forestry code
PutinUrges to Analyse Forestry Code More Carefully
ITAR-TASSNews Agency, 12 April 2004
ByViktoria Sokolova
PresidentVladimir Putin has suggested to Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev thathe should report to him about the work on the Forestry Code.
“Youfinished administrative transformations, and now you can pass over to concretework, including on the codes, specifically on the Forestry Code,” thePresident said at a meeting with members of the cabinet on Monday.
Putinurged “to pay special attention to fundamental problems, to analyse allcontroversial issues once again together with the Ministry of EconomicDevelopment and the State Duma.”
Thedraft Forestry Code triggered heated arguments. Early in April legislativeassemblies of ten regions of the Russian Far East described it as unacceptable.They suggested the holding of a nationwide referendum on the problem of privateproperty on forests.
TheCouncil of Legislators under the Federation Council also recommended to thegovernment to preserve state property on forests “as the dominating form ofproperty.” The Russian Auditing Chamber also expressed a negative opinionof the draft document.
PrimeMinister Mikhail Fradkov also opposed the introduction of private property onforests last week. “I do not see any reason for introducing privateproperty on forests, since we may grant them on lease for as long as 15 years.This step would be counterproductive,” he said.
