SaS Calls for Audit of State Forests Over Raw Timber Exports to Non-processors

Bratislava, 3 July (TASR) – The opposition Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) has criticised state-run forestry company 'Lesy SR' for selling timber to firms without processing facilities while Slovak sawmills are struggling with a shortage of raw wood. According to SaS representatives Branislav Groehling and Alojz Hlina, this violates Lesy SR's own commercial policy, which states that wood should be sold exclusively to processors. "Slovak wood-processing plants are going bankrupt. The state is throwing obstacles in their way, while high-quality logs are being exported abroad without added value, jobs or tax revenues for Slovakia," said SaS chairman Groehling. He announced that the party will demand an audit of Lesy SR's trade policy, the creation of a mechanism to reserve Slovak wood for domestic mills and a parliamentary inspection of the company. Groehling also criticised Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) for failing to act. "He's remaining silent, hiding, and even avoiding debates with Alojz Hlina, fearing facts that he cannot defend against," he added. According to MP Hlina, investigative findings show that three of the ten largest timber buyers from Lesy SR — who will collectively purchase about 300,000 cubic metres this year — do not operate sawmills. "Lesy SR had a commercial strategy clearly stating that contracts should go to processors. No one has officially revoked that policy; it was simply removed from the internet," said Hlina. He further questioned the quality claims in supply contracts, which reportedly classify 92 percent of harvested wood as low-grade pulpwood or firewood. "It's curious that only 8 percent of our forest yield is supposedly suitable for cutting boards despite the fact that you see beautiful trees when you walk through the forests," Hlina remarked. mf/df