An appeal to the Council of State concerning the forest maps was lodged today 01/10/2020 by seven environmental protection organisations, including the HSPN.

According to the Hellenic Society of Environment and Culture, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Union for Human and Citizen Rights, Callisto, Greenpeace Greece and WWF Greece, the ministerial decision (64663/2956/03.07.2020 (Government Gazette Β 2773)) by the Minister of Environment, Mr. K. Hatzidakis:

– seeks to declassify forest land granted for agricultural or livestock use (without loss of its forest status), in order to pave the way for other land uses, such as construction development;
– restarts the process of the development of forest maps in Greece, in many cases eliminating their probative force;
– indefinitely deprives citizens and the administration of an important tool for information, transparency and environmental protection – the forest maps, and by extension, the forestry registry.

The full announcement of the seven complainant organizations, in Greek, is available here.