16 May 2002
Belavezhskaya Pushcha chief forester dismissed ostensibly for resenting large-scale felling
The Belarusian ruler's Administrative Department has refused to renew a contract with the chief forester of Belavezhskaya Pushcha, the national park in western Belarus considered unique in Europe in terms of
animal and plant diversity.
Yevgeny Smoktunovich, who headed the park in 2000 and was
later demoted to chief forester, lost his job because he resented large-scale felling initiated by the park's new director, Nikolai Bambiza, park employees said. Another opponent of the felling, Deputy Director Georgy Kozulko, had his contract terminated last fall. Shortly before his dismissal, Mr. Smoktunovich was reprimanded for foresters' failure to burn down felling debris.
In February 2002, the Belarusian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection dismissed reports of large-scale felling in Belavezhskaya Pushcha, saying that only dry and dead trees were cut.
About 200 park employees, including high-skilled workers, have reportedly been sacked in the last 12 months.
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