Bill to protect Bucharest’s surrounding forests moves forward in Parliament

The draft law aiming to protect the forests in Ilfov, the county surrounding Bucharest, got its first favorable opinion in the Chamber of Deputies. The legislation passed the Senate with unanimous vote in late June and is now moving forward in the Parliament, as a vote from the deputies is also needed for the bill to become law.

On Wednesday, October 4, the draft law received a favorable opinion from all members of the legal committee of the Chamber of Deputies. Next, it will go to three other expert committees for debates before moving to the Chamber for a decisive and final vote.

To come into force after being adopted by the Parliament, the bill must be signed into law by president Klaus Iohannis.

Introduced on April 12 as part of the civic platform Together for the Green Belt/Impreuna pentru Centura Verde, the draft law is a major pillar of a much-needed project to safeguard the trees that still encircle the capital and create a future green belt around the city.

The initial legislation was submitted with support from USR and Reper, but the other political parties, PNL, PSD and UDMR, also joined the project. Alex Găvan, mountaineer and co-founder of the civic platform, said that no less than 65 MPs are now co-initiators of the law.

In addition to the bill, the Together for the Green Belt civic platform also includes a public petition asking the politicians and authorities to take action. It can be read and backed by signature here.

Together for the Green Belt is a project of the Alex Găvan Foundation. Further details can be found here.

(Photo source: courtesy of AlexGăvan)