Continued logging in Bialowieza would affect rule-of-law process against Poland, EU says

Record ID: 905032

  • Title: Continued logging in Bialowieza would affect rule-of-law process against Poland, EU says
  • Date: 2nd August 2017
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JULY 28, 2017) (REUTERS) FLAGS REFLECTED ON GLASS EU LOGO
  • Embargoed: 16th August 2017 14:31
  • Keywords: Bialowieza primeval forest logging rule of law European Court of Justice European Commission
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / BIALOWIEZA FOREST, POLAND
  • City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / BIALOWIEZA FOREST, POLAND
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA0056SGS2M1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Continued logging in Poland's Bialowieza primeval forest would add to arguments against Warsaw in the EU's investigation on whether Poland is observing the rule of law, the European Commission said on Wednesday (August 2).
    The European Union's top court issued an injunction last week with immediate effect ordering the Polish government to stop logging in the north-east Bialowieza primeval forest which is protected under EU environmental laws.
    But Poland's environment minister told a news conference on Monday the logging would continue.
    Asked if such defiance could accelerate the Commission's decision to move to suspend Poland's voting rights in the 28-nation EU, a Commission spokeswoman told a regular news briefing the EU executive was following the situation with great concern.
    She said the Commission would seek confirmation of the press reports from various sources, including satellite images.
    Early on Wednesday morning, Reuters Television filmed logging machines in action in the Bialowieza forest.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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