Experts agree that the forest debate is driven largely by economic interests. The broader conservation narrative is often viewed as a distraction. A high-ranking official, the general director of the State Forests, Józef Kubica, expressed this view in an interview published in Gazeta Polska on a recent Wednesday. He emphasized that the discussion cannot be treated passively and stressed the need to recognize underlying pressures shaping forestry policy.
In that interview, Kubica responded to a journalist’s remark noting that over the past twenty years there have been several attempts to reform the forest management system and reverse traditional approaches, with international institutions increasingly weighing in. The remarks highlighted the tension between national control and external influence in forest governance.
READ ALSO:
– ONLY HERE. A spokesperson for Staatsbosbeheer commented on the Ochojska case, suggesting it should be addressed by the European Parliament
— Staatsbosbeheer’s response to a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling was seen as a potential threat to the economy. The episode drew comparisons to reactions in Germany and Austria regarding forest management plans
According to Kubica, the past three decades have shown that inward challenges to the State Forests have not succeeded. Whenever someone attempted to stir intrigue or push for changes in Polish forests, public resistance was strong enough to thwart the effort. This, he argued, is why the company that hopes to see the State Forests weakened sought alliances abroad
in his assessment.
The Role of the CJEU Judgment
Kubica noted that supporters of the policy shift arrived in clear view. The most consequential issue centers on a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, with the possibility that appeals against forest management plans could become a tool to halt forest operations in practice.
He stressed that much of this turmoil unfolded after the ENVI committee in the European Parliament — backed by policy groups and certain party coalitions — moved to transfer powers from member states to the broader European community. This shift challenges the treaty framework that designates forest management as a matter for member-state control. Critics argue that Brussels aims to steer Polish forest policy from the background, a move whose consequences could mirror earlier disputes over land use in the Białowieża Forest.
In response to questions about interest groups seeking to destabilize Poland’s State Forests, Kubica insisted the pressure appears primarily economic in nature. The overarching conservation narrative is viewed as a strategic cover, and passive observation is deemed insufficient, he remarked.
– The situation demands close scrutiny and a careful, evidence-based approach to governance, Kubica concluded.
gah/PAP