The situation of the national forest sector is worrisome owing to the illegal cutting of trees and the inefficient management, said the director general of the Forestry Agency “Moldsilva” Iurie Apostolachi. In a news conference on April 3, he stated that in order to remedy the situation, it was decided to suspend the cutting of oak trees until the end of this year, IPN reports.

“When I returned from parliamentary work to my previous job of forester, I found a nonfunctional central apparatus and forestry entities. The activity in the forest sector was reduced to wood cutting works and wood sale. Everything centers upon incomes,” stated Iurie Apostolachi.

He also said that no protection measures were taken and the forest resources have deteriorated. The vegetation in many places is burned. Such a situation is due to the inaction of foresters and to civic irresponsibility.

According to a report by the Agency, in 2014 the illegal wood cutting activities caused damage estimated at 600,000 lei. In 2015 it is projected to plant trees on an area of 1,530 hectares. Natural regeneration works will be performed on 2,772 hectares.