MPs have been discussing the package of laws approved by the government in the short legislative procedure. Among them are changes to the felling of trees and woody plants. Environment Minister Tomas Taraba wants to make the landscape clearer because of the increasing number of bear-human encounters. According to the opposition, uncontrollable felling threatens to mar the appearance of Slovakia.
A permit for felling trees will no longer be required for trees with a trunk circumference of up to 80 centimetres and a height of up to 130 centimetres. The same applies to shrubs that extend over no more than 100 square metres. According to Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba, a SNS nominee, this is to help farmers.
Tamara Stohlová of Progressive Slovakia responds that the proposed changes will not help change the diversity of plants or insects in nature.
The amendment is intended to help clarify the landscape, which can also serve as a preventive measure in the event of human-bear encounters. According to Alojz Hlina from opposition SaS, this reasoning is misguided. He thinks that the main reason for this is the uncontrolled felling of trees.
(RTVS)
