The Ministry of the Interior, the State Ecological Inspectorate, the Agency “Moldsilva” and the Hunters and Fishermen Society of Moldova Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement, whereby they aim to join forces in the fight against poaching and illegal tree cutting. The accord was signed after a meeting held to sum up the results achieved in the field last year, Info-Prim Neo reports. Marin Maxian, head of the Ministry of the Interior’s Public Order Division, said in the event that they aim to initiate large-scale activities all over the country with a view to sensitizing civil society so that it works together with the authorities in combating poaching and illegal tree cutting. “Moldsilva” deputy director general Tudor Botnari said they will achieve more results by concerted effort. According to him, the weak chain in protecting the forests is related to the social aspect. “We offer the people the necessary wood, but not everybody obeys the law. 4,800 cubic meters of forests were illegally cut in 2011,” said Botnari. Tudor Colac, secretary of the National Council of the Hunters and Fishermen Society, said that a special post of ‘hunting guard’ or ‘fishing guard’ exists in all the EU member states, but Moldova does not have it. “Unfortunately, the hunters and fishermen do not cooperate with the local authorities and the education institutions. However, we achieved certain results. Effort is now made to establish cooperation relations,” said the Doctor of Ethnology. The representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, the State Ecological Inspectorate and “Moldsilva” Agency said that the situation has improved compared with the previous years, but a lot is yet to be done to normalize it.