New laws would benefit self-serving interests
First of all, we hope that Parliament, bearing in mind the effects its review will have on the nation and given that its work is subject to judiciary approval with regard to respect for the fundamental principles and provisions of the Constitution, will not approve the proposed indirect abolition of Article 24 of that Constitution. Otherwise, Greece will appear as the only civilized nation to be deliberately destroying its forest ecosystems in order to serve selfish economic and profit-making interests. Very recent resolutions by the United Nations and the European Union refer explicitly to the need to preserve forest ecosystems that regulate ecological equilibrium. Yet the government’s proposals amount to what is a national ecological disaster, since, according to official estimates, at least 400,000 hectares of forest ecosystems will be declassified for housing development and private interests in a double blow to Greece’s forest resources and public property. We ask all Greeks to defend their natural heritage. (1) Michail Dekleris is president of the Environment and Sustainability Chamber.
