The parliament has limited the annual volume of logging to 25 million cubic meters for the duration of the moratorium on export of unprocessed timber and criminalized the smuggling of timber.
The relevant draft law (No. 5495) was approved by 234 votes, with only 226 required for its approval, the Ukrainian News Agency reports.
The parliament toughened the punishment for smuggling of timber by stipulating in the draft law that transportation of unprocessed timber across the border or its concealment from customs officials is punishable by imprisonment for three-five years.
A repeat smuggling offence or smuggling involving collusion by a group of persons or an official abusing his or her official position and authority is punishable by imprisonment for 5-10 years plus confiscation of property (10-12 years plus confiscation of property if committed by an organized group of persons or on an especially large scale).
According to the document, the law will enter into force on January 1, 2019.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the State Forestry Agency has announced that the volume of logging reduced by 412,000 cubic meters or 2.5% to 15.9 million cubic meters in 2017, compared with 2016.
Logging companies increased logging by 2.6% to 16.4 million cubic meters in 2016, compared with 2015.
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