site.btaFive Balkan Countries' Forest Administrations to Sign Bulgaria-Initiated Cooperation Memorandum

NW 10:45:31 12-11-2014
SN1045NW.106
106 ENVIRONMENT - BALKANS - FOREST COOPERATION

Five Balkan Countries' Forest Administrations
to Sign Bulgaria-Initiated
Cooperation Memorandum


Sofia, November 12 (BTA) - Meeting at the Boyana Residence in
Sofia on Tuesday, experts representing the forest
administrations of Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Montenegro and
Bulgaria discussed the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation
and Establishment of a Balkan Forests Forum, BTA learnt from
Bulgaria's Executive Forest Agency (EFA).

This is the second such meeting initiated by the EFA.

The forum envisaged by the Memorandum will involve a broad range
of institutions, experts, NGOs, trade unions and other
stakeholders and will provide a platform for dialogue on current
forest policies and problems and forest management. The
initiative seeks to establish permanent links among the Balkan
countries' forest administrations for effective forest
conservation and forestry sector development as part of rural
development.

The Balkan Forests Forum will be aligned to the countries'
European integration and coordination, the development and
assertion of silvicultural science and innovative technologies
so as to protect the environment in forest areas and improve the
socio-economic living conditions there. It will coordinate the
forest and forestry administrations' efforts to formulate and
present joint policies and positions, exchange information,
facilitate scientific research, and propose specific actions for
forest protection and sustainable management. VI/LG


/СН/