot of Italians who will defiance smuggle the corpses of birds in Italy.
One killed the turtle dove here costs 2.5 euros, and the moment arrive in Italy, Minimum cost is 25 euros, the resale for restaurants, the price reaches over 50 euros per bird. The same applies to quail, which the European Red List has the status of sparse species.
Quail and turtle doves are species of international importance and in the majority of European countries hunting both species is prohibited.
In Serbia hunt both species begins 01.08. and lasts until 30.09. and that the playing time, ie. raising cubs in August, and September is the time of peak migration of birds from northern Europe, where they are fully protected from hunting.
For Serbia fields falling exhausted from a grueling migration, to rest, feed and water, and then in moments of greatest exhaustion flocks, gathering hunters and kills everybody. None flock that was discovered by hunters, occurred on the territory of Serbia, no longer flew.
So protection pursued by the northern European countries and the money spent in conservation, here, on the territory of Serbia, everything is canceled, the mass killing of birds in migration.
I forgot to mention that over Serbia, from north to south migratory corridor for Africa, and for birds migrating in Central Asia.
In short, Serbia does not respect and do not apply the EU Directive on the conservation of wild birds in 2009 (Directive 2009/147 / EC, 30th November 2009). As Bern and the Bonn Convention on the conservation of wild fauna and its habitats.
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of quail would not even discuss a turtle dove protect it for 1 month during the closed season or during the hunt is this decision reversed and allow hunting.
Today, 01.08. he began to hunt for turtle doves and quails, with a strong zeal of hunters, they are angry and want to kill as height can, I have no doubt that will happen. This is due to what was first hunting was banned, which led them to anger, and then a few days before the start of hunting, hunting is allowed, and now they will carry out revenge against the poor birds.
In short, the authorities in Serbia wants money from the EU but will not respect its own laws and even less EU legislation. Stakeholders and profiteers continue to tailor policies and legislation in Serbia and it is not, the debacle of turtle doves clearly visible for us.
Authorities in Serbia know that exports of meat of wild animals is prohibited in the EU and know that they will be smuggling corpses of birds in the EU, but do nothing to prevent it, but to make all help to carry out smuggling.
In short, we in Serbia, we can to deal with everything, what is written and Slavica, we need the help of the EU, which is funded and supported by our government.
If, and this can help to improve the text, asylums and abandoned animals is not the only problem, no local government does not apply the Law on Veterinary and Animal Welfare Act.
I apologize for the bad English, with the help of Google translator and dictionary. I hope you’ll understand.
P.S. Oral vaccination of wild animals is carried out, provided the information and photographs from some areas in Serbia, where people find a vaccine and photographed, the last thing I received photos of the vaccine in reserve Great Bustards/ North Serbia. There is no longer a local declaration of rabies as earlier worked to hunters killing cats and dogs in the streets or at the periphery of the village. As well as the massacres of foxes in nature, which they consider to vermin.We still have no evidence that vaccination conducted regularly throughout the territory of Serbia.
Kind Regards
Vesna
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, HUNTING - Primarily UK and Germany, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 29, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Not just Cecil, which is disgusting enough, but Palmer is probably responsible now for the further deaths of Cecil’s six cubs which will be killed by another male lion.
The animal had a GPS collar fitted for a research project by UK-based Oxford University that allowed authorities to track its movements. The hunters tried to destroy it, but failed, according to the ZCTF.
On Monday, the head of the ZCTF told the BBC that Cecil “never bothered anybody” and was “one of the most beautiful animals to look at”.
The six cubs of Cecil will now be killed by the new male lion in the pride, Johnny Rodrigues added, in order to encourage the lionesses to mate with him.
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29/7 further updates – looks as if Walter Palmer has gone on the run.
Suggest you look at the CNN last link as it appears Mr. Palmer may have past links with the illegal killing of a bear. Lets hope that the book and everything possible is thrown at him and his hunter friends; all trying to buck pass over to each other at the moment !
BBC – Zimbabwean pair appear in court over Cecil the lion killing
Whats Up ? – So called ‘Hunter’ Theo Bronkhorst does not have such a smile now – see other photos. The two Zimbabwean men, who accompanied him on the hunt, could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. They are and lets hope they get the full term.
The other one is called ‘Honest’ – honest he is is NOT ! – maybe he should be called ‘moneyloverkiller’.
Killing of Cecil the lion prompts calls for EU ban on importing lion trophies
Cecil the lion’s killer revealed as American dentist
Walter Palmer: Leopard, rhino and bison among other big game hunted and killed by US dentist
Photos 1 – 4 below – thanks to the Daily Mirror UK newspaper – London.
Cecil the lion: Ricky Gervais and Cara Delevingne lead outpouring of anger after trophy hunter is identified as Walter Palmer
Zimbabwean officials: American man wanted in killing of Cecil the lion
– click on this link to see the video report about the Brown bear killing in the past.
Further Update – another new petition:
Shows how much money American dentists charge their customers when they can undertake ‘hunting ??’ trips like this.
Cecil the Lion was lured from his home, shot with a crossbow, then shot with a gun, beheaded and skinned.
Cecil justice petition links –
And
Bet Your Not Smiling So Much This Morning !
** Palmer owns the River Bluff Dental practice in
Bloomington, Minnesota **
Lots of comments in the following:
An American Dentist Killed Zimbabwe’s Famous Lion
Taylor Hill is TakePart’s associate environment and wildlife editor.
New reports reveal that Cecil’s killer was a U.S. citizen who paid $50,000 to have the 13-year-old male lured out of the park boundaries with bait.
Cecil the lion, a famous black-maned resident of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, died at the hands of an American dentist, conservationists claim.
They say Walter Palmer paid $50,000 to hunt and kill Cecil with a bow and arrow. The incident occurred around July 6, with a professional hunting outfit reportedly luring Cecil outside the boundaries of the protected reserve using a dead animal as bait.
“Mr. Palmer shot Cecil with a bow and arrow but this shot didn’t kill him,” Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said in a statement. “They tracked him down and found him 40 hours later when they shot him with a gun.
Cecil, who was known all over the world would have earned millions of dollars just from sightseeing. Walter Palmer apparently paid $50,000 for the kill.”
It wasn’t the first kill for Palmer, who has multiple photos posted on the website Trophy Hunt America showing the Minnesota resident posing with dead lions, rhinos, water buffalo, warthogs, and other animals.
The Telegraph is reporting from two independent sources that Palmer was indeed the hunter listed on the permit documents, and a spokesperson for Palmer told the news outlet that Palmer believes he is the one responsible for the lion’s death.
“As far as I understand, Walter believes that he might have shot that lion that has been referred to as Cecil,” the spokesperson said. “What he’ll tell you is that he had the proper legal permits and he had hired several professional guides, so he’s not denying that he may be the person who shot this lion. He is a big-game hunter; he hunts the world over.”
In a statement sent to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Walter said he didn’t know the lion he killed was a local favorite, or that it was radio-collared for study by Oxford University professors.
“I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt,” tthe statement said. “Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.”
Theo Bronkhorst—the professional hunter who led Palmer to Cecil—and another hunter associated with the baiting, have reportedly been arrested by Zimbabwe police over the death of Cecil. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said they are trying to reach Palmer regarding the illegal hunt, and he could face poaching charges.
The Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association said they have suspended Bronkhorst indefinitely from the organization for the way the hunt was carried out.
“ZPHGA reiterates it will not tolerate any illegal hunting or any unethical practices by any of its members and their staff,” the organization said in a statement. “We will await the completion of the current investigation by Zimbabwe Parks Wildlife Management Authority before commenting any further.”
Park rangers and regular visitors knew the 13-year-old lion as a tourist attraction, easily approached by safari guide jeeps for photo opportunities. Cecil had a propensity for lounging in the middle of roads, said Bryan Orford, a former park guide and a longtime visitor to Hwange. Hunting such an easy target only made the killing of Cecil even more wrong, he said.
“I used to drive down the railway line road following Cecil and had to wait for him to get off the road,” Orford told TakePart last week. “This walking in front of the vehicle would go on for ages. Other times he would lie in the road, and you had to drive off the road to go around him.”
The death of Cecil not only means one less endangered African lion in the world but also could mean the demise of a whole line of cubs sired by the leader of the Hwange pride.
“The saddest part of all is that now that Cecil is dead, the next lion in the hierarchy Jericho will most likely kill all Cecil’s cubs so that he can insert his own bloodline into the females,” Rodrigues said. “This is standard procedure for lions.”
Now, conservationists and animal activists are flocking to a petition asking Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to stop issuing hunting permits that allow for the killing of endangered animals. The petition was started July 22 and has picked up steam with the revealing of the hunter’s name. More than 90,000 have signed the Care2 petition as of Tuesday afternoon.
Cecil the lion video link –
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The big man dead beat hunter photo selection
Walt Palmer (right) with a White Rhino he shot in South Africa.
Photo: Trophy Hunt America
Below – Palmer with a Cape Buffalo. (Photo: Trophy Hunt America)
Above – Walter Palmer poses with a warthog. (Photo: Trophy Hunt America)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=158&v=_LzXpE1mjqA
RIP Majestic Cecil – free from ‘big hunter men tossers’ like Palmer
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, HUNTING - Primarily UK and Germany, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering) | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 29, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
29/7/15 – As we published last night, we can now confirm that action has been taken regarding the thousands of animals horrifically slaughtered every five years at the Gadhimai festival.
Here following is a link to the HSI site which gives a good account of the situation.
As you can see from all of our posts given at the end of this post, we have attempted to report on and provide updates relating to the most recent slaughter. Sadly for the animals at the very recent festival, this decision came too late to help them, but we must be thankful now that many thousands of lives will be saved for the future.
Well done everyone who helped with this campaign – victory is yours ! — SAV.
HSI Link:
Victory! Animal Sacrifice Banned at Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival,
Half a Million Animals Saved
Gadhimai Temple Trust agrees to cancel all future animal sacrifice, urges devotees not to bring animals to the festival
Humane Society International, Animal Welfare Network Nepal
New Delhi—In a move that will spare the lives of millions of animals over coming years, animal sacrifice has been cancelled indefinitely at Nepal’s Gadhimai festival, the world’s biggest animal sacrifice event held every five years for around 265 years. The decision announced by the Gadhimai Temple Trust follows rigorous negotiations and campaigning by Animal Welfare Network Nepal and Humane Society International/India.
Gauri Maulekhi, HSI/India consultant & Trustee, People for Animals, who petitioned India’s Supreme Court against the movement of animals from India to the Gadhimai festival, said, “This is a tremendous victory for compassion that will save the lives of countless animals. HSI/India was heartbroken to witness the bloodshed at Gadhimai, and we’ve worked hard to help secure this ban on future sacrifice. We commend the temple committee but acknowledge that a huge task lies ahead of us in educating the public so that they are fully aware. HSI/India & People for Animals will now spend the next three and a half years until the next Gadhimai educating devotees in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal on the Temple Trusts’ decision not to sacrifice animals. Animal sacrifice is a highly regressive practice and no nation in the modern world should entertain it.”
Manoj Gautam, founding member of AWNN and campaigner against the Gadhimai festival, said, “We applaud the temple committee’s decision to end this mass slaughter of innocent animals and hope that they will continue to support us in our future endeavors for protecting animals in the country. AWNN’s progressive move to work directly with the temple committee, with Humane Society International/India’s support has been the key that changed the whole face of the campaign and is the reason for the achievement we have now.”
In 2014, HSI/India and AWNN’s global campaign against the Gadhimai animal massacre captured the public imagination when thousands of national and international supporters expressed their ire and displeasure against the ruthless killing. Protests were held worldwide.
With the Supreme Court of India’s intervention to prohibit the movement of animals from India to Nepal, AWNN and HSI/India saw a reduction of up to 70 percent in the number of animals sacrificed from 2009. The Supreme Court’s order resulted in more than 100 arrests of those breaching the order, and more than 2,500 animals saved. Earlier this month the Supreme Court of India issued directions to states to set up mechanisms to prevent animals from being taken to Gadhimai in future and create awareness against animal sacrifice.
Earlier this year, following the global outrage stemming from the Gadhimai massacre, the temple committee also decided not to sacrifice any animals during the harvest festival (Sankranti). Instead, the temple officials have been confiscating the animals and caring for them until rescuers can rehome them.
Mr Ram Chandra Shah, Chairman of the Gadhimai Temple Trust, issued a statement on the decision to stop holding animal sacrifices during the Gadhimai festival, which can be foundhere.
Please thank the Temple Trustees for their decision. Then, consider donating to support our lifesaving work. You can also sign up to receive more news and action alerts about animal protection.
Facts:
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It is estimated that more than 500,000 buffalo, goats, chickens and other animals were decapitated at Gadhimai in 2009, but in 2014 the numbers had reduced by 70 percent.
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The origins of Gadhimai date back around 265 years ago, when the founder of the Gadhimai Temple, Bhagwan Chowdhary, had a dream that the goddess Gadhimai wanted blood in return for freeing him from prison, protecting him from evil and promising prosperity and power. The goddess asked for a human sacrifice, but Chowdhary successfully offered an animal instead, and this been repeated every five years since.
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Among others, President Emeritus of the World Council of Arya Samaj and noted social activist Swami Agnivesh were at the forefront of urging Indian devotees to boycott the mass slaughter by holding a hunger strike at the heart of the temple.
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D. Sharma, director general of SSB, was awarded with the ‘Leadership in Animal Welfare’ award for his exemplary contribution in curbing the illegal transport of animals during Gadhimai.
Some of our recent SAV posts relating to the most recent festival:
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering) | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 28, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
2150hrs GMT London – 28/7/15.
Breaking News – we are hearing today that the Gadhimai Temple Trust agrees to cancel all future animal sacrifice, urges devotees not to bring animals to the festival.
We have a lot of info on this but as this is a very important victory, we need to make a proper post. This will be produced on 29/7.
Please check this site then for further information.
This is confirmed via more than 1 source; so we are certain that it is correct.
More tomorrow ! – SAV.
One of our many previous posts to remind you of the campaign –
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 28, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Link and petition:
Romania: stop the assault on Europe’s last pristine wilderness
Bears and wolves still prowl the ancient forests of the Carpathian Mountains. Yet their days are numbered: organized criminals are illegally clear-cutting entire hillsides to supply European timber companies. Tell the Romanian environmental ministry to put a stop to the destruction.
Illegal logging is rampant in Romania. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, no less than 400,000 hectares of forest have been cleared there without permission, mainly for export as parquet, laminate and fuel pellets. “One of the last remaining virgin forests in Europe is cut being down to heat homes in Austria and Germany,” says Alexander von Bismarck, head of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).
An Austrian company, Holzindustrie Schweighofer, is playing a key role in the destruction of Romania’s forests. Schweighofer has been at the heart of a scandal in recent weeks involving forged delivery notes, bribes and dubious concessions.
An EIA video documents Schweighofer’s practices. In it, von Bismarck negotiated with company representatives posing as a foreign investor seeking to sell timber. The environmentalists concluded that Schweighofer deliberately and consciously buys – and indeed, pays bonuses for – illegally harvested timber. CEO Gerald Schweighofer called the video “misleading”.
By contrast, a leaked letter Schweighofer sent to the Romanian prime minister leaves no room for misinterpretation. In it, he threatens to sue the Romanian government in international courts if it does not amend its forestry laws to the company’s advantage.
Schweighofer is now building a new €150 million sawmill in Reci. Work has gone ahead without an environmental impact assessment and Romanian environmentalist Hans Hedrich therefore considers it to be illegal. He believes that the “Schweighofer system” would collapse if the sawmill can be kept from going into operation: “It would be the first step toward rescuing the forests.”
Tell the Romanian Ministry for Environment, Waters and Forests to deny the Reci sawmill an operating permit and to do everything in its power to combat the illegal timber trade.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, Romania - Stray Animal Killings 2013 | Leave a comment »
