Min. Moscow: I appealed to the European Commission for proper conduct
The climate and environment minister spoke to reporters after a recent meeting with the European Union Environment Commissioner. She conveyed that if there were discussions about transferring state forests from national control to European management, the European Commission should act with correct judgment. The commissioner was not aware of this parliamentary initiative, the minister noted.
The head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment is set to participate in the conference titled Polish forests the treasure of generations. The event will take place on Wednesday at the Forest Education Center in Jedlnia Letnisko. The minister emphasized the goal of defending Polish forests so they remain in the hands of those who manage them best.
She also recalled Friday’s tree planting campaign in Kapturski forest near Radom, where she joined the effort. Five thousand oaks were planted with the enthusiastic involvement of many young people from Radom and nearby communities. This initiative was a source of pride for the participants and organizers.
The minister highlighted that Friday’s activities in Radom provided a practical demonstration of how to care for the environment and safeguard nature. She expressed happiness that young people could actively participate, contribute to environmental protection, and engage with nature in a hands on way rather than merely being spectators at the ministry building. This, she said, is the essence of nature conservation.
Kuźmiuk: Forestry policy is the policy of a Member State
Zbigniew Kuźmiuk, a member of the European Parliament who attended the press conference, stressed that forestry policy is the responsibility of each member state and is clearly stated in the treaties. He criticized the European Parliament debate on Europe’s future for seeming to push forest management into EU competence, arguing that the call for this shift does not reflect the preferences of many citizens and local governments.
Radom’s own Waldemar Tralka noted that around Radom there are forty thousand hectares of forest, which accounts for roughly twenty seven percent of the province’s total area. He pointed out that the local government has taken a clear stand in defense of Polish forests and urged other local authorities to adopt similar positions. The mayor of Radom underscored the importance of strengthening this bottom up voice among local governments as essential to the government, the prime minister, the ministry, and elected representatives in building a coherent defense of the country’s woodlands.
Earlier this year the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety delivered a positive opinion on amending the treaties to transfer forestry from national competence to shared competencies between the EU and member states. Such an amendment would require the unanimous consent of all EU countries. The climate and environment minister noted that Poland actively contributes to environmental protection and remains vigilant in forest governance.
These discussions reflect the ongoing commitment to balance national stewardship with broader European cooperation while keeping forests under national guidance that respects local know how and regional realities. The ministry continues to advocate for robust forest management that supports sustainable growth, job creation in rural areas, and biodiversity preservation. (Source: wPolityce)