The Permanent Bureau of the Ecologist Green Party (PVE) instituted two annual awards for the best and worst environmental actions. These are the mascots “Muma Pădurii”, for damage caused to the environment, and “Ileana Cosânzeana”, for actions to promote/protect the environment, IPN reports, quoting a Facebook post of PVE.

The mascot “Ileana Cosânzeana” was awarded to the Supreme Court of Justice that, after eight years, ruled in favor of the citizens in the case of the Bălți Park “Andrieș” and set a precedent for returning to localities all the green areas in the country that were illegally appropriated by “shrewd guys” who formed part of different governments and local councils.

The mascot “Muma Pădurii” (ugly and mean old woman living in the forest) was conferred on Minister of the Environment Iuliana Cantaragiu and deputy head of the Parliament’s commission on environment and regional development Ina Coșeru “for a number of actions aimed against the environment”.

These two public figures were chosen because they supported the initiative to legalize the burning of used tires at a time when the EU discourages such a waste management method, while the Republic of Moldova does not have a rigorous air quality control system.