Miljanić: In the coming days, we will deal with the problem of the "forestry mafia"

Zoran Miljanić, minister without portfolio and deputy president of the National Commission for the Fight against Corruption, said that the state will deal with the problem of the "forestry mafia" in the coming days.

He said this in Colors of the Morning on Vijesti television.

He stated that because of illegal logging and exploitation of forests, the National Council for the fight against corruption was constituted, whose session on this topic is expected in the coming days.

"In 2021 and 2022, we have 51 criminal charges filed by the Directorate for Inspection Affairs (UIP) and 47 by the Police Directorate (UP) in relation to illegal forest cutting, including those responsible in the Forestry Administration, concessionaires and others in that chain," Miljanić pointed out.

He adds that so far there has been no reaction from the competent Prosecutor's Office.

He also emphasizes that in 2021 the Ministry of Agriculture submitted five proposals to initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible in the then Forestry Administration and three concessionaires and the former Minister of Agriculture, state secretaries who were responsible for forestry, "as well as against the judges of the Commercial Court who acted in disputes that the state led".

He adds that the Ministry of Agriculture has no feedback from the Prosecutor's Office for any of these cases.

Miljanić believes that one of the biggest problems of institutions is that there was no mutual cooperation at a high level.

"The idea is to gather all the institutions in one place and to be involved in what we intend to do from the beginning," he said.

He believes that things will not be solved by repression alone.

"I think the Prosecutor's Office should give an answer about the 100 criminal reports filed by the UIP and UP, what is the result, what is the outcome and where should the most energy be spent," added Miljanić.

He also referred to the problem of gravel exploitation, saying that the process of installing cameras is ongoing.