Pilav: Protect resources and domestic producers, control timber exports

A session of the Forestry and Wood Industry Group was held at the premises of the FBiH Chamber of Commerce, discussing the Draft Law on Forests, which has been pending for a long time, reports the Patria agency.

The Vice-President of the Group, Muhamed Pilav, emphasized that BiH manages its most important resource, timber, irrationally, which also affects air quality, tourism, and has a significantly broader significance than just processing. He added that we cannot talk about rational timber processing, as only one-fifth of BiH's exports consist of final products.

- If the degree of finalization were to increase, at least 10,000 new jobs could be created in this sector in a very short period - believes Pilav.

He states that the best solution would be to follow the example of neighboring countries. For instance, Croatia adopted a Law on Forest Exploitation and Sale, which is conducted transparently and publicly. He also emphasized that the Republic of Croatia adopted a Decree prohibiting the export of oak logs, which has the force of law, in order to ensure raw materials for domestic producers of final products and protect their factories.

This is not yet the case in BiH, while in the RS, the forestry sector is more regulated.