Illegal cutting of Christmas trees entails a significant fine.
The press secretary of the Ministry of Forestry of Belarus, Anastasia Matskevich, warned about this at a press conference on December 18.
Her statement is cited by BELTA .
What is the penalty for illegally cutting down Christmas trees?
As Matskevich said, the number of Christmas tree poachers is decreasing every year.
However, in 2023, forest protection officers confiscated 115 illegally harvested New Year trees during raids.
The press secretary of the Ministry of Forestry noted that this year the state forest protection service has already switched to an enhanced version of service. It will last until January 7.
The first case of seizure of illegally harvested wood was already identified this year – in the Brest region, – said the agency representative.
She noted that there is a legal opportunity to prepare a New Year tree yourself.
To do this, you need to contact the forestry department, where they will explain the entire mechanism in detail.
The amount of the fine for illegal logging depends on the forest in which the tree was cut down.
For individuals, the fine is up to 30 base units (1,200 rubles), for sole proprietors and legal entities it is even higher.
The cost of a New Year tree at a Christmas tree market ranges from 20 to 35 rubles.
