Silviu Geana - Photo: ForestPress
October 24, 2019 - Foresters charged with forest conservation will be armed under a bill that has been approved by the House Committee on Agriculture.
As previously reported, Silviu Geana, chairman of the Romanian Forestry Federation (Federatia Sindicatelor Din Silvicultura Silva), reported in Sovata on October 25 that Romanian foresters are mourning because of the recent death of wood thieves.
Silviu Geana said that under current law, foresters do not have a license to carry weapons. In previous years, they possessed not only a handgun but also a machine gun. The union is working to change the law and allow the foresters to wear self-defense weapons again.
On Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to propose legislation to change the status of forestry workers and issued a positive opinion.
One of the amendments is that forestry personnel charged with the protection of forests and protected natural areas will receive service weapons and may use them under the law on the use of weapons.
Another amendment adopted by the committee provides that foresters who retire receive a minimum monthly salary of 5 months' gross salary, which is paid by the employer.
The Senate has already passed the bill, which is now on the table of the decisive body, the House of Representatives.
A forester from the Maramureş County Forestry Office was killed on the evening of October 16 in the Strâmbu Băiuţ Forestry District while trying to prevent illegal logging, the Romsilva National Forestry Directorate said in a statement on October 17.
This is the second time that a Romsilva employee has been killed in the course of his service: three months ago, an employee of the Paşcani Forestry District of the Iasi County Forestry Office was killed by three people who were surprised by illegal logging.
In the last five years, many foresters working to prevent illegal logging have been attacked. There were 168 cases registered between 2014 and 2018, and 16 since the beginning of the year, according to last week's Romsilva Communication.