Liviu Pop

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Romania is home to the largest area of near-natural forests in Europe, But they are on the increasing danger from illegal loggers

Forest ranger, Liviu Pop was reacting to a tip-off about illegal logging when he was shot with a hunting rifle This Week .

He is the second Romanian forest ranger killed in just over a month, and the Two Deaths have increased fear for the safety of those whose task it is to protect the forests of The Eastern EU country.

Romania is home to More Than half of Europe's last remaining old-growth and primeval forests— valuable ecosystems that are home to bears, wolves, lynx and wild cat.

There is considerable alarm at The Levels of violence, illegal loggers are willing to use to steal wood. The wood can end up anywhere in Europe, of Furniture , paper or construction materials.

Liviu Pop had gone to investigate a possible case of illegal logging in a mountainous region of Maramures in Northern Romania, was worried as his colleagues.

Liviu Pop had three children, and is thought to die about The Sixth ranger, in The Last few years

she tried to reach him by phone But still do not get a response, according to local media reports.

The Body of The married father of three was gorge by police in a forest on Wednesday evening. An investigation has been opened, But there are no suspects in this Phase, the case Prosecutor Bogdan Gabor, told the BBC.

maybe He had shot with his own gun, the state's attorney.

Raducu Gorcioaia, 50, was found dead in his car in The Last month, a short distance from an illegal logging site in Pascani forest-district in the North-East of the country.

The Forester had suffered severe head injuries, alleged to have been caused by an axe. Three people, including two teenagers, are suspect in the case.

'goons tried to Kill Me '

Gabriel Paun know all about the violence associated with illegal logging.

"The Forest mafia has tried to Kill Me several times," said The Head of the environmental NGO Agent Green, the BBC said. He spent decades trying to protect the Romanian wilderness.

"We are deeply concerned that foresters and activists like us are killed while investigating illegal logging in Romania. "

"I Four years ago, the investigation of the proximity of Retezat National Park , and a bunch of thugs attacked me and tried to Kill Me . You broke my ribs, cracked open my head and broke my hand, before I escape it was by running," he said.

Although it is suspected that in his case, the Prosecutor's office has convicted only slowly and no one was. However, in this month, the suspect finally face a court of law.

"the Whole time they were free, and I feared for My Life ," he said.

Romania's forests are home to bears, wolves and lynx, But like with an alarming rate

Romania's state-owned forest management company, Romsilva manages 48% of the country is forests, which strongly condemned the recent killing and quoted alarming figures of attacks against Forestry workers who were trying to protect against wood thieves".

There are 16 attacks on its forest workers counted in this year alone.

The Head of the Silva Trade-Union Federation, Silviu Geana, complains that the rangers are in a position to defend themselves, and six rangers now have lost their lives in The Last few years.

'chipboard panels for the Furniture ,'

to protect the Romanian forests are felled at an alarming rate, and the murder of the Forestry employees, the try, the wilderness can do little to slow you down.

Forestry and trade unionists protested in front of the Parliament in Bucharest in The Last month about the lack of resources and security

research estimates of Greenpeace Romania, that Romania is losing three hectares of its total forest area every hour as a result of the degradation, illegal and legal logging, including parts of the original old-growth forests.

in The Last month from three NGOs, Agent Green, client earth and Euro nature, filed a complaint with the European Commission against the Romanian government, with the claim that his application to practice often violated Eu Law for nature conservation.

"There is a lot at the game, because Romania is the home of The Last , huge old-growth and primeval forest — But they are just chipboard for Furniture . "Gabriel Paun said.

This is a legal sawmill, But activists complain of Romania, government is regulating the industry properly

The government in Bucharest says it has stepped up efforts to combat illegal logging, with better control and monitoring, But the EU says great challenges lie ahead of us.

on The Day after, Liviu Pop was shot dead in a forest in Maramures, Gabriel Paun was from the investigation of an application site in The Eastern Carpathians, the of one of the largest commercial logging companies in Romania.

"you have cut much more wood than is legal, But the question is, why is the government allowed an old forest, was formed after The Last ice age, to be completely removed?'"

later, He was chased away by the loggers. He escaped without harm, But the risks for those who fight to defend, Romania, the forests, is not Clear .

romania

Source of news: bbc.com