On the eve of Vladimir Putin's meeting with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, the coalition members "In the forest near Moscow" turn to the European Commission with an appeal not to cooperate with the Russian government in the construction of toll roads. The Government of Russia made the wrong conclusions from years of conflict over Khimki Forest - and it faces a much more serious conflicts in the future .
Appeal in Russian (Pdf) in English (pdf)
Khimki Forest - July 2010
Here is the full text of the appeal.
Dear Mr. Barroso,
We, the representatives of the coalition NGO "For the forest near Moscow, writing to you on the participation of the EU in the construction of toll roads in Russia.
It is likely that at your meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, these issues will be discussed. Without denying the importance of EU cooperation and Russia in this field, we consider it necessary to draw your attention to the following circumstances.
Design and construction of toll roads in Russia is conducted with complete disregard for the principles of sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, as well as disregarding public opinion. Almost All projects implemented or planned for implementation in the near future have the appropriate serious problems:
- Western High Speed Diameter (St. Petersburg) - the passage of the road was designed in the reserve "Yuntolovo", which caused a public outcry.
- Crawling Odintsovo - The trail is laid in the center Podushkinskogo forest park, causing unjustified harm to the environment.
- CKAD - implementation in its current form Project CKAD along with related infrastructure will lead to the destruction of forests in the area exceeding the area of Moscow. In assessing the impact project on the environment and the subsequent public hearings Greenpeace Russia has recorded numerous violations of the law, which did were not eliminated.
- Section 15 - 58 km route from Moscow to St. Petersburg (the first scheduled for construction) runs almost entirely on forest lands in the immediate vicinity of Moscow. Trying to laying tracks through the forest park Khimki (having fundamental importance for the maintenance of an enabling the living conditions of citizens and which is the main recreational area for thousands of people) had been one of the most serious environmental conflicts in the modern Russia.
Despite the availability of alternatives, the government lobbied the construction of trails through the forest, leading to the degradation and destruction of the actual more than 1000 hectares of forest. For the suppression of civil protest builders used the police, CHOP and unidentified thugs, beating up activists as well as neo-Nazi groups. Defenders of forests attacked by unknown assailants, resulting in a local journalist and activist Michael Beketov Constantine Fetisov were severely injured and became disabled. Committed numerous unlawful arrests of activists by police.
After mass protests, President Medvedev was forced to halt construction and to announce the additional expert and public discussions project. In accordance with the decision of the president, our coalition was organized by an independent environmental assessment of the project committee of 18 people, which had in his part of 6 PhDs and 9 candidates.
14 December 2010 the Russian government announced its decision to continue construction of the route through forest, not even waiting for the completion of the examination. Expert opinion, convincingly shown that the chosen option track through the woods is the worst, not corresponds to the European Union directives and does not solve traffic problems - and not taken into account. In the examination also noted numerous violations of the law committed while implementing the project. Renewed crackdown on activists in defense of Khimki forest.
Dear Mr. Barroso, we are grateful to the European institutions, including EBRD and the EIB, which is argued to refrain from participating in the project route through Khimki forest, as well as in "Western High Speed Diameter". At the same time, we want to draw your attention that some European companies, in particular VINCI, continue to engage in odious project. Moreover, the Russian state-owned Avtodor negotiates with EBRD participation in the financing of other projects, including the regular sections of the route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. There is every reason to believe that the means of European investors plan to use where civil protest is not so noticeable - thus freeing up funds of Russian state assets and "pocket" banks to finance "Problem" sites. It seems that the Russian authorities made the wrong conclusions from the conflict over Khimki Forest in the summer of 2010.
We urge you, Mr. Barroso, when considering cooperation with the Russian government in the field of road construction to give priority to environmental issues and human rights. We strongly encourage European institutions to refrain from participating in the program for the construction of toll roads in Russia to until existing conflicts are resolved (and, in particular, will not be reviewed scandalous and dangerous project route through the woods Khimki).
believe This approach is fully consistent with the spirit and letter of the European Parliament resolution of 17 February 2011 on the situation in Russia. It will promote of our country as a modern democratic state, to implement the principles of sustainable development and the rule of law.
World WWF Russia, Greenpeace Russia
Russian Bird Conservation Union
Socio-Ecological Union
Conservation Center
welfare movement Khimki Forest
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