The resonant MP bill on fines for firewood storage will not be signed by the President. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a government meeting, UNN reports.
"Regarding firewood collection in rural areas. This is an important backup and sometimes the main fuel for people, so there are no restrictions on firewood harvesting for people and there will be no restrictions. The high-profile MP bill on fines for firewood storage will not be signed by the President," Shmyhal said.
He noted that the state and the government will do everything possible to assist Ukrainians who collect firewood to heat their homes in winter.
Addendum
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a draft lawthat would increase liability for the destruction or damage of forests, illegal felling of trees, and illegal sale of timber.
The media began to spread information that the draft law allegedly provided for imprisonment for people for storing firewood without documents.
Maksym Pavliuk, MP, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement and one of the authors of the bill, stated that the bill No. 9665 on improving liability for offenses in the field of forestry and combating illegal wood trafficking, which was voted by the Verkhovna Rada, is not aimed at people who use firewood to heat their homes, but at "black loggers," illegal sawmills that profit from stolen wood.
Advisor to the President of Ukraine Dmytro Lytvyn reportedthat President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not sign the law changing the penalties for forest use, which journalists dubbed the "firewood law".