PEN Minister Kostas Skrekas has already announced that if necessary there will be a new extension, beyond the semester that “runs” from May for the submission of objections to the Forest Maps, as well as that corrections to “green” properties, which have administrative acts, are referred for after the issuance and if this is allowed by the content of the expected decision of the CoE.
The new provision sets a deadline to correct obvious errors in the Forest Maps. Specifically, it is stipulated that the corrections that fall into the category of manifest error are implemented and integrated into the posted forest maps two months before the end of the deadline for submitting objections. The integration is carried out by an act of the relevant Forestry Directorate, which is published in the program “Diavegia”. If the correction concerns a sanctioned part of the forest map, the sanctioning decision for the part being corrected is revoked. Objections or requests for the correction of obvious errors that have been submitted against posted forest maps and fall within the areas to be corrected according to the above, will not be considered and any special fee paid will be returned to the beneficiary.
According to the explanatory statement of the amendment, by observing the existing deadlines of par. 1 of article 15 of Law 2889/2010, the Forest Departments do not have time to correct the obvious errors and the affected parties will be burdened with “unnecessary” submissions of objections on obvious errors, while an issue will arise with any objections that arise after the corrections by the competent Forest Departments.
The full text of the provision for extension of submission of objections is as follows:
Extension of the deadline of par. 1 of article 15 of v. 3889/2010 for forest maps whose posting is implemented within 2021
- The deadline of the first paragraph of paragraph 1 of article 15 of v. 3889/2010 (A’ 182) for the forest maps whose posting takes place within 2021, is extended, from its expiration, for six (6) months. The above extension is extended for twenty (20) additional days for those who reside permanently or reside abroad.
- Corrections that fall into the category of manifest error, as specified in par. A of no. 153394/919/12.4.2017 of the decision of the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy (B’ 1366), are implemented and incorporated into the posted forest maps two (2) months before the end of the deadline for submitting objections of par. 1. The incorporation of obvious errors is carried out by act of the relevant Forestry Directorate, which is published in the program “Diaygeia”. Objections may be submitted against corrections in accordance with article 15 of v. 3889/2010, within the deadline of par. 1. If the correction concerns a sanctioned section of the forest map, the sanctioning decision for the section being corrected is revoked. Objections or requests to correct an obvious error that have been submitted against posted forest maps and fall within the areas to be corrected according to the above, will not be considered and any special fee paid will be returned to the beneficiary”
The decision to reduce the objection fees was signed
In the meantime, PEN Deputy Minister Giorgos Amyras announced from Volos, where, accompanied by the general secretary of Natural Environment and Waters Konstantinos Aravosi, held on Wednesday May 19, 2021 and had meetings with local bodies for Forest Maps, that he signed the decision providing for a reduction of objection fees by 50%.
The representatives of the political leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented in Magnesia the basic framework on which the effort to solve the major problems that have been created due to the of forest maps, as broadcast by APE-MPE.
“Our policy and direction is one and only, since it is known that forest maps are a great reform which has been missing from Greece for many decades” the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy emphasized in his statements and added: “We need these maps in order to know where the forest really is, so that it can be protected, but also where it is not so that the properties can be freed of people to utilize them as they see fit and in accordance with the law”.
Mr. Amyras stated that the ministry is ready with legislative solutions, horizontally, to resolve issues that have been “swept under the carpet for too many years”. “We are determined to change the doctrine. No longer will the citizen run to prove that he is not an elephant. First the Public Administration will endogenously correct the errors and thus solutions will be provided. Our direction is to provide solutions quickly, directly, clearly, in an easy way without burdening the citizens”, he emphasized.
The deputy minister made special reference to the decision, which he signed himself this morning, reducing objection fees by 50%. “We don’t want the cost for the citizen to be high and at the same time the cost is remunerative as whatever the citizen pays for the objections does not go into the “pocket” of the state but goes back to the development of the forest maps project” he emphasized and added: ” With the corrections already made by the forest services to the posted maps, in the end we will see that the citizens’ objections will be much less”.
Mr. Amyras said that in total more than 175,000 objections have been submitted and he added that yes SYRIZA took a step by posting maps in almost 50% of the territory, however the way it tried was bad.
It is noted that in Magnesia approximately 21,000 land owners are captives of the forest maps and the biggest problem is found in the Municipality of Zagora-Mouresi and mainly in areas where chestnuts and apple trees are cultivated.
By Argyris Demertzis, from www.ecopress.gr
