Economic agents not to be able to purchase wood from Moldsilva companies

Chisinau, 7 Sep. /MOLDPRES/- Authorities banned the sale of wood from the national forest fund to economic agents as early as July, in order to ensure the state program for providing people with firewood, Environment Minister Iuliana Cantaragiu said at a press conference after today's cabinet meeting.

"What is being sold on the market today is the wood stocks made by July. Respectively, when the sellers say the country is running out of firewood, then it is about their private reserves and not the warehouses of the profile enterprises subordinate to the Moldsilva Agency, which operates in accordance with the government's provisions and in collaboration with the local authorities", Cantaragiu said.

The government's plan sees the priority provision of firewood to the most disadvantaged categories, especially poor families and the elderly. Also, the state institutions will supervise to ensure a correct distribution, preventing illegal cutting.

According to the authorities, the price of firewood at the Moldsilva Agency will remain the same as last year. For the wood of hard species, 550-870 lei will be paid for one square meter (about 45 euros), and for soft species - around 350 lei per square meter. The wood can only be picked up during the day, with the appropriate documents, only by households and public institutions, especially educational ones. Economic agents will not be able to purchase wood from Moldsilva.