Ultimatum to Romsilva over Băneasa Forest

To: Regia Națională a Pădurilor ROMSILVA

For the attention of: Mr Marius – Dan SIIULESCU, Director General

Re: Băneasa Forest – road for the Greenfield housing development

Several NGOs, civic groups and environmental activists, who have already sent you a letter, draw attention to a serious breach of Law 331/2024, the new Forest Code, and ask you to immediately order a halt to Greenfield residents’ use of the forest road for which a contract/agreement for public vehicle access has been concluded and paid for through a toll.

This is a dubious agreement between your institution, through the Ilfov Forestry Directorate, on the one hand, and Federația Greenfield Băneasa, supported by Fundația Avenor, in the vicinity of Băneasa Forest, on the other.

The Ilfov Forestry Directorate states that the parties made this agreement to allow the Greenfield entity access to its property, and that it would comply with the Forest Code!

We assume this refers to Article 113, paragraph(2), of the Forest Code.

“Forest vehicle roads are technological transport routes, for private utility, used for: forest management, hunting and recreational fishing activities, interventions in the event of damage, calamities or disasters, being closed to public traffic, as well as for owners’ access to their own land.”

Does this mean that the Greenfield entity has no other access route and must reach the development through the forest?

A building in an urban area could not be authorized under Law 50/1991 on construction authorization if it had no access to a public road, and the development’s building permits do not provide for access through the forest.

We point out that this is a private neighborhood, built outside the forest, with public access via Aleea Teișani-Drumul Pădurea Pustnicu, plus two further access routes that should already have existed from Șos de Centură.

As is understood, the two access routes from Șos. de Centură have not yet been built, and since 2005-2007 the developer has exerted strong pressure for a road through Băneasa Forest.

What if every property development asked for shorter access routes through the forest?

We believe that this pressure on Băneasa Forest, the attempt to destroy this natural wealth for the benefit of property developers, including attempts to intimidate those campaigning for the forest’s integrity, must stop.

We point out that these actions and the written agreements between the forestry entity and the Greenfield entity, besides the offences under the Forest Code, certainly also infringe the Criminal Code:

Art. 246

“An act by a public official who, in the performance of their official duties, knowingly fails to carry out an act or carries it out improperly and thereby harms a person’s legitimate interests shall be punishable by imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years.”

Given the way matters are developing, we note that a pressure group has formed, a veritable organized group seeking access routes and various types of construction in the forest.

The Criminal Code also condemns these acts:

Article 367

Establishment of an organized criminal group

(1) Initiating or establishing an organized criminal group, joining or supporting such a group in any form shall be punishable by imprisonment from one to 5 years and prohibition of the exercise of certain rights.

The claim that Forestry Directorates “have to make some money too” has no justification, since one cannot breach legal rules without facing the full force of the law.

Mr Director, we ask you once again to intervene to stop this blatant illegality through Băneasa Forest, which could become an extremely dangerous precedent.

Otherwise, we are compelled to turn to the courts, also requesting investigation of the criminal nature of these acts, in which we would prefer your institution not to be involved.

Under Law 544/2001 on free access to information of public interest, please ask the forestry contracting party for these documents relating to the toll for access on the forest road, the contract/agreement or any other arrangement concluded between the forestry entity and the Greenfield entity, and send us copies.

Yours sincerely,

Gabi Paun, President of Agent Green

Dan Trifu, Fundația Eco-Civica

Ciprian Gălușcă, Greenpeace România

Angi Șerban, Corupția Ucide

Ioana Ciuta, Bankwatch România

Cătălina Rădulescu, Ecolegal

Contact:

Dan Trifu, Tel: 0722227780